Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of its shape, the municipality is actually named after one of the area's original planters, Don
Gonzalo Rincón. For most of its history, the town survived on cane farming and cattle-rais-
ing.
Things changed when the World Surfing Championships arrived in 1968. Glossy images
of Rincón were plastered all over international magazines and TV - the word was out.
Every year since then has seen successive generations of wave riders make the pilgrimage.
And while they pursued an endless summer, they began to invest in the community, build-
ing their own restaurants, guesthouses and bars. Eventually, Rincón's perfect surf and per-
manent beach bums lent the place the vibe it retains today, something similar to a Hawaiian
surfing outpost.
As the baby-boomer generation of surfers got older, they continued to harbor romantic
images of Rincón. But when they returned with their own children, they demanded better
accommodations, slicker restaurants and a broader variety of activities - and the town re-
sponded. Today, you can rent distinctive vacation homes or stay in luxurious hotels. While
the old-style bunkhouses are gone, imaginative and moderately priced guesthouses remain
a staple in Rincón.
Sights
Rincón is more of a region than a town, encompassing a municipal center surrounded by
clusters of commercial areas. The municipal center is only about four square blocks, en-
circling the Catholic church and the Presbyterian church that face each other across the
traffic-crowded Plaza de Recreo. This core has essential services but most of the inns, res-
taurants and beach attractions lie north or south.
The best swimming beaches are south of the village, as are many of the larger hotels.
A number of different snorkeling and surfing sites lie north and west of town, along Hwy
413. Moving further north, Hwy 413 climbs into steep hills.
