Papagayo Gulf
Costa Rica · Guanacaste
Upscale resort peninsula in northern Guanacaste — Four Seasons, Andaz, secluded private beaches. Closest resort zone to Liberia airport. Sailing catamarans, sport fishing, spa programs, and calm protected waters.
Overview
Costa Rica's all-inclusive resort coast — sheltered bays and white-sand crescents 25 minutes from Liberia airport.
The Papagayo Peninsula curves around a sheltered Pacific gulf in northern Guanacaste, home to Costa Rica's biggest concentration of upscale resorts — Four Seasons, Andaz, Westin, RIU, Planet Hollywood. The setting is dry tropical forest meeting calm turquoise water, with an Arnold Palmer–designed golf course on the hilltops.
- Calm-water beaches — Playa Blanca, Playa Nacascolo, Bahía Culebra
- Championship golf — Arnold Palmer–designed Papagayo course at Four Seasons
- Sportfishing — sailfish, marlin, and dorado out of Marina Papagayo
- Easy access — 25 minutes from Liberia International (LIR)
- Day trips — Rincón de la Vieja volcano, Witch's Rock surf, Palo Verde NP
Best time to visit
December through April delivers dry, sunny days and calm seas — peak resort season. May through November stays warm with greener hillsides, lower rates, and brief afternoon storms; the gulf is sheltered enough that ocean conditions stay manageable year-round.
Guides for Papagayo Gulf
- Papagayo Gulf Day Trips: Which One to Book, and the Days the Parks Are Shut · Things to do
- Booking a Boat Day in the Papagayo Gulf: Why the Hour Beats the Boat · Things to do
- Fishing in the Gulf of Papagayo & Guanacaste: Roosterfish, Sailfish & More (2026) · Things to do
- Do You Need a Rental Car at Papagayo Gulf? Count Your Off-Resort Days · Getting there
- LIR to the Papagayo Gulf: There Is No Bus From the Terminal · Getting there
Experiences
Horseback Ride in Guanacaste
From $50 per person
Rappelling & Rock Climbing by the River
From $28 per person
Zip Line Ride
From $50 per person
La Leona Waterfall Adventure
From $35 per person
White-Water River Tubing
From $45 per person
La Leona Waterfall + Canopy Zipline
From $90 per person
Rio Negro Hot Springs - Volcanic Mud Bath Day Pass
From $35 per person
Ultimate Sloth Watching Tour Guanacaste + Waterfall & Coffee
From $290 per person
Boat Rides
From $40 per person
Yacht Charter Full Day
From $7,545 per person
Rafting in Cañón de la Vieja
From $52 per person
Rafting in Cañón de la Vieja
From $52 per person
Getting around
Gallery
Practical facts
- Local time
- UTC-6 · Same time as Costa Rica
- Region
- Guanacaste
- Main language
- Spanish
- On the map
- 10.73° N, 85.81° W
Near Papagayo Gulf
- Playa Hermosa · 23 km away
- Playa Flamingo · 33 km away
- Liberia · 41 km away
- Tamarindo · 48 km away
- San Juan del Sur · 59 km away
- Nosara · 86 km away
More of Costa Rica
Pura vida is a way of life in this small Central American republic where 28% of the land sits under protection.
Explore Costa Rica · Liberia · San Jose · Monteverde · Tamarindo · Alajuela
Where to stay
Hotels in Papagayo Gulf are available through our booking tool. Search hotels in Papagayo Gulf →