Nicoya is a town in Costa Rica's Guanacaste province, an one of its most important tourist zones. It serves as a transport hub to Guanacaste's beaches and national parks. According to the 2000 census, the city's population is 13,334—second only to Liberia in the province. The city is also the district seat of a cantón of the same name, which in 2000 had 20,945 residents.