The Ecological Blue Flag (BAE) Beach Program, led by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and the National Water Laboratory of Costa Rica (AyA) emerged as a proactive measure to enhance tourism initiatives concerning its pristine beaches. One of the perks of living in Las Catalinas is having access to twenty-six BAE beaches in Guanacaste, and thirty-nine in Puntarenas, just a short drive away.
Each year, this program bestows recognition upon deserving recipients, highlighting their commitment to environmental sustainability. 151 beaches in the country have now received BAE certification as of this year, up from last year’s 136 beaches. These flags celebrate the effort and commitment of the country’s institutional and private sectors towards sustainability and nature conservation. Behind each of these 151 beaches, 151 regional committees are working collectively to attain the prestigious flag in coastal areas.
As part of the BAE evaluation process, regional ICT and AyA offices conduct three visits per year to assess each local committee's annual plans and progress. Tasks include inspecting improvements on beaches, advising the group on technical and administrative tasks, and providing recommendations for the next visit. At the end of the work period, the committees submit their result reports for evaluation, along with the laboratory tests conducted by AyA on water quality. Blue Flag beaches need to meet criteria that promote public safety and health and protect wildlife and fauna in the area.
Samara Beach, about a two-hour drive from Las Catalinas in Guanacaste, has been awarded the Blue Flag thanks to the Samara Tourism Board’s commitment to environmental sustainability, achieving an outstanding score of 91 points in the evaluation. Explore many other BAE-awarded beaches in the area with the map below.
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