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
Wine lovers rejoice!
By Dagmar ReinhardIn Costa Rica, wine at restaurants can be very expensive, and to make it affordable, mostly low- quality wines or consummation per glass are offered to the guests. Christian Vijselaar, owner of Hotel […]
Why surfers are so cool?
Why surfers are so cool? ~by Trevor Brown One of surfing’s greatest legends Andy Irons said it best “I surf because I’m always a better person when I come in.” If you were to describe […]
The Panama Canal was the Culprit
~ by Jill Green from San Josecito My grandson, Sebastián León Hines, just had his 15th birthday. Excited enough to make the transition from kid to high school teenager, and though he received a wonderful selection of gifts from […]
Costa Rican’s Version of the Wild Turkey
~ by Jack Ewing Please Don’t Eat One for Thanksgiving or Christmas… The Great Curassow is the largest bird in Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor. An ornithologist who, in 1996, was assessing avian diversity in the corridor, […]
Culture, sports, and a good environment
~ by John Bisner I have always liked football (soccer) as a sporting activity and a cultural option that improves people’s health and education. Sports are very motivating for young people, but society has modified its interpretation of the […]
Dangerous spiders
Other creatures that are always going to be part of our lives in Costa Ballena are spiders. Feared by many, spiders represent the second largest group of animals on the planet (ants are number 1). […]
The Varela Family sells healthy organic greens at Uvita’s farmers’ market
At Uvita’s farmers’ market, Mauren and Ademar are the most constant sellers, who every Saturday, for over the past 8 years, sell their fresh, certified organic vegetables and greens. by Dagmar Reinhard Ademar, who got […]
The Boruca Little Devils’ Game
By Cristhian González Gómez The Boruca Little Devils’Gam is a ceremony, which takes place between December 30 and January 2, originally named Cagbrúˇ rójc (1) in Brunca language, and known as “The little devils’ game” […]
Costa Ballena, a paradise in the Making
~ by Trevor Brown When I moved to Dominical, the road connecting Costa Ballena to Quepos was unpaved; the single lane, washboard road, took about 1.5 hours to navigate via old bridges and river crossings that were constantly […]
The South Pacific: a spectacular destination
~ by Carlos LeónThe South Pacific is one of the best tourist destinations in Costa Rica; there is a wide variety of attractions in the surrounding areas. Visitors can enjoy many options to relax, stay in touch with […]
The G-String Cowboys: Pure & natural Costa Rican chemistry!
Interview with The G-String Cowboys Three gringo expats living in the Southern Pacific Zone of Costa Rica: A guitar-pickin’ old-school country singer/songwriter from Kansas; an electric rock-blues-swing lead guitarist/singer from Boston; and a singing multi-instrumentalist itinerant rock tribute band veteran turned […]
The Jewel of Osa
Texto y foto: Jeane Brennan The southwest of Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula, has so much to offer. The town of Sierpe is the ideal place to begin your adventure. It is home to fishing captains […]
Music School GM
~ by Dagmar Reinhard Far from being just a cultural project, the Music School GM offered a recital in honor of the mothers. The ideal setting for such activity was the new restaurant Kakü in […]
Suzanne and the Hart Center at Vista Ballena Hotel
Suzanne and the Hart Center at Vista Ballena Hotel~ by Dagmar ReinhardThe Vista Ballena Hotel in Uvita is under new management. Suzanne Hart, a buoyant lady from Oregon, traveled all of Costa Rica looking for a hotel to […]
The Ferocious Skull Cave
The Ferocious Skull Cave at Ventanas Beach ~ by Rachel Wyrostek From Piñuelas beach, passing Playa Ventanas Beach and south to Tortuga beach, this coast is dotted with caves, arches, and bridges. There are legends […]
What to do, Where to eat and Where to stay…
South Pacific Costa Rica Beaches, Marino Ballena National Park
Looking for business directories, maps or other printouts? We’ve got that too!
Dare to Discover and Enjoy…
Check out…
Need help planning your Costa Rica vacations? We look forward to helping you!
Email: carlos@ballenatales.com
Phone: +(506) 8946 7134
