Costa Ballena Guide, Costa Rica Free Digital Magazine and Travel Guide
*Ballena Tales* is a digital and interactive guide highlighting the wonders of Costa Ballena, in Costa Rica's South Pacific. This magazine offers in-depth coverage of activities, services, natural attractions, wildlife, dining options, accommodations, and events in the region.
With an innovative approach, it combines print and digital publications within an ecosystem that includes a blog, business directory, and links to social media profiles and advertiser websites. The digital edition has a global reach, with thousands of readers, while the print version reaches over 8,000 readers in the region.
According to studies, each print copy is read by an average of 2.3 residents and 18 visitors, resulting in approximately 142,000 readers per year, with a print run of 7,000 copies.
In addition to its informative and engaging content, *Ballena Tales* supports community and environmental initiatives, contributing pro bono to positive projects for the sustainable and cultural development of the South Pacific. Its editorial mission is to satisfy readers while boosting the value of advertiser brands and promoting the overall growth of the region.
DISCOVER THE SOUTH PACIFIC
Costa Ballena, located in the Osa Canton, is a region where the tropical forest meets the South Pacific Ocean, offering a unique natural environment. This area stretches from the Barú River in Dominical to the mouth of the Térraba River in Coronado, encompassing communities such as Dominical, Dominicalito, Uvita, Bahía, Ojochal, and Coronado.
One of its main attractions is Uvita Beach, located within the Marino Ballena National Park. This park stands out for the impressive natural formation known as the "Whale's Tail," a sandbank that stretches 2,296 meters in length and 2,800 meters in width, making it the third-largest in the world. At low tide, visitors can walk to the edge of this formation, enjoying spectacular views and an unforgettable experience.
Costa Ballena combines natural beauty, biodiversity, and picturesque communities, establishing itself as a prominent tourist destination in Costa Rica.
Costa Ballena includes the three towns of Dominical, Uvita, and Ojochal.
They have much to offer, from yoga retreats and surfing competitions to culinary events and a nature walk in the jungle. The tropical climate of Costa Rica's South Pacific and the happiness of its people create a great atmosphere in bars and restaurants, where one can enjoy a good meal, a cold beer, and generally a pleasant evening.
Come and enjoy! READ MORE:
The South Pacific paradise of Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Ballena Tales is always there to help. Whether it's finding transportation or a good spa in the area, we know how to reach them or where to find them! By browsing through our Services Section, you can learn more about the services Costa Ballena offers. READ MORE:
Costa Ballena offers you the best surfing conditions: Sunshine almost every day, big waves, and a laid-back atmosphere and lifestyle. Dominical has specially developed into a real surfers' paradise.
The tides chart is one of the favorite pages of our visitors. It is essential to know the ideal time to visit the whale tail at the Marino Ballena National Park, and also useful for lovers of sports fishing and surfing. READ MORE:

Dental Health for Dogs
Bad breath in pets have several causes; it’s necessary to discard infected teeth, foreign objects stuck between the teeth (pieces of wooden sticks or bones), abscesses, plaque, etc.

Yoga Philosophy ~ Part V
by Pilar Salazar The Eight Limbs Yoga was never meant to be a one-hour workout. It was – and is – a path; it’s a 24-hour practice and a way to experience life. The space we take […]

Celebrating Costa Rica
~ by Jeane Brennan Those who live in or near Sierpe work hard. Whether it’s fishing to supply the restaurants or for sport; farming various crops or raising and nurturing farm animals, or retail businesses; daily life is challenging. When it’s […]

Ventanas Beach gets Lifeguards!
~ by Nate Bright On Saturday, October 1, 2016, another beach in the Costa Ballena region became safer! In partnership with the ADI of Ojochal, the Guardavidas Costa Ballena Lifeguard program opened a new tower at Playa Ventanas. Playa Ventanas, located […]

Afro Flow Yoga at the Hart Center
~ by Dagmar ReinhardWould you believe that yoga has been in Africa for thousands of years? Leslie Salmon Jones, Afro Flow Yoga® founder, told us this fact during her week-long yoga workshop at the Hart Center, at the Vista Ballena […]

“You Might be an Animal Lover If… ”
~ by Shawnell Parker You are over 40 and you speak perfect baby talk. Your spouse has half the bed, and you and five dogs share the other half. Your pets have more toys than […]

Saeeda Wright, Journey to Love
Saeeda Wright, Journey to Love by Dagmar Reinhard Photos by Shannon Buttler Saeeda’s home is Portland, Oregon. Raised in a Christian, music-loving family, she very early knew that singing was to be her career. She […]

Sierpe in Osa: Very Special for Sighting Wildlife!
Sierpe de Osa is a rural village surrounded by gardens, farms, rivers, estuaries, and the rainforest. Squirrel monkeys, as well as howler and capuchin are aware that they can find plenty of fruits, leaves, insects, and other delicious snacks. One of their ever-favorite is wild guava, of which there are many in the Blue Channel.
The Whale Resort
By Michael Fox There is so much to see and do on the Osa Peninsula. It is a refuge for a large diversity of flora and fauna. There is an abundance of marine life, including […]
Simplify your Life in Paradise
Simplify your Life in Paradise ~ by Trevor Brown Living in paradise is relative to your physical location and mental state You can live in a paradise in your mind; and yet, live somewhere almost […]

Corcovado National Park
By Luis H. Galera Photos by Amigos Area Conservación OsaCorcovado National Park, which, according to some locals, is named after a kind of native type of quail called corcovado, is located on the Osa Peninsula, […]
Fuego Brew Co., fire from the river
By Trevor BrownWith Costa Rica’s rapidly growing craft beer market, and a small bohemian beach town on the rise becoming Costa Rica’s next “hot spot”, timing couldn’t be better for Playa Dominical’s very own brewery. […]
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 […]