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

Wildlife Sanctuary in Osa
When Minaet (the Ministry of Environment, Energy, and Telecommunications) began to impose intimidating fines, many people started giving away their “pets” voluntarily. Unfortunately, Minaet does not have proper shelters for those creatures. The wildlife sanctuary […]
Increasing the Beauty of Uvita
One of the working committees of the Chamber of Tourism of Costa Ballena (CACOBA), directed by Pilar Dailinger, is focusing on increasing the beauty of Uvita, now an emerging center of commerce and banking in […]
Huen = frog, fertility symbol
The frog was regarded by the ancients Bruncas as a fertility symbol and death symbol. Today, it is a highly respected amphibian for its powerful poison. It is admired for its spectacular beauty and size. […]
Nature Guide Cesar Fonseca
Cesar is a very experienced guide in forest and maritime environment. He has worked with several tour operators covering the National Parks of Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, Corcovado, and Marino Ballena. He found a brand-new challenge […]
The Poison-Dart Frog
One of the most famous frogs of Costa Rica is known as Blue Jeans or Strawberry Poison-dart Frog (Dendrobates pumilio) it lives on the Caribbean side of the country. However, few people know its Pacific […]
Nightlife
Continue readingDominical eXtreme Games 2013
When? Saturday, July 6, 2013 Time? Times are subject to change but we plan they start around… Fishing – 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Surfing – 9 a.m. Kayaking & Coconut tree climbing – 11 […]
The Mysterious Spheres of Diquis Valley in Osa Canton
There are no written stories to pass on; no tribes left to tell us about these nearly perfectly round stone spheres. Questions remain unanswered about why they were made, what tools were used to build them, and where the materials came from.
CAP News
A great way to bring your CAP dues back to your neighborhood. The Community Surveillance Support program (CAP CSS ) is an initiative focused on assisting Southern Zone communities to secure the well-being of its […]
The 50 years of the School of San Josecito
San Josecito is a small community in the mountains of Uvita. A few Costa Rican families remained in the area which 50 years ago was quite populated, so much that it required the opening of […]
The Grasshopper: Food for the Largest Predator of the Sierpe River
The River and the Térraba Sierpe wetlands are home to American crocodiles (Cocodrilus acutus) living in fresh and saltwater areas. However, alligators only live in freshwater zones. During their initial stage of lives, these prehistoric […]
The Coyol Palm Tree
The Coyol Palm, also known as spiny palm, is very common in our area, and reproduces in a natural way by spontaneously spreading its seeds. Genre: Acrocomia Origin: Tropical America (Neotropics) Crown diameter: 4.50 meters […]
See the Good, Share the Good
Costa Ballena has a wide range of bio and cultural diversity. Living here encourages us to pay more attention to other cultures, challenging us to respect their feelings and ‘modus vivendi’. It can also be […]

Putting the Pieces Together with Christophe Gstalder
Having traveled the world, Christophe Gstalder always returns to Costa Ballena, a place that has captured his heart. He lived for several years with the Boruca Indians, near Palmar, and maintains close ties with community members.
banda de sanjose
Continue readingTraditional Celebrations 2013 in Bahía Uvita
We have not seen this type of events in the last 15 years in Bahia.” That was the comment of an enthusiastic neighbor who got together with his friends at a small courtyard under the […]
Melvin González Rojas "aka" Kuradenk
We met Melvin at the eighth Spheres Festival in Palmar Sur. He is the Don Ismael’s son, the master of the Borucan masks. We introduced him in a previous edition. When he was only seven […]
8th Spheres Festival in Osa
Last March, another great Spheres Festival took place at the central square in Palmar Sur. Hundreds of visitors stood still and admired the Danza Joven dancers from the UNA University, listened to…
Rainy season is upon us…
The green season (read: rainy season) is upon us. To a bunch of us living down here in our little slice of paradise, this is our favorite time of the year. Everything is so green […]
The Jubú or Don Edixon’s Chicha
Edixon Mora Lazaro is a “Little Devil’s Dance” veteran in Curré, a village at the Terraba River between Palmar and Buenos Aires. He is no longer involved in the parades that take place at the […]
Featured Hotel
Continue readingRip Current….A Silent Killer – 100% Preventable Death
The following was written by Ros Thackurdeen and the aim of sharing their story is to help saves lives. Please be aware of the dangers in the water. Our Son, Ravi Thackurdeen, the love of […]
Sunrise Beach Yoga in Costa Rica
Nearly every day, Bodhi Surf owner and yoga instructor, Pilar Salazar, gets up before sunrise to do her personal yoga practice. We decided to get up with her one morning to capture this daily routine […]
8th Annual Spheres Festival in Osa
Below are the program leaflets for the 8th Annual Spheres Festival 2013 held in Osa, Costa Rica. A continuación se presentan los folletos del programa para el 8º Festival Anual de 2013 Esferas celebrada en […]
Claudia Langguth – A well-traveled woman who fell in love with the Sierpe River
Claudia Langguth was born in Germany. When she was twenty, she moved to Paris, France to study Fashion Design. For several years, she worked as a fashion designer and was successful with her own production, […]
Bryan Cespedes – Muralist of large areas
He was born in Cortes and raised in Palmar in the Osa Canton. At school, he used to do pencil drawings, focusing on the feet of the girl sitting next to him. Years went by, […]
Philippe Chapuy
Philippe Chapuy, a five year resident in Costa Rica, is an expert percussionist who started playing drums at the age of 14. For a while he had left the music scene and it was thanks […]
Kristjan Pärn
Kristjan Pärn, from Estonia, has been playing music for over 15 years. He started out playing the accordion; he then learned the guitar and composes. From 1997 until 2012, he was part of an alternative […]
Indrek Tammoja
Indrek Tammoja, a self taught guitarist and composer arrived in the area a few months ago and says he’s pleased to find such a diverse musical community and interesting personalities. Of particular interest for Indrek […]
The Bonecarrier Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
This beautiful bird of prey can weigh one kilogram and reach 120 cm wingspan. They like to glide over open areas such as fields and a street, looking for dead animals, as their diet mainly […]
The Porcupine
The skin is surrounded by real spines, although, it is possible to find some fine hairs among them. The spines are actually modified hair, evolved as a defense mechanism. The face, belly, and tail tip […]
Work is Love Made Visible
When I got out of school, I felt I had to find a ‘good job’ and work hard to become successful, which at the moment translated into getting a high-paid job, well recognized by others, […]
AE = Altos Exodus, a film produced in the South Pacific of Costa Rica!
Storyline: When things went really-bad on Earth and there was fear of an alien invasion, a group of humans left on board a space ship to outer space. They were put to sleep, and finally; […]
Ojochal Restaurant Week
Week of April 16 -26 Ojochal Restaurant Week Presented by “El sabor de Ojochal” All restaurants will have a fixed menu at a fixed price (table d’hôte). Culinary contests and events to be announced during […]
Boruca, Ash from Burnt Tree
An hour from Palmar, following the course of the majestic Térraba River, is the entrance to the village of Boruca. The road winds uphill, leaving the view completely free over the river and the ridges […]
Surf Tournament at HermOsa Beach – Uvita
Ranchos Remo, located on the heights of Playa Hermosa, decided to organize a surf tournament at HermOsa Beach, near to Uvita. The purpose of the event was to raise funds to equip the beach with […]