Papagayo Peninsula facts for kids

The Papagayo Peninsula is a beautiful piece of land on the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It's found in the Guanacaste area. This peninsula was created over a very long time by volcanoes and then shaped by wind and rain. It has about 15 miles (24 km) of coastline with 31 different beaches! A bigger piece of land called the Santa Elena Peninsula to the north helps keep the waters around Papagayo calm and safe.

The Papagayo Peninsula is a popular spot for tourists. It's home to the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, which even has a special golf course designed by Arnold Palmer. There are also some fancy homes here. The government has made a rule that 70% of the land on the Papagayo Peninsula must stay natural. This helps protect its amazing beauty from too much building.

A view of the beach from the Four Seasons in Papagayo

Resorts and Hotels

The Papagayo Peninsula is becoming a very popular place for people to visit. As of 2018, there are three main resorts here:

• The Four Seasons Costa Rica
• The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort
• Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica

The Four Seasons Resort has won many awards. For example, it was named one of the "World’s Best Hotels" by Travel + Leisure magazine. It was also recognized for having excellent service and being a top family beach resort. It's even been called the number one resort in all of Latin America!

Living on the Peninsula

The Papagayo Peninsula is home to a special project called Peninsula Papagayo. It was one of the first luxury developments in Central America to be designed in an eco-friendly way. This means it tries to protect the environment while offering beautiful places to live.

You can find different types of homes here, like large private houses, plots of land with ocean views, and fancy apartments or villas. Some of these homes are part of the Four Seasons Resort. Owners of these homes can use all the resort's services. This includes housekeeping, room service, the Arnold Palmer Golf Course, the hotel spa, and the pool and fitness center. There are also apartments called Las Terrazas that look out over the golf course and the Bahia de Culebra bay. Another option is the Playa Prieta beachfront estates, which are the only homes right on the beach along the peninsula's coastline.

Papagayo Marina

The Papagayo Marina is a big project that helps visitors and people living on the peninsula enjoy the ocean even more. It's located on the southwest side of the peninsula, right next to the Four Seasons Resort.

This marina is designed to welcome all kinds of boats, from sport fishing yachts to huge mega-yachts. The first part of the marina opened in 2009. It has 180 spots where boats can dock safely. When the whole project is finished, the marina will be able to hold up to 450 boats at once! Its calm and protected location makes it a great place for boats to stop and rest.

Fun Activities

Since a lot of the Papagayo Peninsula is still natural, there are many outdoor activities to enjoy. You can go:

• Deep-sea fishing
• Boat cruising
• Snorkeling
• Scuba diving
• Surfing
• Windsurfing
• Sea kayaking
• White-water rafting

You can also go on forest canopy tours (like zip-lining!) or horseback riding. Nearby, you can hike in Costa Rican National Parks and visit local villages and historic places.

Golf is one of the most popular activities here. The peninsula also has a tennis center. A new area called the Village at the Marina Papagayo is being built. It will have shops, restaurants, and entertainment spots. This village is designed to feel like a charming Italian town called Portofino, with lots of fun things happening from morning until night.

Nearby Places to Explore

There are many interesting places close to the Papagayo Peninsula, including several national parks where you can see amazing wildlife and nature:

• Parque Nacional Santa Rosa
• Parque Nacional Rincon de la Vieja
• Guanacaste National Park
• Lomas de Barbudal Biological Reserve
• Tenorio Volcano National Park
• Palo Verde National Park

Golfing on the Peninsula

The Papagayo Peninsula has a private 18-hole golf course designed by Arnold Palmer. It's a long course, stretching over 6,788 yards across 125 acres (0.51 km²) of land. The course has exciting changes in height, and you can see the Pacific Ocean from 14 of its 18 holes! In 2010, Golf Digest magazine ranked this golf course as one of the top in the world outside the U.S. It was also ranked as the third-best golf course in all of Latin America.

Images for kids

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  A view of the beach from the Four Seasons in Papagayo

See also

In Spanish: Península de Papagayo para niños