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Straggling along either side of the Río Uvita, some 20km south of Dominical, the village of Uvita marks the beginning of the Costa Ballena. Here the famous “whale tail” — a giant sandbar shaped like a whale fin — juts into the ocean. Uvita’s centre lies inland, but the coastal district known as Bahía (1.5km off Hwy-34) abuts some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Plan your trip to Uvita with our guide to Uvita — based on the The Rough Guide to Costa Rica, your travel guide for Costa Rica.
Costa Rica: Coast to Coast
From paradise beaches, scenic narrow waterways and magical rainforests, Costa Rica has much to offer. Head east and discover the tranquil Caribbean Sea, head west for the tumultuous Pacific Ocean and surfer’s paradise.
customize ⤍Discover Northern Costa Rica
This self drive itinerary allows you to explore the Central and Northern highlights of Costa Rica: from the active volcano Arenal to the cloud forest of Monteverde and the beaches of Guanacaste with plenty of surf & yoga - discover why they call it the land of Pura Vida - pure life!
customize ⤍A self drive Caribbean adventure
It's time to discover Costa Rica's Caribbean coast in your own rental car: From Boca Pacuare, where the turtles come to lay their eggs, to the unique culture of Cahuita and the beaches of Puerto Viejo! Your trip will finish in Turrialba, home of the main archaeological monument in our country.
customize ⤍Beaches and Volcanoes
Escape to Arenal for volcanoes, waterfalls and wildlife reserves. Enjoy gentle hikes or partake in adrenaline-fuelled river rafting. Then journey down to Costa Rica’s Central Pacific for some sand and surf fringed by dense forest that’s teeming with wildlife.
customize ⤍From the Cloud Forest to the Beaches
On this amazing trip, you will explore the Cloud Forest and rural life of Dota, including a community visit to get to know the real Tico life before heading to the incredible Drake Bay and Corcovado National Park with its stunning biodiversity, and then the amazing beaches of Manuel Antonio.
customize ⤍Tropical Costa Rica
Visit volcanoes, take a dip in a hot springs, drift lazily along the country’s waterways and seek out wildlife in tropical lowland forest. Costa Rica’s diverse ecosystem beholds a whole host of natural treasures.
customize ⤍Costa Rica’s Wild South
The wild south is an unbeatable destination for hikers and nature lovers with a sense of adventure. Come here to explore off the beaten path and to see Corcovado, a tropical wet forest and one of the most important endangered wildlife sanctuaries in the world.
customize ⤍Costa Rica Express - Animals & Beaches
Start with Arenal volcano with its waterfalls, hot springs and hanging bridges before crossing the lake to Monteverde. The unique cloud forest invites both adventure and nature lovers for canopy and zip-lining activities as well as wildlife spotting. Finish the trip on the beach in Manuel Antonio.
customize ⤍A Dream of Costa Rica
The ultimate Costa Rica trip! Spend a few days around Arenal volcano & the Cloud Forest Monteverde before heading to the coast - a beautiful hotel at the Gulf of Papagayo invites you to relax and for some water activities. Return to the Central Valley for another volcano - Poás before heading home.
customize ⤍Costa Rica Eco Adventure
Come to Costa Rica for its compact jungle, tropical beaches, forests, wildlife and national parks. The country may be small but it’s a land of stunning natural diversity and the perfect backdrop to a veritable eco-adventure.
customize ⤍Uvita's other main natural attraction is the Catarata Uvita waterfall. It drops into a deep and thoroughly inviting pool in a pretty jungle setting. To get there, follow the signs from the Banco de Costa Rica in Uvita village centre, northeast of Hwy-34, for about 1.5km. It's open daily, 8am–4pm.
To enjoy all Uvita has to offer, check out our customisable Costa Rica's Wild South trip — it includes Uvita, along with unforgettable hikes and nature experiences around the region.
From snorkelling and kayaking, to watching wildlife and hiking, Uvita is a place to get back to nature in peaceful surroundings. And, with top surf spot Domincal within reach, you don't have to go far to enjoy some of Costa Rica's best waves.
If you fancy learning how to ride the waves, Uvita 360 (100m north of the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena entrance) offers a full range of surfing lessons.
The same operator also leads stand-up paddleboarding tours — a great way to see the coast. Already have some skills? You can rent surfboards, kayaks, and SUP boards from them, too.
Meanwhile, Bahía Aventuras offer friendly, professional water experiences, including a half-day snorkelling trip and sea-kayaking in the national park.
Prefer to let someone else to the hard work? Bahía Aventuras also offer a boat trip through the labyrinthine mangrove forests and wetlands of the Humedal Nacional Térraba-Sierpe to the south.
On land, the beaches fronting the ocean are also protected, as is Punta Uvita – a former island connected to the mainland by a narrow sandbar At low tide, you can walk for 1km over the gently-shelving sand to the rocks, tide pools and reefs at the end, which stretch out into the sea and resembles a whale’s tail.
Talking of which, Parque Nacional Marino Ballena is also the habitat of dolphins, and humpback whales, who come here from the Arctic and Antarctica to breed. The best time to visit Uvita to see humpback whales is December through to April.
