Home to Marina Flamingo, the coast's only deepwater harbor and the launch point for local charters.
Blue Flag beach
Playa Flamingo is a roughly 1.5 kilometer curve of white sand below a rocky headland on Guanacaste's Gold Coast, developed with condos, villas, and hotels on both hills flanking the beach. The rebuilt Marina Flamingo sits behind the northern point and gives the coast its only working deepwater harbor, launching sailing charters and sportfishing boats. Waves are usually small but can turn powerful, and the sand carries a faint pink tint in certain light.
From Route 180, turn toward the coast at the Playa Flamingo entrance; the road splits to hillside condos on either end of the beach, with public access and roadside parking near the center.
Featured
Playa Flamingo
Costa Rican-owned sportfishing outfit fishing the Flamingo and Gold Coast waters since 1982. It runs four equipped boats for inshore and offshore charters, with half-day, three-quarter-day, and full-day trips for up to six anglers.
Playa Flamingo
Locally owned sportfishing operation based in Playa Flamingo running two boats, the 28-foot Amberjack and the 25-foot Skipjack. Beyond deep sea and inshore fishing they offer snorkeling, sunset and seasonal whale and dolphin watching trips in the Gulf of Papagayo.
Playa Flamingo
Bushwacker Sportfishing runs offshore and inshore charters out of Playa Flamingo aboard a 42-foot Bertram, now under Captain Emilio Villarreal after he purchased the operation from longtime owner Captain Skeet Warren. Trips target blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, sailfish, dolphin and tuna offshore, and roosterfish, wahoo and jack crevalle closer to shore, on half day, three-quarter day and full day charters. Villarreal has run sportfishing and flats charters since 1990.