Gulf of Papagayo: Luxury Beach Destination

Up in the Pacific Northwest corner of Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful and popular places in the country: the Gulf of Papagayo in the Guanacaste province.

Tourists love to vacation in the Gulf of Papagayo and the Papagayo Peninsula because of its mesmerizing coastlines, incredible beaches and excellent water sports.

So for anyone looking for the ultimate beach vacation, the Gulf of Papagayo offers exactly that and more!

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Best Airport for the Papagayo Peninsula

The best airport to fly into to visit the Gulf of Papagayo is Guanacaste Airport. Airport code is LIR.

Guanacaste Airport is about a 35 minute drive to the closest beach town of Playas del Coco and around 40 minutes to the Papagayo Peninsula.

From San Jose International Airport, it is about a 4.5 hour drive and about 250 kilometers (155 miles) to the Gulf of Papagayo.

Need an airport transfer to your hotel? Contact us to book your private transfer!

Where to Stay

The Gulf of Papagayo is one of the most developed areas in Costa Rica, with luxury all-inclusive resorts spread out throughout the Papagayo Peninsula.

Visitors can choose to stay at one of the resorts on the peninsula or at one of the small beach towns, such as Playas del Coco (main beach town), Playa Ocotal, Playa Hermosa and Playa Panama.

These beach towns are all excellent places for a home base in the Gulf of Papagayo if you do not want to stay at a resort.

Papagayo Peninsula Resorts

If you’re looking for the best all inclusive resorts in Costa Rica or a luxury hotel, the Gulf of Papagayo is where you should look first.

On the peninsula, you can find a handful of luxury beach front all inclusive resorts and luxury resorts.

Planet Hollywood

This all-inclusive is right next to the Papagayo marina, with splendid ocean views, spacious suites, kids club, spa and VIP Star class exclusives. Popular for families. Vacation like a rockstar!

Check rates for Planet Hollywood here.

Secrets Papagayo

This adult only all inclusive resort is on its own beach, has 24 hour dining, an unlimited Luxury exclusive section and spacious suites. Has beautiful ocean views, great food and feels more exclusive since it is not a gigantic resort.

Check rates for Secrets here.

Riu Guanacaste

Riu Guanacaste is a little bit outside the Gulf of Papagayo on Playa Matapalo, a beautiful dark sand beach. This is a good all inclusive for families or big friends groups as the property is huge!

It definitely has the feel of a typical all inclusive resort on Cancun, with several big pools, restaurants and a spa.

For those looking for more privacy and exclusive services, check out the Riu Palace. Riu Palace hotel guests have access to their own exclusive restaurants and pools.

You can check rates for Riu Guanacaste here.

Andaz Papagayo

You haven’t stayed in luxury until you’ve been to the Andaz Papagayo!

This world class resort has a golf course, spa, private plunge pool in the suites and stunning ocean views all around. It is right next to the Papagayo marina on its on beach.

Andaz Papagayo is popular among families since they have nice pools, wildlife all around and friendly staff.

Check rates for Andaz Papagayo here.

Four Seasons

If you want to vacation like a celebrity, book a villa at the Four Seasons. The Four Seasons is on Playa Blanca, one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica.

It’s an excellent resort for families or couples. Many American celebrities have stayed here too, since they offer private villas with their own entrance.

Book a room at Four Seasons here.

Occidental Papagayo

This adult only all inclusive is located on Playa Buena/Bonita, between Hermosa and Panama beach.

It’s not on the prettiest beach but the resort is clean, food is good and it is not too far from Coco so you can easily explore outside the resort if you like.

Check rates for Occidental Papagayo here.

Villas Sol

Villas Sol is a timeshare and all-inclusive resort on Playa Hermosa. It’s popular with locals so it can get pretty rowdy during holidays. But it’s a good option for someone looking for a reasonably priced all-inclusive.

They have multiple pools, ocean views and various types of rooms from standard rooms and casitas.

Check rates for Villas Sol here.

El Mangroove

The Mangroove hotel is on Playa Panama, a nice quiet beach. It’s ideal for couples or families, but I personally recommend it more for couples. They have two excellent restaurants, cozy suites and a beautiful pool.

We absolutely loved this quiet boutique resort for a romantic getaway.

Check Mangroove rates here.

