Gulf of Nicoya
Coordinates: 9 ° 54 ' N , 84 ° 51' W
The Gulf of Nicoya is a bay of the Pacific Ocean on the west coast of Costa Rica .
geography
The gulf is located in the northwest of Costa Rica and is bounded by the province of Guanacaste to the north and west and the province of Puntarenas to the south and east. It separates the Nicoya Peninsula from mainland Costa Rica.
At the northern end of the bay is the mouth of the Río Tempisque , which is the largest receiving water for the Gulf.
There are several islands in the Gulf of Nicoya, the largest being Isla de Chira . The port city of Puntarenas is located on a headland in the eastern part of the gulf .