Guanacaste's Blue Flag beaches (2025 awards)

Bandera Azul Ecológica, as ICT printed it: every Guanacaste row, filterable.

El Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) celebra este logro con la entrega de 143 galardones a playas que cumplieron en el 2025 con los más altos estándares en pro de la protección de los recursos naturales, la acción climática y la salud pública

Our translation The ICT is celebrating this achievement by awarding 143 beaches that met, in 2025, the highest standards for protecting natural resources, climate action and public health.

ICT: Bandera Azul Ecológica celebra 30 años de liderazgo ambiental galardonando a 143 playas · checked October 16, 2026

Guanacaste obtuvo 51 reconocimientos.

Our translation Guanacaste received 51 awards.

ICT: Bandera Azul Ecológica celebra 30 años de liderazgo ambiental galardonando a 143 playas · checked October 16, 2026

18 de marzo de 2026. Puntarenas.

Our translation March 18, 2026. Puntarenas.

ICT: Bandera Azul Ecológica celebra 30 años de liderazgo ambiental galardonando a 143 playas · checked October 16, 2026

All 51 Guanacaste entries on ICT's 2025 list

Region White stars at least Special star Search Download CSV

Rows as printed in ICT's "Lista de playas galardonadas, Programa Bandera Azul Ecológica 2025" (PDF); last matched October 16, 2026.
ICT row	Beach	Region (UPI)	White stars	Special stars	Row as printed
93	Playa Manzanillo	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`93 \| Playa Manzanillo \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
94	Playa Pilas	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`94 \| Playa Pilas \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
95	Playa Rajadita	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`95 \| Playa Rajadita \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
96	Playa Rajada	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`96 \| Playa Rajada \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
97	Playa Coquitos	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`97 \| Playa Coquitos \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
98	Playa Copal	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`98 \| Playa Copal \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
99	Playa Iguanita	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`99 \| Playa Iguanita \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
100	Playa Hermosa	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`100 \| Playa Hermosa \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
101	Playa Ocotal	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`101 \| Playa Ocotal \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
102	Playa Azul	Guanacaste Norte	★ 1	none	`102 \| Playa Azul \| Guanacaste Norte \| 1`
103	Playa Calzón de Pobre	Guanacaste Norte	★★ 2	none	`103 \| Playa Calzón de Pobre \| Guanacaste Norte \| 2`
104	Playa Bahía Junquillal SINAC lists a beach of this name in Bahía Junquillal	Guanacaste Norte	★★★ 3	none	`104 \| Playa Bahía Junquillal \| Guanacaste Norte \| 3`
105	Playa Penca	Guanacaste Norte	★★★ 3	none	`105 \| Playa Penca \| Guanacaste Norte \| 3`
106	Playa Buena	Guanacaste Norte	★★★ 3	Rosada	`106 \| Playa Buena \| Guanacaste Norte \| 3 \| Rosada`
107	Playa Cabuyal	Guanacaste Norte	★★★ 3	Rosada + dorada + plateada	`107 \| Playa Cabuyal \| Guanacaste Norte \| 3 \| Rosada + dorada + plateada`
108	Playa Manzanillo	Guanacaste Norte	★★★ 3	Rosada + plateada + anaranjada	`108 \| Playa Manzanillo \| Guanacaste Norte \| 3 \| Rosada + plateada + anaranjada`
109	Playa Jobo	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★ 4	none	`109 \| Playa Jobo \| Guanacaste Norte \| 4`
110	Playa Arenilla	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★ 4	Rosada + plateada	`110 \| Playa Arenilla \| Guanacaste Norte \| 4 \| Rosada + plateada`
111	Playa Chorotega (Panamá)	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★ 4	Rosada + plateada	`111 \| Playa Chorotega (Panamá) \| Guanacaste Norte \| 4 \| Rosada + plateada`
112	Playa Sombrero	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★★ 5	Rosada + plateada	`112 \| Playa Sombrero \| Guanacaste Norte \| 5 \| Rosada + plateada`
113	Playa Prieta	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★★ 5	Rosada + dorada + plateada	`113 \| Playa Prieta \| Guanacaste Norte \| 5 \| Rosada + dorada + plateada`
114	Playa Nacascolo	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★★ 5	Rosada + dorada + plateada	`114 \| Playa Nacascolo \| Guanacaste Norte \| 5 \| Rosada + dorada + plateada`
115	Playa Matapalo	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★★ 5	Rosada + dorada + plateada	`115 \| Playa Matapalo \| Guanacaste Norte \| 5 \| Rosada + dorada + plateada`
116	Playa Blanca	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★★ 5	rosada + plateada + anaranjada	`116 \| Playa Blanca \| Guanacaste Norte \| 5 \| rosada + plateada + anaranjada`
117	Playa Virador	Guanacaste Norte	★★★★★ 5	rosada + plateada + anaranjada	`117 \| Playa Virador \| Guanacaste Norte \| 5 \| rosada + plateada + anaranjada`
118	Playa Ventanas SINAC lists a beach of this name in Las Baulas	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★ 1	none	`118 \| Playa Ventanas \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 1`
119	Playa Ostional SINAC lists a beach of this name in Ostional	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★ 1	none	`119 \| Playa Ostional \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 1`
120	Playa Islita	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★ 1	none	`120 \| Playa Islita \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 1`
121	Playa San Miguel	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★ 1	none	`121 \| Playa San Miguel \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 1`
122	Playa Mansita	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	none	`122 \| Playa Mansita \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2`
123	Playa Junquillal	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	none	`123 \| Playa Junquillal \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2`
124	Playa Frijolar	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	none	`124 \| Playa Frijolar \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2`
125	Playa Nosara SINAC lists a beach of this name in Ostional	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	none	`125 \| Playa Nosara \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2`
126	Playa Garza	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	none	`126 \| Playa Garza \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2`
127	Playa Camaronal	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	none	`127 \| Playa Camaronal \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2`
128	Playa Corozalito	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	none	`128 \| Playa Corozalito \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2`
129	Playa Prieta	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	Rosada	`129 \| Playa Prieta \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2 \| Rosada`
130	Playa Penca	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	Rosada	`130 \| Playa Penca \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2 \| Rosada`
131	Playa Flamingo (Blanca)	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	Rosada	`131 \| Playa Flamingo (Blanca) \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2 \| Rosada`
132	Playa Brasilito	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	Rosada	`132 \| Playa Brasilito \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2 \| Rosada`
133	Playa Langosta SINAC lists a beach of this name in Las Baulas	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	Rosada	`133 \| Playa Langosta \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2 \| Rosada`
134	Playa Nosara SINAC lists a beach of this name in Ostional	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	Rosada	`134 \| Playa Nosara \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2 \| Rosada`
135	Playa Potrero	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★ 2	Rosada + dorada + plateada	`135 \| Playa Potrero \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 2 \| Rosada + dorada + plateada`
136	Playa Grande SINAC lists a beach of this name in Las Baulas	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★★ 3	none	`136 \| Playa Grande \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 3`
137	Playa Pelada	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★★ 3	none	`137 \| Playa Pelada \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 3`
138	Playa Avellanas	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★★ 3	Rosada	`138 \| Playa Avellanas \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 3 \| Rosada`
139	Playa Sámara	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★★ 3	Verde	`139 \| Playa Sámara \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 3 \| Verde`
140	Playa Tamarindo	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★★★ 4	Rosada	`140 \| Playa Tamarindo \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 4 \| Rosada`
141	Playa Guiones SINAC lists a beach of this name in Ostional	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★★★ 4	Dorada	`141 \| Playa Guiones \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 4 \| Dorada`
142	Playa Conchal	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★★★ 4	Dorada + plateada + verde + anaranjada	`142 \| Playa Conchal \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 4 \| Dorada + plateada + verde + anaranjada`
143	Playa Punta del Madero	Guanacaste Norte-Sur	★★★★★ 5	rosada + dorada + plateada	`143 \| Playa Punta del Madero \| Guanacaste Norte-Sur \| 5 \| rosada + dorada + plateada`