In addition, at certain times of the year (usually May–Oct), olive ridley and hawksbill turtles may come ashore to nest.
Other than spotting nesting turtles or dolphins and whales frolicking from the shore, the best way to take in the park’s abundant marine life is either snorkelling, on a boat or in a kayak. The Uvita Information Center can book a wide assortment of tours, both on the water and further inland.
Traveller tip - make sure to read our article about tips for whale watching in Uvita
Laced with hiking trails, it’s a tranquil place to take in the local fauna and flora. You can wander the trails solo or arrange in advance for a guide, which will guarantee a lot more wildlife sightings. The birdlife is especially abundant, with 310 species reguarly sighted.
The night walk (7pm, two people minimum) is especially good. They also offer horseback cowboy experiences, and horse-riding tours to Playa Hermosa and a local waterfall.
Love nature and epic walks? Read up on the best hikes in Costa Rica, and find out more about Costa Rica's national parks.
You’ll need a 4WD to drive up the dirt entrance road (the turning is on the other side of Hwy-34), and it’s open by appointment only (t278843 88338072), but well worth the effort.
You can book a 2-3 hour guided hikes an expert-led birdwatching tour, or a night tour. Expect to see tonnes of trogans, toucans, parrots and king vultures.
In fact, you could combine spending some time in Dominical with hiking to this stunning natural attraction, which happens to be one of the best waterfalls in Costa.
The falls are comprised of two cascades. The upper falls are 43m high, while the lower, tiered falls are 18m, with a smattering of refreshing swimming holes at the base.
While can hike from the entrance (which is the office of Don Lulo, the company that owns the property), it’s a 12km, often muddy, return trip. So, the best way to visit is as part of a horseback-riding tour.
The tour begins with a 1hr horse ride to Don Lulo’s home, where you have breakfast and visit his small private zoo. From here, you continue through lush rainforest on horseback to the two cascades, with knowledgeable guides on hand to point out notable flora and fauna.
In fact, the area is home to one of Costa Rica’s best eco-lodges — La Cusinga Lodge. 5km south of Uvita, this occupies a gorgeous rainforest setting overlooking the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena.
With seven cabinas made of wood from the lodge’s sustainable teak plantation, and electricity provided by solar and hydro power, the grounds have trails that lead through the rainforest to a beautiful stretch of quiet beach, Playa Arco. Expect to see lots of howler and white-faced monkeys.
Travelling on a budget? The area around Playa Uvita also has a couple of eco-friendly hostels, with dorms and cabin-like treehouses to bed down in.
It’s also possible to camp at the Colonia, Ballena and Piñuelas sectors in Parque Nacional Marino Ballena. These have potable water, toilets and showers. Note that you can only set up camp at spots well away from the high-tide line, and you need to ask a ranger first.
Browse places to stay in Uvita, Costa Rica.
Several restaurants offer epic ocean views and serve fish dishes like shrimp tacos and seafood pasta. Vegans and vegetarians are typically well-catered for, too, as are foodies who want to eat like a Tico and enjoy the likes of gallo pinto.
Uvita also has top coffee shops, bakeries, and a great pizzeria. If you’re self-catering, or want to stock up on snacks before heading off on a hike, Supermercado BM is across the street from Uvita’s Banco Nacional on Hwy-34.
Find out more about eating and drinking in Costa Rica.
As a sample itinerary, you could spend a morning learning to surf or paddle board, then hire your own board for the afternoon.
You’ll also want to allow at least half a day to explore Parque Nacional Marino Ballena, whether that’s on a boat or whale-watching trip, or snorkelling. Chances are, you’ll want to come back a second time.
Beyond the water, wildlife-lovers and hikers could devote a day to visiting Reserva Biológica Oro Verde, and another day to hiking or horse-riding in Rancho La Merced National Wildlife Refuge.
You could also consider visiting Dominical from Uvita, or even decamping to Dominical as part of a bigger trip around Costa Rica. It’s a top surf spot that offer easy access to the likes of wildlife sanctuaries, epic waterfalls and canopy tours.
Need help planning for your trip? Check our Costa Rica itineraries, or talk to our Costa Rica experts.
In good news for wildlife-lovers, December to April is also the best time to come for humpbacked whales.
That said, May to October is the best time to visit Uvita to see olive ridley and hawksbill turtles come ashore to nest. Note, though, that you won’t see nearly as many here as in other turtle nesting grounds in Costa Rica.
if you're coming to surf, neighouring Dominical is one of the few places in Costa Rica that always has waves, though wet season storms can make conditions tricky.
For more on the best time to visit different destinations in Costa Rica, read our guide to when to go to Costa Rica.
From San José, direct Tracopa buses for Uvita depart daily at 6am and 3pm.
For more transportation tips, read our guide to getting around Costa Rica.
Looking for more inspiration? Read up on the best things to do in Costa Rica, and get yourself a copy of The Rough Guide to Costa Rica. Our Costa Rica travel tips will also help you plan your trip.
Not a fan of planning? You'll love our customisable Costa Rica itineraries. Top tip: our Costa Rica's Wild South trip includes Uvita.
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