Best beaches in Papagayo Gulf

1 ranked beach in Papagayo Gulf, Guanacaste

Ranked by the OnlyBeaches Index (OBI) — a 1-10 score blending water purity, conditions, crowd levels and vibe. Updated every 30 minutes.

All beaches in Papagayo Gulf

1
Playa Matapalo

Broad resort-front beach south of Papagayo with reliable visitor interest

7.0

What makes Papagayo Gulf's beaches stand out?

Papagayo Gulf sits in Guanacaste, Costa Rica and is home to 1 ranked beach on OnlyBeaches. Every beach here is scored by the OnlyBeaches Index — a 1-10 metric blending water purity, live conditions (waves, water temperature, wind), crowd intelligence and vibe.

Whether you're after the highest-scoring beach in Papagayo Gulf or a quieter hidden cove, the list above is refreshed every 30 minutes using live Stormglass and OpenWeather data.