Ballena Tales Magazine & Travel Guide - Library
Ballena Tales is a Magazine and Travel Guide for the South Pacific region of Costa Rica based in Uvita on the Costa Ballena since 2008. It connects companies of Costa Ballena and Osa - South Pacific with the rest of Costa Rica and the world. We are a multi-lingual and multi-professional team and are proud of our open and long-standing cooperation with national and international partners.
In Ballena Tales Magazine & Travel Guide you will find useful and entertaining information about sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, lifestyle, wildlife and adventure of the Osa Peninsula and Costa Ballena.
Stay up to date - Here you will find our latest articles and posts of the current issue
MAGAZINE
Shine in Costa Rica And Costa Rica Will Shine on You!
~ by Perry GladstoneI love to tell stories and post pictures of the beauty of Costa Rica. It makes me feel good to share my slice of paradise. Almost everyone extols the virtues. “Live In Paradise” say the ads, […]

Love of Whales in the South Pacific of Costa Rica
How does a male humpback whale (also called a “bull”) ensure the survival of his species, if the females copulate with several other males, and go out and about through great distances in the ocean?
Lifeguard Team Captain
~ by Nate BrightALVARO CEDEÑO OBANDOHow old are you? How many children do you have? I’m 30 years old and have 3 children. What beaches do you work at? I rotate between the beaches in our program: […]
Humpbacks Whales, joyful giants
The humpbacks whales, joyful giants, using their massive flukes (tail fins), they propel themselves through the water. Regularly, they catapult their 40 tons of body weight completely out of the water, landing with a tremendous splash.
Black & Green Tree Chickens
~ by Jack EwingIn the mid 1970s on a trip to Hacienda Barú with my 10 year old daughter, Natalie, a green iguana ran across the rough gravel road. “Oh my god Daddy, what was that horrible […]

The waterworld of Parque Reptilandia
~ by Roel De PleckerBesides the large variety of lizards and snakes, our park also houses a diverse collection of turtles, one of which is the Madagascar big-headed turtle (Erymnochelys madagascariensis). This species is highly endangered and even hardly […]
Keylor Navas, believes in Himself and knows what he wants.
~ by John Bisner The jewel of the Costa Rican south, ¨Pérez Zeledón¨ is hidden between valleys and mountains where «Mother Nature» adorns its existence with the best it can offer. This land of gallant has produced great characters that […]
Perez Zeledón Bans the Use of Agrochemicals in Public Spaces
~ by Amy SchriftIn a virtually unanimous vote in April of this year the Concejo Municipal of Perez Zeledón became the first municipality to bring into law a complete ban on the use of agrochemicals in public […]
Hummingbirds, jewels of forests and gardens
by Susana García Photos by Raul Vega The first time I saw a hummingbird I felt something like butterflies in my stomach. For a European, these birds exclusive to the American continent are an incredible attraction. Costa […]
The Valley of the Great Diquis
~ by Dagmar ReinhardApril 2017 – Hotel Cristal Ballena The team of the National Museum of Costa Rica, led by headed by the director Mrs. Rocío Fernández and in the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Osa, Mrs. […]
Puerto Jiménez – Península de Osa
~ by Dagmar ReinhardThe city of Puerto Jimenez at the Osa Peninsula was a gold-mining center during the 70s; today, it has about 9,000 inhabitants. It is located near the entrance of Golfo Dulce, and it […]
Pura Vida in Sierpe
~ By Jeanne BrenanBoating the Sierpe River is not only a beautiful experience. With several ways to enjoy it, they all originate from the town of Sierpe. Exploring up or downriver, the Estero Azul by way of tours, […]

Go Organic!
~ by Luba Niko Nikolayev“Organic” is a label given to agricultural products grown and processed in a natural way, without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, GMOs, and other agrochemicals. Surprisingly, Costa Rica uses 7 times more pesticides per hectare than the […]

The Costa Ballena Animal Home Refuge
~ by Kate BarrWe are thrilled to announce the Grand Opening of El RefUgio Hogar Animal Costa Ballena at our temporary facility located at the CVS Veterinario, on Chamán Street, in Uvita. El RefUgio provides shelter/“refuge” and love to […]

Bamboo Room Restaurant & Alma de Ojochal Boutique Hotel
~ by John and Janet ChantryOver the last two years John and Janet Chantry, owners of the Bamboo Room Restaurant and the adjacent Alma de Ojochal Boutique Hotel, have built up their reputation as amazing and very active […]

How to Maintain the Health of your Hair?
f hard water scale quickly damages household fixtures, imagine the havoc it wreaks on our delicate hair!

Homage to Doña Elba Montero Marín
~ by Dagmar ReinhardLess than 50 years ago, Bahía Uvita was an isolated area difficult to access. Its history is linked to Mr. Cai Cruz and the aluminum producer Alcoa. In 1962, Cai Cruz owned Hacienda Bahía […]

YABASUJKRA
~ by Kurandenk (Huella del Jaguar / The Jaguar’s footprint)People from Boruca have many beliefs, and the stories, legends, and myths are part of our lives. Among such beliefs, there is the respect for nature. We know […]

Blue Flag – Marine Ballena National Park
~ by Stephanie Mory Villaseñor – Sub-admistradora Área de Conservación OsaThis year in March, the Marino Ballena National Park was awarded 4 Ecological Blue Flags, thanks to the joint efforts of volunteers and local organizations that make up […]

Stay one more night ~ a Whale of a Deal, Whales and Dolphins Festival
~ by Perry Gladstone Dear associate and companies of Costa Ballena. During the month of September, the annual Whales and Dolphins Festival attracts more than 6000 people to our region. This is an incredible business opportunity and we want to […]

Continuation of the 8 Limbs of Ashtanga – Asana
~ by Pila SalazarAsanas (yoga postures) comprised the third limb of Ashtanga Yoga. Although it is only a branch, it is what most of the western world conceived as “Yoga”. I started practicing in my early twenties. […]

480 Horse Riders
~ by Dagmar Reinhard The Horse Riding Commission of San Josecito deserves special recognition for the recent equestrian event held under the umbrella of the 2017 Summer Festival in Bahía – Uvita. Already last year, the commission began […]

Great coffee and warm, welcoming people
~ by Pam CapistaGreat coffee and warm, welcoming people – two of Costa Rica’s amazing resources. I had the great pleasure of visiting don Emilio’s coffee farm in San Luis and touring the farm with him and his […]

Slow down! Animals Crossing The Road
~ by Loyal ClarkeAt Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary, our number one goal is to get the animals back to their native habitats. Sadly, that is not always possible due to injuries from which the animals cannot fully recover. The […]

Pre-Columbian times in Boruca
~ by Susie AtkinsonThe Diquís delta, just south of Costa Ballena, is one of the most important deltas of Central America from the biological and cultural perspective. We will discuss the cultural aspect. “Diquís” in the native dialect of the Teribe […]

CACOBA Update
~ by Perry GladstoneIt’s been a busy high-season at the Costa Ballena Chamber of Tourism and Commerce. While we continue to advance many initiatives, three areas have been our main focus: SECURITY – Concerns over rising crime […]

Were you there?
~ by Tony Johnson”Three Days of Peace and Music”: An event some actually attended, and that many claimed to have been at, while most only saw the movie. Why all the nostalgia? Because Woodstock was THE music festival […]

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, […]