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.

UVITA

OJOCHAL

SAN ISIDRO

SIERPE

GOLFO DULCE

Unzipping Nature!

by Jack EwingIn his excellent book Life Above the Forest Floor, Donald Perry Ph. D. tells how he became entranced with the rainforest canopy when he was studying biology at university. There was virtually nothing […]

Continue reading

The Boaters of the Térraba River

~ by Prof. Fernando Pérez* Térraba has its roots in the borucan word Dí Crí, in the Broran dialect the word Diquís means “big water.” Several villages settle at its shores, among them are: La […]

Continue reading

Tinamastes

~ by Corey Walker from Tinamastes I often found myself walking the road from Tinamastes to Las Tumbas; it is a truly amazing and scenic road. It appears to me that the floor of the […]

Continue reading

Community Food Bank Update

by Kimberley Faddah As the New Year began, the Ojochal Community Food Bank (OCFB) realized a significant objective by opening the OCFB Donation and Volunteer Center adjacent to the Ojochal police station. The Center is staffed […]

Continue reading

Living and Acting for Nature

by Melissa Jiménez Kardentey Living and acting for Nature – was our motto to promote the “Club Summer 2016” which last January was held in Reserva Playa Tortuga (RPT), located in Ojochal de Osa, thanks to […]

Continue reading

Easements

by Abogado & Notario Eduardo Abarca Consultor Legal Empresarial Nacional e Internacional* Easements are created as an encumbrance on a piece of land in order to give an entitlement to another area. They are extremely […]

Continue reading

Yoga Philosophy

by Pilar Salazar ~ Part I The practice of Yoga has become quite popular worldwide. There are several types, some more traditional than others. The reason for its popularity is most likely due to its […]

Continue reading

The Cicadas

by Cesar Barrio Amorós – Doc Frog Expeditions               ~ The Sound of Summer… We all know the cicadas. But I had never heard such loud concerts as those […]

Continue reading

DAWGs Do Dream

by Tom & Shawnell Parker Another sleepless night; tossing, turning, and churning with worry about tomorrow. We are closing seven of our shelters, four in Costa Rica, two in Panama, and one in El Salvador; […]

Continue reading

Managing Growth in Costa Ballena

by Perry Gladstone “There is a predictable expat growth cycle in areas like the Costa Ballena, Costa Rica and understanding it is critical if we want to recognize opportunities for growth, development and, most importantly, the […]

Continue reading

Thanks to the Donors!

by Nate Bright The Costa Ballena Lifeguards would like to sincerely thank all current season donors. Each one of you is helping to save lives in Dominical and Playa Hermosa. If your company is not […]

Continue reading

Envision House

by Dagmar Reinhard Two years ago, Elisabetta Zanettin began envisioning a youth center, administered and managed by the young people of the Uvita Bahía communities, a safe and positive place to share, learn and develop […]

Continue reading

Safe beaches: Strong community!

by Nate Bright It is estimated that more than 100 people drown on the beaches in Costa Rica every year. Fortunately, the Costa Ballena region has trained, certified lifeguards on two of our most popular […]

Continue reading

Loud-Mouthed Parakeets Invasion

by Jack Ewing A flock of at least thirty fast flying, scandalously loud, greenish-yellow birds flew directly overhead. My first thought was that they must be orange-chinned parakeets (Brotogeris jugularis), which I see almost every […]

Continue reading

The Art in Painting

by William Morales Vargas (Art Teacher) For more than thirty years I have been practicing the art of painting. I am an empirical and eclectic searcher of originality. I often wonder what makes an artwork […]

Continue reading

Courses for a Healthy Lifestyle

By Corey Walker from Tinamastes There are many things to be said about the community that gathers together into a market that promotes and sells organically grown food. I will say, in such a place […]

Continue reading

Paxer Coming to Costa Rica

By Jacobo Reyes Introduced by Venezuelan business people Jacobo Reyes and Gladys Irigoyen, the PAXER Hospitality Reservation Management System has arrived in Costa Rica. It is the solution to daily management of the hotel (Book-Collecting-Check-in, […]

Continue reading

The Culture of Boruca

by Susie Atkinson – photos: Isabelle Aubin Hidden within Costa Rica are different cultures and ethnic groups. There are eight indigenous groups in the country, and Costa Ballena’s closest community is the Borucans. Boruca’s history has […]

Continue reading
BT47 Chester and Festus 2

Meet Chester and Festus

by Mike Graeber These guys are Geoffroy’s Spider monkeys, the largest spider monkeys in the world. They live in remote areas of the jungle, where they move high into the trees. This makes them difficult […]

Continue reading

El Flaco

by Dagmar Reinhard “El Flaco” (the slim one) greeted us with the shaka, the unmistakable salute with the little finger and thumb – which is a symbol of aloha and part of the local culture of […]

Continue reading