The Gulf of Papagayo Costa Rica is an epicenter of great beaches in the Guanacaste province. You could spend twenty years alone just visiting all of the great places for surf, fishing, snorkeling and general maritime entertainment in the Gulf of Papagayo.

In the enumeration of beaches in this area you will find Playa Culebra, Playa Hermosa, Playa Del Coco, Playa Panama and many more. This Gulf of the Pacific coast is a pretty good place to make plans to visit. Along with many beaches, there are quite possibly hundreds of places to stay, restaurants to dine at, attractions to see and activities to participate in. This area is under a major development plan from the Costa Rican government to appeal to rising tourism in the area.

A few major resorts and smaller hotels of the area include Allegro Papagayo, Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, Occidental Grand Papagayo and Hotel and Villas Nacazcol. A packing list for this location might consist of a swimsuit, sun screen, a good book or two, volleyball, Frisbee, soccer ball, a camera or mobile phone and an open schedule.

It won’t be hard to find something to do at the sandy beaches that surround this tropical escape. If you are so inclined to take a trip inland the neighboring areas can provide plenty of jungle excursions into places such as Rincon De La Vieja or Parque Nacional Santa Rosa (The National Park of Santa Rosa).

Getting to the Gulf of Papagayo will be easier in the somewhat more densely populated tourist destinations than the smaller pueblos and villages. A bus or hotel shuttle will take most pleasure seekers to their intended termini in the more inhabited areas. For the smaller towns, a taxi or a rental will suffice for making such trips.

The Gulf of Papagayo is about three hours and forty minutes (for most locations along the gulf) to Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia is much closer at around forty minutes to an hour for most destintations in the Gulf. The capital city of San Jose is about five hours and fifteen minutes away.

Beach: Gulf of Papagayo
Items to bring: swimsuit, sun screen, literature, volleyball, Frisbee, soccer ball, a camera, mobile phone
Distance from San Jose: 5 hrs 15 mins
Distance from Liberia: 40 mins-1 hr
Hotels nearby: Allegro Papagayo, Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, Occidental Grand Papagayo, Hotel and Villas Nacazcol
Beaches in the area: Playa Culebra, Playa Hermosa, Playa Del Coco, Playa Panama
Ways to get here: bus, hotel shuttle, taxi, rental car, scooter, motorcycle