How to Get to Your Papagayo Peninsula Resort from Guanacaste Airport

The best way to get to your resort in the Papagayo Peninsula from Guanacaste Airport is a private shuttle, since most tourists don’t rent a car if they are staying at the resort the whole time.

This is for hotels like Andaz, Four Seasons, Planet Hollywood, Secrets, Waldorf Astoria and Ritz Carlton.

There are no shared shuttles available, nor public buses that go directly from the airport to the resorts.

A private shuttle driver will wait for you directly outside the airport terminal exit and it will be only your group in the van. You can ask the driver to stop somewhere along the way, like a bank or supermarket if you want to.

A private shuttle from Guanacaste Airport to the Papagayo Peninsula resorts can cost around $90 USD without taxes and fees for 1-5 people.

Contact us if you would like to book a private shuttle.

How to Get to Coco/Ocotal/Hermosa/Panama/Riu

If you are staying in those towns or the Riu Guanacaste or Riu Palace resorts, the best option is to rent a car or book a private shuttle.

You won’t necessarily need a car for the Riu resorts, since you can book tours with transportation.

However, we highly recommend renting a car for those staying in Coco, Ocotal, Hermosa and Panama and want to explore around on their own. Get our Costa Rica car rental discount here!

A private shuttle from Guanacaste Airport to Coco/Hermosa/Panama can cost around $65 USD without taxes and fees for 1-5 people.

A private shuttle from Guanacaste Airport to Riu can be around $70 USD without taxes and fees fro 1-5 people.

Feel free to contact us if you would like to book a private shuttle.

Unfortunately Uber does not work well at Guanacaste Airport because the police are constantly looking for them and will fine Uber drivers.

Best Time for Wildlife

The Gulf of Papagayo is teeming with wildlife and the rich waters are an ideal environment for all sorts of marine life.

The best times to see wildlife out in the Gulf of Papagayo is January through March for dolphins, rays and humpback whales. July through November is another great time for humpback whales, dolphins and turtles.

The Papagayo Peninsula is the dry tropical forest, so there are no sloths, toucans or macaws in these areas. There are a lot of howler monkeys and also white face monkeys.

For Less Crowds and Cheaper Prices

Since this area is very popular, it gets crowded and is very expensive during the high tourism season which starts during Christmas and goes through April.

If you don’t mind rain and want to get away from crowds or you’re on a budget, then the best months to visit the Gulf of Papagayo is the shoulder season and rainy season months of May, June, September and October.

There are way less people and hotels lower their rates considerably as it is low season in this area. You also get to see the mountains all lush and green!

The downside is that it’s rainy season, but you will still have a great time as this area tends to have a “drier” rainy season compared to other parts of the country. Mornings are generally still dry and sunny and it will rain on and off in the afternoons and evenings.

Learn more about the rainy season in Costa Rica here.

Who Should Visit?

Anyone looking for beach, convenience and luxury. It is also an excellent destination for families, couples, honeymooners and senior citizens since it is close to the airport and has all the services.

Because of these reasons, the Gulf of Papagayo is very popular among Americans and Canadians.

A couple of downsides is that it is on the more expensive side and it feels quite touristy.

Gulf of Papagayo Weather

The Gulf of Papagayo has some of the best weather in Costa Rica in terms of sun.

Average temperatures in dry season are around 90-100° Fahrenheit (32-38° C)in the peak dry season months.

The hottest months of the year, March and April can stay around 100-104° F (38-40° C).

This area also tends to have a longer dry season than the rest of the country. It doesn’t really start raining until about mid May, but it’s usually on and off. It is not a constant rain.

Then in July, Costa Rica gets a “little summer” where it dries up for a period of time like summer.

The rainiest month is October, but even still, you can get dry mornings and blue skies. It tends to start raining in the late afternoon at night.

Sometimes it can still rain a lot in November depending on the type of year it is (El Niño or La Niña).

Don’t worry – it’s warm rain! In rainy season it still stays hot and humid, around 85° F (29° C) during the day.

Beaches

There is a reason why the Guanacaste province is nicknamed the “golden coast” of Costa Rica. It has some of the most breathtaking beaches in the country and the Gulf of Papagayo is home to many of them!

Since the Gulf is made up of little bays and inlets, you can find a plethora of white sand beaches with crystal clear waters.

