Was the popular surfing spot at Playa Grande Beach in Costa Rica an ancient burial place? Do the spirits of those buried here come back the same way the turtles return to this beach to lay eggs?
On the sun-kissed Nicoya Peninsula, Playa Grande Beach near Montezuma, Costa Rica, is famed for its powdery sands, rolling surf, vibrant sunsets and laid back vibes. But beneath its natural beauty lurks something far older — and far darker. Whispers among locals and travelers alike tell of spirits that rise with the evening tide, remnants of an ancient people unwilling to let the living forget.
For centuries, this tranquil stretch of coastline, also known as Salinas, has been believed to rest upon an indigenous burial ground, where the remains of Costa Rica’s earliest peoples were laid to rest long before the arrival of European settlers. And though time has weathered away many of their markers, the spirits endure.
No One Stays After Dark
Playa Grande may welcome visitors by day and the nearby city of Montezuma is nicknamed Montefuma because of the big party scene there. Playa Grande ends in a wooded headland and the point is filled with caves, and small coves where pirates and Nazis hid. This is the western-most point in Costa Rica – a landmark included on every map of the region. Some call it Cerro Morro, some call it El Encanto where the turtles return to lay eggs.
But by custom and quiet warning, no one is permitted to remain overnight. Local lore holds that those who linger after sunset risk disturbing the slumber of the dead — and inciting their wrath.
Beachgoers have long reported spectral shapes moving through the palm trees, strange whispers in forgotten tongues, and cold pockets of air in the warm, tropical night. Many claim to have seen shadowy figures along the shoreline, watching, waiting. Some visitors have fled after hearing disembodied voices urging them to leave… or else.
A recurring tale tells of a pair of travelers who defied the warnings, camping near the dunes. In the dead of night, their tent was surrounded by a circle of unseen figures, chanting in a language neither recognized. By morning, they left the beach pale and trembling, their belongings inexplicably soaked with saltwater, though the tide had not risen near their camp.
The Ancient Burial Place
But what is it about the tranquil beach that makes people flee at night? Some people claim that it used to be some kind of ancient burial ground, and that those buried there, are lingering on the beach.
To have a look at why this rumor has spread and might ring true, we have to look at CAbuya Island close by that truly does have an ancient burial ground, still in use as intended.
The Silent Dead of Cabuya Island
Just off the coast lies Cabuya Island, a small, eerie landmass only accessible at low tide. It remains home to one of Costa Rica’s oldest cemeteries, a somber place where whitewashed tombs and weather-beaten crosses are battered by ocean winds. Several trees have a bleached, hollow appearance. It has been in use since the 1700s, and funerals still happen several times a year. These ceremonies sometimes take place in the black of night as mourners transport the body from the town of Cabuya.
“They put lights on the entire path, like candles,” César Benavides, a tour guide for Proyecto Montezuma says.. “When the moon is full and the tide is low, they bury the person under the full moon.
“It is very beautiful.”
However, long before it was used by the colonizers, it was used by the indigenous tribes, even before the Pacific Ocean divided the landmass from the rest of Costa Rica. Can this be the same thing that seems to be haunting the Playa Grande Beach?
At night, locals say, the island takes on a life of its own. Fisherman Wilber Mendez, whose family has worked these waters for generations, recalls unsettling nights at sea:
“In the night, there are times when I hear voices coming from there… The sounds are not birds; they are something else.”
Others claim to see glowing orbs hovering above the graves, or hear mournful wails carried across the water. The most chilling reports describe figures — thin, pale, and cloaked in mist — wandering the shore of Cabuya, vanishing before dawn.
The Old Ones Remember
Folklorists say the hauntings of Playa Grande and Cabuya Island are deeply connected to the region’s indigenous history. Before the conquest, these lands were sacred, their dead carefully interred with rituals meant to protect both the living and the departed. The violent disruptions of colonization, followed by centuries of neglect, are believed to have left these spirits unquiet, forever yearning for recognition.
Visitors to Playa Grande today are subtly cautioned: respect the land, move with care, and when night falls — leave.
For in this beautiful, haunted stretch of Costa Rica, the dead still keep watch.
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