Playa Conchal, Shell-composed beach in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica

Playa Conchal is a beach in Guanacaste Province with a shore made of millions of crushed shells that create a white and pink-tinted surface. The water is turquoise and the beach stretches for several kilometers along the coastline.

Playa Conchal takes its name from a shore composed of about 98% shells and layers of pulverised rock. In 2018 the Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo of Santa Cruz granted a precautionary measure requested by the Reserva Conchal hotel, closing vehicle access from the neighbouring Playa Brasilito, 500 m away. The municipality of Santa Cruz opposed the ruling, while the hotel argued it protected the maritime-terrestrial zone.

The name comes from the 98% shell and pulverized rock composition of its sand. Souvenir stalls, beach massages, horseback tours and sport-fishing trips operate on the sand, and the beach remains public despite the 2018 vehicle-access closure. Locals advise asking about tides, since the surf can be strong.

Vehicle access from neighbouring Playa Brasilito, about 500 metres away, was closed by a 2018 court injunction obtained by the Reserva Conchal hotel, so most visitors arrive on foot along that stretch. The beach itself remains public. Ask local people about tide and wave conditions, since the surf can be strong.

Playa Conchal's sand is about 98% crushed shells and pulverised rock, which is why it looks white and pink rather than golden. Since vehicle access from neighbouring Brasilito, 500 metres away, was closed on 15 June 2018, the sand has stayed cleaner; bathers now walk in.