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Many of the beaches of Guanacaste , scattered along the rocky coastline from Bahia Culebra to Samara on the west of the Nicoya Peninsula, are being aggressively developed for mass tourism. Most controversial is the fits-and-starts Papagayo Project , covering nearly the entire Bahia Culebra. Over the next fifteen years about 14,000 rooms are planned here, making it the largest tourist development in Central America (there are currently a total of just 13,000 hotel rooms in the whole of Costa Rica). That said, despite all the noise, the project seems to be permanently stalled. The golf course craze, however, shows no signs of abating. These pose a particular danger to the delicate environment, since golf courses require an enormous amount of water, which is often taken from wetlands, mangroves and other fragile habitats, never mind the fact that local people may have their water supply curtailed. Despite the increasing development, the coast here has a lot to recommend it, not least Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas , where droves of leatherback turtles come ashore to lay their eggs between October and February. If it's a good swim you want, however, best head down to Tamarindo , or better still to Samara or Nosara on the Nicoya Peninsula. It can take a long time to get to the Guanacaste coast from San Jose (5hr minimum, unless you fly) and in some places you feel very remote indeed. Getting around can take time, too, as the beaches tend to be separated by rocky headlands or otherwise impassable formations, entailing considerable backtracking inland to get from one to the other. Unless you're just going to one place, bus travel is tricky, although possible. By far the most popular option is to rent a car , which allows you to beach-hop with relative ease. Roads are not bad, if somewhat potholed - you'll do best with 4WD , though this can prove expensive.
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