Stunning views, beautiful beaches, proximity to National Parks and easy access are among the features that make the Papagayo Gulf a very desirable region. Papagayo has developed into a destination offering upscale accommodations, private residences, beach, a golf course and a marina. Surrounding the Papagayo Peninsula is the vast “Área de Conservación Guanacaste” (ACG), a designated UNESCO World Heritage site comprising a single, uninterrupted biogeographic block of protected wildlife area of land and sea, home to an extraordinary variety of life forms including 7,000 plant species, 900 vertebrate species, 500 bird species, and 8,000 species of butterflies and moths.

Things to do in Papagayo

Canopy Tour
This adventure traverses seven ziplines, a majestic weeping fig tree and 21 adventure-filled high-rope obstacles replete with rope bridges, swinging logs and cargo nets.

Magical Mangrove
Take a relaxing paddle through the mangroves in an outrigger canoe. The Palmares mangroves are one of the jewels of the peninsula, a natural sanctuary where you will explore a unique ecosystem of eerie “walking trees” able to survive and thrive in salty fresh water, creating a rich refuge for wildlife.

Canoeing
Explore the turquoise waters and experience the wonders of marine life along the peninsula’s dramatic coastline.

Bioluminescence
An evening in one of the surrounding bays can take your breath away, especially during one of the seasonal upwellings in the Golfo de Papagayo. This is when plankton blooms occur and nature’s most delicate creatures—millions and millions of them—drift with the current just beneath the surface, performing an unforgettable underwater ballet known as bioluminescence.

Bird Watching
See some of the 150-plus bird species that call the peninsula their home: tiger heron, black hawk, laughing falcon, turquoise-browed motmot, manakin, lineated woodpecker or elegant trogon. 

Night Walk
Embark on a magical nature walk at night through the peninsula’s tropical dry forest to discover the nocturnal creatures that come out to play after dark. 

Papagayo tours to other destinations nearby

Palo Verde National Park
Palo Verde National Park is a slice of wetland sanctuary in the middle of Guanacaste. The 45,500-acre park contains more than 15 topographical zones, including mangrove swamps, evergreen forests, and tropical dry forests. The park is a haven for migratory birds, bats, and 250 species of bees, plus mammals like jaguarundis (cat) and howler monkeys. 

Santa Rosa National Park
Scene of the historic Battle of March 20, 1856, the Santa Rosa National Park is the only Protected Wilderness Area that has a historical museum within its territory. Also found in the park are some of the most ancient lands of Costa Rica, which emerged from the sea over 85 million years ago.