Costa Rica Beaches – Which Are The Cleanest & Safest?

57 Costa Rica beaches received the ecological blue flag rating.

That’s 7 more than in the 2004 and another 5 recovered their prize, the program is a tourist incentive for participating communities.

This year, 57 beaches will have their blue flags flying that symbolize the effort invested by the different coastal communities to protect of their beach areas.

This is part of the Program Bandera Azul Ecológica 2005 (PBAE), which added up seven beaches for this occasion more than in 2004.

33 no-coastal interior communities were also evaluated and 21 received awards. 463 educational centers participated and 220 of them obtained the recognition for the first time.

The Costa Rica beaches with the best ratings are:

1. AAAA – Playa Blanca in Punta Leona – 10 year track record
2. AAA – Manuel Antonio in the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio (PNMA) – 10 years
3. AA – Espadilla Sur in the PNMA – 10 years
4. AA – Puerto Escondidio in the PNMA – 10 years
5. AA – Gemelas located in the PNMA – 10 years
6. AA – Playa Conchal Guanacaste – 10 years
7. AA – Bahia Junquillal – 10 years
8. AA – Mantas de Punta Leona – 6 years
9. A – Ocotal – 10 years
10. A – Puerto Vargas – Caribbean – 10 years

The followed Costa Rica beaches recovered their blue flag seal:

• El Roble in Puntarenas
• Santa Teresa of Cóbano and Puntarenas center
• Buena in Guanacaste

Unfortunately the following four beaches in Costa Rica lost their flag since their environmental conditions have deteriorated:

• Playa Zancudo (Quepos)
• Esterillos oeste (Parrita)
• Flamingo (Santa Ceuz)
• Piñuela de Osa in the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena

Tourist incentive. The PBAE is a system of yearly evaluation created in 1996 as an incentive to the hotelkeepers, chambers of tourism and coastal communities to protect the beaches of Costa Rica.

A national commission made up of several ministries and another entities select and study the beaches, the communities and the educational centers.

Rodrigo Castro, Turismo’s minister, said that initiative is seen like a seal of approval for tourists so that they can vacation in the cleanest and safest areas.

According to the Executive Director of the PBAE, Darner Mora: “It has been confirmed that the blue flag beaches receie more tourists than the others.”

The president of the Chamber of National Tourism (Canatur), Eduardo Villafranca, declared that the communities that take care of their surroundings become more desirable for tourism which results in a better climate for future investments and more benefits for the inhabitants of the zone.

How do they qualify?

These are the qualities they look for with their evaluation. The more “A”s, the better:

A: Places where the quality of the water of the sea is satisfactory, cleanliness of the beaches, access to drinking water, treatment of residual waters, availability of garbage cans, environmental education in the community, security and beach management.

AA: In addition, there may be signposting of sea currents and vigilance at the height of the tourist season.

AAA: Easy access for handicapped people, first-aid services, information centers for tourists, topilets and showers.

AAAA: Recycling, lifeguards and a permanent emergency committee.

If you would like to download the Blue Flag .pdf document that clearly shows all of the Blue Flag designated Costa Rica beaches and communities, please visit the Download library here.

Our thanks to John Ferdinand Lara S. and our friends at La Nación – Costa Rica’s largest Spanish circulation newspaper for their permission use this article.

[custom_script adID=97]

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.