"Row as printed" is the row's fields from ICT's PDF, matched field by field by our checker. The "SINAC lists a beach of this name" notes match names only.

Our count of the rows

Labeled calculation: rows in the table above, counted by us.
Group	Entries
Guanacaste Norte	25
Guanacaste Norte-Sur	26
1 white star	14
2 white stars	15
3 white stars	9
4 white stars	6
5 white stars	7
With at least one special star	24

Reading the Blue Flag list

ICT's 2025 list gives Guanacaste 51 awarded beach entries, split into 25 in Guanacaste Norte and 26 in Guanacaste Norte-Sur. White stars run from 1 to 5, and the coloured stars are separate extras for things like coastal safety training or taking part in the Ecolones Program.

By our count of the rows, 14 entries have 1 white star, 15 entries have 2 white stars, 9 entries have 3 white stars, 6 entries have 4 white stars, 7 entries have 5 white stars. A few names appear twice on ICT's list, in different rows and regions, and we show every row as printed. The award belongs to the year on ICT's list; the criteria behind each star level are on the stars page.

Our explanation of the quoted facts on this page; it adds no facts of its own.

What ICT checks

Además de la calidad del agua, se verifica la existencia de rotulación sobre corrientes de resaca, el despliegue de socorristas en temporada alta, y la infraestructura de servicios y duchas.

Our translation Besides water quality, the ICT checks for rip-current signs, lifeguards in high season, and service and shower facilities.

ICT: Bandera Azul Ecológica celebra 30 años de liderazgo ambiental galardonando a 143 playas · checked October 16, 2026

New beaches in this edition

nos complace que cinco nuevas playas se sumen a este esfuerzo nacional: Grande (sector Moca) y Negra (Cahuita) en el Caribe; Rajadita (La Cruz) en Guanacaste Norte; y Tivives y Pura Vida en Puntarenas.

Our translation we are pleased that five new beaches join this national effort: Grande (Moca sector) and Negra (Cahuita) in the Caribbean; Rajadita (La Cruz) in Guanacaste Norte; and Tivives and Pura Vida in Puntarenas.

ICT: Bandera Azul Ecológica celebra 30 años de liderazgo ambiental galardonando a 143 playas · checked October 16, 2026

What each star level and colour means →