Cobano is the Rome of The Nicoya Peninsula. Whichever beach you may find yourself to be in in Nicoya, you can be sure that its exit road leads to Cobano. A couple of decades ago, nobody had heard of the place. It’s a little cowboy town, where nothing much ever happens. Up to a few years ago, there wasn’t even a road. Food and supplies all came from Puntarenas by boat. Tourism did its work, and with all this multitude of beautiful beaches that have become more and more popular, roads have been built and now it has become a busy little town, where people come in between beaches to shop and to take a bus.
The roads leading to the beaches of Mal Pais, Santa Teresa, Playa Tambor and Montezuma all pass through there. The little town is very lively during the week these days, buzzing with tourists and expats coming into town for shopping and banking. Up to a couple of years ago, the Banco National of Cobano was the only bank around and it was serving all the beaches too; when more foreigners started to settle down in the beaches, the bank soon became known as the local nightmare, with 3 or 4 hours queues expected!
Now, Santa Teresa, on the coast, has opened a bank and it has made everything a little easier. Cobano also has the only pharmacy, lawyers and medical service, with a public clinic as well as a small hospital. An old rancho was even put down last year and has been replaced with a small shopping mall! No wonder it has become a bustling little town seemingly over night, with all the developments going on at the beaches! Cobano has become essential for those living in the area! If you are driving, check out the gas station there as well, as it is the only one around!
Cobano is also the perfect stop over for those visiting Cabo Blanco National Park. It is certainly not a tourist spot but it has a couple of middle to low range places to stay. There are a few places where you can grab a meal, and at night there are a couple of bars which always have a good atmosphere, offer simple local food and burgers, and are great to drop by just for a drink, a bit of fun and people watching. During the Rodeo or Fiestas Civicas, which take place in February or March, the place really does comes alive. It is three whole days of eating, drinking dancing and plenty of local music called Cumbia. Various activities take place, all to do with horses and bull riding, indeed, the rodeo starts with a horse parade called a Tope. There is a big fair, with rides and stalls selling all sorts of local food and sweets.
Cobano is easy to get to from Playa Tambor, which you can reach either by plane, or if you prefer you may drive to Puntarenas, take the ferry to Paquera and drive through Playa Tambor. It is a very picturesque and scenic route.