Cueva Playa Ventanas Costa Rica

Playa Ventanas is a nice little tourist beach in southwestern Costa Rica on the Pacific side.  It boasts a large expanse of sandy beach and while not entirely safe it is more suitable to swimming than in some places where the currents can really be dangerous.

We stopped by as there is a fairly well-known sea cave there and wanted to check it out.  But of course, we stopped and sat in the shade for a bit like normal folks do just to enjoy the place a bit.

Shade shelters along the beach at Playa Ventanas, Costa Rica

One doesn't have to go far to find the cave, as it is pretty much just to the left of where I was standing when I took the beach photo above.  Easy peasy!  

​And this is what you see looking at the highwall.

Cueva Playa Ventanas sea cave in Costa Rica

The hole on the left seems to be connected to the larger entrance on the right so probably all just the same cave.  But why not just go in and find out?  What kind of cave explorers are we anyway?
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Don McFarlane looking into Cueva Playa Ventanas

So looking into the larger opening you find that you can see right through the hill and out to the ocean.  Pretty long cave, so surely Don will explore it and map it and study it until it gives up all its secrets.

Don McFarlane in the entrance to Cueva Playa Ventanas, Costa Rica

It should be noted here that Don is in the cave.  Technically anyway.  But where is his hard hat and light?  And gear?  Seems a bit timid about things.

Don McFarlane fleeing from Cueva Playa Ventanas, Costa Rica

And like Sir Robin in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, He bravely ran away.

So what is going on here?  Why am I asking so many questions?  For an answer, here is a short video of the inside of the cave:

So, as can be seen the inside of the cave was less than tourist friendly.  We were there too close to high tide to go in there, although I understand that things are quite a bit more calm at low tide, and we plan to return with better timing at some point.  Anyway, there was no need for caving gear as it was clear from the start that we wouldn't be going in there.

So we hiked down the beach to the other rocky area to see if there were any more caves nearby.

Guy van Rentergem and Don McFarlane in search of more caves at Playa Ventanas, Costa Rica

We didn't find anything else enterable, but at the rocky point where the high tide prevented further shoreline exploration, Don hung out for a while.  It was, overall, a pretty nice place to do so.

Don McFarlane at Playa Ventanas, Costa Rica

And finally, for those who like their photos a little Outside Magazine-ish, I goaded him into posing a shot.  After this bit we headed on down the road.

Enjoying the moment at Playa Ventanas, Costa Rica