Gulf of Papagayo
The Gulf of Papagayo (Spanish: Golfo del Papagayo, meaning "gulf of the parrot") is a large body of water off Guanacaste province and the northwestern coast of Costa Rica. It is an embayment of the Pacific Ocean. The Gulf has a maximum depth of approximately 100 metres (330 ft).[1] The Gulf contains Culebra Bay in the south.[2]
The Gulf and its coastline are part of a major tourism project by Costa Rica's government that began in 1972.[2] Among the most popular destinations on the Gulf of Papagayo are Ocotal Beach, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, and Playa Panama. The Papagayo Peninsula is the most developed area in the gulf region.[citation needed] The gulf waters are home to many wildlife including orcas.[3] The International Game Fish Association world record mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) was caught in the Papagayo Gulf in 1976, weighing 87 pounds (39.46 kg).[4]
References
- ^ Saravia-Arguedas, Ana Y.; Vega-Bolaños, Hannia; Vargas-Hernández, José Mauro; Suárez-Serrano, Andrea; Sierra-Sierra, Luis; Tisseaux-Nivarro, Alexandre; Cambronero-Solano, Sergio; Lugioyo-Gallardo, Gladys Margarita (2021). Bruno, Miguel (ed.). "Surface-Water Quality of the Gulf of Papagayo, North Pacific, Costa Rica". Water. 13 (17). doi:10.3390/w13172324. Art. No. 2324.
- ^ a b Bednarski, Melinda; Morales-Ramírez, Alvaro (2004). "Composition, abundance and distribution of macrozooplankton in Culebra Bay, Gulf of Papagayo, Pacific coast of Costa Rica and its value as bioindicator of pollution". Revista de Biología Tropical. 52 (S2): 105–118. PMID 17465134. Retrieved 24 August 2025 – via Portal de Revistas del CSUCA.
- ^ ANNIE. 2012. Orca Whales Archived 2020-10-23 at the Wayback Machine. Costa Rica Scuba.com. Retrieved on August 25, 2017
- ^ "Dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus)". International Game Fish Association. Dania Beach, Florida. Retrieved 24 August 2025.