Costa Ballena. Osa, South Pacific, Costa Rica
A World of Light and Color!
Costa Ballena is the place where the forest meets the South Pacific Ocean in the Osa Canton. It comprises the area from the Barú River, crossing the bridge at Dominical all the way to the mouth of Térraba River in Coronado. The following small towns belong to the area: Dominical – Dominicalito – Hermosa Beach – San Josecito – Uvita - Bahía – La Union – Ballena – Ojochal – Punta Mala and Coronado.

Costa Ballena Map
How to get to Costa Ballena?
From San José, take Route 27 towards Orotina, pay attention to the exit to Jaco – Tárcoles, carry on to Parrita and Quepos, and follow the new Coastal Highway (Route 34) to Dominical. Travel time: about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Alternatively, from San José, take Cerro de la Muerte (Route 2), to San Isidro and then take route 234 to Dominical. Travel time: about 4 hours and 30 minutes.
From Palmar go North on the Coastal Highway.
Nearest airports: Quepos and Palmar Sur.
TRACOPA buses, on their way from San José to the Panamanian border, make a stop in Uvita. Travel time: about 3 hours 30 minutes.
Visit Marino Ballena,National Park. The famous Whale’s Tail is located at Playa Uvita with a length of about 2296 feet and a width of 820 feet, it is the world’s largest sandbank. During the low tide, you can walk to its very end.
The Park is open from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm every day, the entrance fee is CRC 1000 for nationals or residents and $ 6 for foreigners. THIS ENTRANCE ALLOWS YOU TO VISIT ALL PARK BEACHES ON THE SAME DAY.
The park is fortunate to receive two annual migrations of whales, the Humpback Whale of the North visits the South Pacific Coast from December to March and the humpback whale of the South begins migration in July which ends in October.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A WHALE-WATCHING TOUR? Please check >>>
Find here the information about South Pacific Costa Rica tides chart >>>

Costa Ballena
Community Support for the Lifeguards
~ by Nate BrightThe Guardavidas Costa Ballena Lifeguard program maintains paid, certified lifeguards on three beaches – Playa Dominical, Playa Hermosa and Playa Ventanas. Our beautiful unspoiled beaches attract visitors from all over the world, and keeping them safe […]
Dreamy Conditions on the Ballena Coast
~ by Trevor BrownI have chased waves from North America, through all of Central America, South America, and parts of Indonesia. Also, I’ve been fortunate to have experienced lots of different surf cultures and conditions. The more I […]
THE WILD DANCE OF THE PACA: A Disappearing Species
~ by Jack EwingThe names of two rainforest rodents can be confusing. One is the paca (Agouti paca) known as the Tepezcuintle in Spanish and the other the Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) known as the cherenga or guatusa in […]
Revitalize Yourself in the Valley of Chirripó!
~ by Susana GarcíaThey do know how to make people happy here! The hearts of local farmers are waiting for you in the mountains to sweeten your life and bring health back to you. We left San Isidro de […]
Orchids
~ by Susana García Orchids are plants with flowers that attract insects, bats, and birds to be pollinated. Many people enjoy watching them grow in their backyards or plant pots in their houses. The name of the orchid comes from the […]
Mr. President and Pérez Zeledón
~ by Luis H. Galera In March 2017, President Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera was named Distinguished Alumnus by the renowned Tulane University (New Orleans, Louisiana) that he attended in the 70s. His postgraduate thesis on Latin American studies titled “The […]
Costa Rica: A Giant Example of Peace, Harmony, and Democracy
[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”42″ exclusions=”1665,1666,1667,1668,1672,1676,1677″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_pro_slideshow” image_crop=”0″ image_pan=”1″ show_playback_controls=”0″ show_captions=”0″ caption_class=”caption_overlay_bottom” caption_height=”70″ aspect_ratio=”1.5″ width=”100″ width_unit=”%” transition=”fadeslide” transition_speed=”1″ slideshow_speed=”4″ border_size=”0″ border_color=”#ffffff” ngg_triggers_display=”exclude_mobile” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″] Costa Rica is a small country in terms of territory and […]
More than a Chocolate Tour
~ by Annie DrakeCalling the Rancho Raíces tour a “Chocolate Tour” would be a severe understatement. It is so much more! We had a wonderful presentation with the owner Don German and his family to this 20 […]
Experiencing this Wondrous Pacific Zone
~ by Jeane BrennanThe rice fields dotting the Osa Peninsula are in the process of being harvested, and trucks hauling tons of palm oil fruit are seen every day heading to the processing plants. Oxen, huge and strong, […]
SUD: An Unconventional Restaurant
~ by Dagmar ReinhardThis place is quite big, well ventilated, has several levels, and is in a very lush garden. There is a lounge, a library, a multipurpose area, and a beautiful bar. You will definitely find your own […]
How to Spend more Time in a Hammock?
~ by Dagmar ReinhardTwo weeks before the Envision Festival, we picked Stephen Brooks up at the venue in Uvita. He was extremely busy coordinating between the different working-groups onsite, and mostly supervising the planting of an ever-growing forest of […]
Imagine Yourself Being “Pure Life!”
~ by John BisnerWhy do Costa Ricans use the term “Pura Vida” so often? The expression has been present in their feelings and language for the last 50 years. For the Ticos, the meaning of “pura vida” is […]
Fresh At The Feria: Salt
~ by Luba NikolayevSalt, the magical ingredient that makes flavors come alive, was once called “White Gold” by the Romans and for good reasons. Every cell in our body needs salt to function, and giving the body […]
Keep your Distance…
by Vet. Fernando Riera S.The skunk is always associated to its penetrating and fetid smell, as well as the Pepe le Pew cartoons, the Casanova skunk from the 1950s. The skunk’s “perfume” is its defense method against predator […]
Scorpions
~ by Cesar Barrio AmorósWe live in a natural environment that has been modified for some time. Luckily, there is still native fauna living here and sharing space with us (animals do it reluctantly, though). Many of […]
What to do, Where to eat and Where to stay…
South Pacific Costa Rica Beaches, Marino Ballena National Park
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Email: carlos@ballenatales.com
Phone: +(506) 8946 7134
