Zancudo is a quiet, multicultural beach town, increasingly run and populated by foreigners. It's quite a popular spot in high season, with tourists crowded along the beach at all hours of the day – and night – swimming, lounging and soaking up the sun. Its name actually means “mosquito,” but luckily it doesn't live up to the title. As time goes by, the Ticos are slowly being pushed out of Zancudo, outbid by Americans, Italians, Germans, Canadians – you get the idea – for the pricey beach front properties. Already there is an invisible line past which you're officially in gringo land. Still, the most happening places in town are native-owned. On the weekends, for example, anyone looking for a serious party heads to Tico-run El Coquito, one of the oldest establishments on the beach, for dancing and kareoke.
Zancudo is also surrounded by mangrove swamps, which means that in addition to being a great place to swim, fish and surf, it's also a good location for kayaking and wildlife observation.