A legendary surf beach beside 4,500 gated acres of golf, beach club, and luxury villas — barefoot soul and estate living, ten minutes apart.
Playa Avellanas is one of Costa Rica's legendary surf beaches — the home of "Little Hawaii" — and it has kept its barefoot, boards-in-the-truck character: dirt road in, mangrove boardwalk, and lunch at the beachfront institution that is Lola's. Right beside it stretches Hacienda Pinilla: 4,500 gated acres of dry tropical forest, an 18-hole golf course, a private beach club, equestrian trails, and the JW Marriott resort.
That combination doesn't exist anywhere else on the coast. You can live in a modern estate with golf-course quiet and 24/7 security, and be in the lineup at one of the country's best waves in ten minutes — or in Tamarindo's restaurants in fifteen. It's also where I spend much of my working week: several of my current listings are inside Pinilla.
Avellanas serves every level across its peaks: gentle inside waves for learners at mid-tide, the powerful Little Hawaii outer reef when the swell arrives, and everything between. Crowds stay thinner than Tamarindo because access is deliberately unpolished. Inside Pinilla, residents also use Playa Bonita and the beach club — calm, private sand you will rarely share with more than a handful of people.
Journey School, a US-accredited international school, operates inside Hacienda Pinilla itself — a genuine differentiator for families, whose kids can be at school in minutes without leaving the gates. Educarte in Villarreal and the Brasilito-corridor schools (La Paz, CRIA) are 20–35 minutes out. Between golf, tennis, riding, and the beach club, Pinilla is arguably the most family-complete community on the coast.
Hacienda Pinilla has matured into one of Guanacaste's strongest luxury markets: modern 4–6 bedroom villas with golf or ocean views trading between roughly $1M and $5M+, plus condos and homesites below that. Product here rents exceptionally well to high-end groups — big villas with pools near a swimmable beach are exactly what the luxury vacation market wants. Around Avellanas village itself, surf-town homes and lots offer a rawer, lower-priced entry to the same coastline.
Hacienda Pinilla is a 4,500-acre gated resort and residential community beside Playa Avellanas, with an 18-hole golf course, private beach club, equestrian center, the JW Marriott resort, and the US-accredited Journey School on site. It's one of the strongest luxury real estate markets in Guanacaste, with villas typically ranging from about $1M to $5M+.
Yes — Avellanas has multiple peaks and works for every level. The inside waves at mid-tide suit learners, while the famous "Little Hawaii" outer section produces powerful waves for experienced surfers when the swell is right. It's generally less crowded than Tamarindo.
About 15 minutes by car. Residents use Tamarindo for restaurants, supermarkets, and nightlife, while living inside Pinilla's gates with golf, beach club, and school. Liberia International Airport is roughly 1.5 hours away.
I work this coast every day. Tell me your budget and how you want to live — I'll tell you honestly if Avellanas fits, and what your money buys here right now.