Our favorite beaches in the Gulf of Papagayo are Playa Huevo, Playa Blanca, Playa Junquillal, Playa Nacascolo, Playa Buena and Jicaro.

All of them have white-ish colored sand and have decent snorkeling.

One of the reasons why so many resorts are in this part of Costa Rica is these beaches.

Things to Do in the Gulf of Papagayo

With year round warm waters, calm waves and great weather, there is no doubt that the ocean adventures are the highlight of the Gulf of Papagayo.

Visitors can fish, stand up paddle, kayak, snorkel, scuba dive and surf in this beautiful part of Costa Rica.

Fishing

Fishing in Costa Rica is exceptional. With such healthy waters, you can catch fish such as mahi mahi, tuna, roosterfish, wahoo, grouper and much more.

In the Gulf, you can catch mahi mahi, tuna, snapper, wahoo and grouper on an inshore fishing trip.

You can also go out further in the Gulf to try your hand at marlins, rooster or sailfish.

Beach Hop and Snorkel Boat Tour

The best way to enjoy the Gulf of Papagayo, Bahia Culebra and all its little bays and coves, is a private boating tour to snorkel and beach hop.

This is our favorite thing to do in Guanacaste and undoubtedly, one of the best things to do in Costa Rica.

As many of the white sand beaches are boat access only and snorkel spots are off shore, you need to go on a beach hopping tour to experience it all.

By having the boat all to yourself, you can choose how long to stay at one spot and your boat captain will find the more private spots for your group.

The main beaches like Coco, Hermosa and Panama don’t have good snorkeling off the beach, so you will need to go on a boating tour for good snorkeling. Ocotal has okay snorkeling off the beach.

The best snorkeling is out in the Gulf at certain rocky reefs and beaches. You can see colorful tropical fish, manta and eagle rays, coral, sea urchins, puffer fish, turtles and trumpet fish.

You can also add fishing to your tour for more adventure. If you get good fish, you can take it back with you to cook it at your vacation rental or take it to a restaurant to have them cook it for you.

Read about boating in Playas del Coco and book your private Gulf of Papagayo boating tour here.

Surfing Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point

Although there aren’t good consistent surfing beaches in the Gulf, Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point are two incredible spots in the Papagayo Gulf that you can reach by boat.

These two places are considered as some of the best places to surf in Costa Rica. Witch’s Rock (Roca Bruja) is in Santa Rosa National Park, at Playa Naranjo and when its on, it’s on.

Ollie’s Point has been a fantastic point for longboarding but due to some changes in the landscapes, this point only activates during certain conditions. When it’s on, it’s also incredible.

Both spots are for intermediate and advanced surfers only. If you are a beginner or first timer, it’s best to go to Tamarindo for lessons (1 hour south).

Scuba Diving

The Gulf has several islands with excellent scuba diving such as Monkey Head Island and Bat Islands. Coco and Ocotal are the best launch points for scuba diving trips.

You don’t need to be certified to dive, they offer discovery dives for those without certification. They will have a one hour pool instruction before the dives.

Sunset Sailing

Sunsets are one of a kind in the Gulf of Papagayo!

Enjoy it from the beach, your hotel room or see it from the water on a sunset sailing trip.

There are a few catamaran companies that sail around the Gulf in the afternoon. They depart from Coco beach, sailing to a white sand beach to snorkel and swim, and then sail back to Coco during the sunset.

Popular catamaran companies are Marlin del Rey, Sea Bird or Kuna Vela.

Costa Rica Vacation Checklist

• First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
• Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
• Get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List and check our Mytanfeet Amazon storefront for our personal recommendations.
• Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
• Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica!
• Buy a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica to stay connected. Get 10% off your Airalo package with our promo code “mytanfeet”
• Save money with Mytanfeet Deals and get our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.

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Read more destination guides below!

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica: Main tourism hub and town in the South Caribbean. Beautiful white sand beaches, lots of wildlife.

Jaco, Costa Rica: Most developed beach town only 1.5 hours from San Jose. Great surfing beach. Lots of good restaurants.

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica: Surf town in the Nicoya Peninsula. Remote, touristy but very beautiful beaches.

Samara, Costa Rica: Family friendly beach town in South Guanacaste. Nice surfing beach for beginners.