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Beaches are in high demand this spring as the weather warms and more travelers take advantage of spring break.
If you have your passport with you then Mexico may be your favorite beach holiday, but there are other destinations that are well worth a trip to enjoy your sun and sand holiday.
With the exception of Mexico, there are still great beaches to visit throughout Latin America, from Belize to Brazil and many in between.
There’s one trendy country relatively close to the US, with plenty of non-stop flights to choose from, that stands out from the crowd as one of the best beach destinations in the world.
That would be tropical paradise Costa Rica where 2024 is one of the best years to ever be alive Pura Vida.
Americans love Costa Rica This spring
Mexico, and especially Cancun, may be Americans’ absolute favorite international beach resort, but Costa Rica is creeping up and blazing its own trail.
The Central American paradise full of exotic, lush jungles, incredible beaches and stunningly beautiful landscapes has already broken tourism records and remains high on Americans’ travel radars.
And spring is undoubtedly one of the best times of year to visit. You might think spring is peak season, but travelers can explore the fascinating country and avoid the crowds in many places.
With many of the season’s most popular festivities almost over, the rest of spring could be even better. There is a fine margin between the bliss of late spring and the chaos of the summer crowd.
Plus, you’re more likely to score hotel deals during this time in what is notoriously one of Central America’s most expensive destinations.
Given all this and more, Costa Rica is seeing an influx of American travelers, with flight bookings up nearly 30 percent.
151 pristine beaches
While all the cool kids are posting on TikTok about their beige flags, Costa Rica is showing off their 151 blue flags visible to the world this year.
This is big news for Costa Rica, which is planting its flag as one of the best beach destinations in the world, both literally and figuratively.
Travelers visiting the country’s scenic beaches may notice more and more blue flags at entry points to signify the prestigious award that is not only difficult to obtain, but also difficult to maintain.
For example, when Los Cabos suffered a hurricane last year, the mega-popular beach destination was at risk of losing its blue flag status if its beaches were not cleared of trash and debris in a timely manner.
Blue flags are distributed by the Blue Flag program, which is well known for promoting and educating sustainability for both people and our planet.
Receiving a Blue Flag is not an easy task and requires a rigorous process, but ultimately it means that the selected beach is one of the most pristine, clean and environmentally friendly on the planet.
In 2024, another 15 beaches received the award, while last year 136 Costa Rican beaches were awarded, which is still quite impressive.
Where to Find Costa Rica’s Blue Flag Beaches?
As you would expect, the blue flags are distributed all over the country because there are so many of them.
According to a new reportthis is how blue flags were spread across Costa Rica:
- 39 blue flags in the Gulf of Nicoya Islands and Puntarenas
- 28 blue flags in the middle of the Pacific Ocean
- 26 blue flags in North and South Guanacaste
- 24 blue flags in Northern Guanacaste
- 18 blue flags in the Caribbean
- 16 blue flags in the South Pacific
In addition, 11 of Costa Rica’s beaches will proudly fly their blue flag with the highest distinction out of 5 stars:
- Playa Blanca (Punta Leone)
- West Esterillos
- Playa Blanca (Cahuita National Park)
- Matapalo (Guanacaste)
- Punta del Madero (Guanacaste)
- Playa Blanca, Liberia (Guanacaste).
- Virador (Guanacaste)
- Prieta Beach (Guanacaste)
- Sombrero Beach (Guanacaste)
- Nacascolo (Guanacaste)
- Playitas (Puntarenas)
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
