Nicoya & Papagayo

Costa Rica’s west coast, including the Nicoya and Papagayo Peninsulas, has the lion’s share of luxury beach resorts, jungle action, and water sports.

Whether you go for thrills or chills, Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula delivers in spades. Watch the surfers negotiate the barrel waves or indulge in a decadent spa scene where you’re forgiven if you do as little as possible. But with the promise of sloths, turtles, or the streak of a scarlet macaw across the sky to search for, there’s plenty to tempt you deeper into Costa Rica’s famous wilderness.

Then you’ve got the Papagayo Peninsula – a smaller peninsula north of Nicoya – where there’s a bounty of luxury hotels to return to after days of ziplining and river rafting, with a camera full of shots of the jungle and its exotic residents, including iguanas, monkeys, and hummingbirds.

Speak to our travel experts about Costa Rica and finding the perfect hotel as a base for your adventures.

Nicoya & Papagayo Hotels

Our recommendations for the best places to stay in Nicoya & Papagayo

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort

A chic family-friendly resort overlooking Culebra Bay

from £3,314 p/p

Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection

Cut into the hillside on the Nicoya Peninsula, this eco-friendly hideaway comes with a host of fr...

from £2,376 p/p

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica

Family-friendly adventures and glossy grown-up retreat on a private peninsula fringed by two stun...

from £5,305 p/p

Nantipa Hotel

Nantipa is a beautiful bolthole that’s hidden in the palms on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

from £2,792 p/p

Florblanca

In the small surf town of Santa Teresa, Florblanca is a cool vibe escape of coconut sorbets, styl...

Holidays in Nicoya & Papagayo

Hotel

Nicoya & Papagayo
5 Star

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort

A chic family-friendly resort overlooking Culebra Bay

From £3,314 p/p

Hotel

Nicoya & Papagayo
5 Star

Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection

Cut into the hillside on the Nicoya Peninsula, this eco-friendly hideaway comes with a host of free experiences.

From £2,376 p/p

Hotel

Nicoya & Papagayo
5 Star

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica

Family-friendly adventures and glossy grown-up retreat on a private peninsula fringed by two stunning beaches.

From £5,305 p/p

Hotel

Nicoya & Papagayo
4 Star

Nantipa Hotel

Nantipa is a beautiful bolthole that’s hidden in the palms on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

From £2,792 p/p

Hotel

Nicoya & Papagayo
4 Star

Florblanca

In the small surf town of Santa Teresa, Florblanca is a cool vibe escape of coconut sorbets, stylish villas and barefoot adventure.

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Highlights of Costa Rica Suggested Itinerary

Take a coast-to-coast tour of Costa Rica, experiencing the best of the city, jungle, cloud forest and beaches. Get ready for a complete immersion into Costa Rica. It starts with a stay near San José before venturing to Tortuguero on the Caribbean Coast. Then it’s to the inland jungles of Arenal and Monteverde before a relaxing few days on the shores of the Pacific Coast.

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Discover Costa Rica Suggested Itinerary

Weave your way towards Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast from San José via La Fortuna and Monteverde. Many of Costa Rica’s must-see locations are in its northwest corner. This trip hops from San José to the Arenal Volcano National Park to the cloud forest of Monteverde before three glorious nights on the Nicoya Peninsula. Pure bliss — or as the Costa Ricans prefer: pura vida.

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Simply Costa Rica Suggested Itinerary

When you can’t decide between an urban adventure, a jungle discovery, or a beach break, combine all three on a week-long adventure. Dip in and out of Costa Rica’s best bits, from the geological wonder of the Arenal Volcano to the sublime beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific Coast, starting and finishing in San José.

Get to know Nicoya & Papagayo and those important practicalities when planning your perfect holiday.

Capital San José

TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT -6 hours

CURRENCY

Costa Rican Colón

FLYING TIME TO DESTINATION

11 hours

RELIGION

Christianity (majority Roman Catholic)

LANGUAGE

Spanish; five indigenous languages are also spoken

Where are Nicoya & Papagayo?
The Nicoya Peninsula is an 80-mile hook of land on the west coast of Costa Rica, lapped by Pacific waters and the Gulf of Nicoya. The Papagayo Peninsula lies a little north and is much smaller, with Culebra Bay to the east and the Gulf of Papagayo to the west.

Nicoya & Papagayo beaches
Long curves of rainforest-fringed beaches stand ready for less active pursuits —you can easily find a pristine patch to sit back and enjoy the view. Take a stroll at Golden Hour to marvel at the incredible sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.

Nicoya & Papagayo activities
Whether you want to try water sports, go on an incredible rainforest hike, kayak slowly through atmospheric mangroves, or feel the exhilaration of ziplining through the tree canopy, the Nicoya and Papagayo Peninsulas are adventurers’ playgrounds.

Wellness in Nicoya & Papagayo
World-class spas offer many treatments rooted in ancient practices or draw on local ingredients. Alongside facials and massages, expect to find healing and wellbeing treatments designed to be utterly restorative.

Blue Zone
The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s five Blue Zones, where people lead healthier lives and have longer life expectancies, accredited to a positive outlook among elders and a focus on family.

Wildlife
Spot colourful birdlife, from delicate hummingbirds and quetzals to incredibly bright macaws. Then there are the mammals and reptiles, from slow-moving sloths and stealthy jaguars to incredible iguanas.

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