Wide beaches, palm trees, beautiful sunsets, wild animals, dolphins in their natural habitat, this and much more Uvita has to offer. Uvita, a tiny town in the South Pacific is not overrun by tourists, and we had the impression that only a few make it here. Here are some suggestions of things to see there.

#1 Marino Ballena National Park

Also called the Marino Ballena WhaleTail is located in the center of town, it is a place where two beaches meet and at low tide form a strip of sand in the shape of a whale tail. It is beautiful, but can only be seen with the drone due to its enormous size. Nevertheless, it is possible to walk on the whale’s tail during the low tide.

Entrance to the park costs $6 and is open from 8 AM till 4 PM. You can spend almost the whole day here, because the beaches during the low tide are incredibly wide and there is a place for everyone.

From the entrance to the Whale Tale you need about 20 minutes walk. Please remember to take water because there are no shops on this beach. A hat is also recommended, because there is practically no shadow at the beach.

#2 Uvita Waterfall

It’s a small waterfall located a few kilometers from the center of town. In addition to several pools of refreshing water, it also has a natural slide, which was used by many daredevils (including Igor), and a place where the more courageous can jump into the water from a height of several meters (also including Igor).

The waterfalls are not large, but certainly attracts many visitors, if you want to have this place to yourself, we recommend you come here in the morning. The waterfalls are open from 8 AM to 5 PM and the entrance costs $3.

The ticket price also includes a tour of the butterfly garden, where you are sure to meet some beautiful specimens. Some tiny and colorful, but also some large and blue. Butterflies, however, are very fast and it is difficult to capture them in a photo.

#3 Whale Watching

Walking throughout the town you will find billboards advertising Whale Watching. This is because Uvita is a place where the probability of meeting these mammals is very high, especially in the months of January to March and July to October.

Unfortunately we didn’t manage to meet them during our trip, but we did meet dolphins, which were in the middle of hunting for dinner. And we have to admit, it was an amazing experience!

Animals in their natural habitat is a wonderful sight! Our tour also included learning how to open a coconut found on the beach. If you are not very successful at opening coconuts, they will also teach you the technique of calling for help! 😅

Seeing the “three sisters” – tiny islands in the middle of the ocean, caves naturally carved into the rock, an island where we could admire many birds in their natural habitat, snorkeling, and watching fishermen at work – this was all part of the tour. And even though we regretted not seeing the whales, our trip was a success because we definitely had a good time.

We booked our Whale Watching tour with Ballena Tour and can highly recommend them. The tour could be booked easily online which is rather a rarity in Uvita. The whole organization and the tour guides were very polite and funny, they made the whole experience unforgettable.

The tour costs a proud $75, but this is the price range of all providers. Ballena Tour was so kind to provide us with a few photos from more successful Whale Watching tours.

#4 Sunset watching

After a day full of adventure, there is nothing more beautiful and relaxing than watching the sunset. One of the best places to watch it is at Ballena Paraiso restaurant.

The restaurant is located on a hill, so the views are definitely spectacular and unforgettable. When you visit this place, we recommend trying the brownie “con helado” or “banana flambe” cake for a spectacular show.

#5 Other things to do in Uvita

Nauyaca waterfalls for two beautiful, fairytale like waterfalls. El Pavon waterfall for natural slides, and lush green surrounding. Rocas de Amancio for amazing sunsets. Playa Hermosa for beuatiful day at the beach with black sand and palmtrees.

Uvita is located about 4 hours from San Jose and the easiest way to get there is of course by car. However, for those of you who prefer to take the bus, we have good news. There is also a Tracopa bus going to Uvita from the Tracopa bus terminal in San Jose. Bus ticket costs $9.50 (6,730 colones).

If you don’t have a car, getting around Uvita can be a challenge. Public buses are not available, so you will have to rely on local taxis. Unfortunately there are very few of them in the city and we had to wait for an hour at the Uvita bus station till we were able to catch a taxi.

Somehow we made it to our hostel and our driver accompanied us on several trips later on during our stay in Uvita. So if someone gives you a card, take it! It can be useful.

• Falafel Uvita | Really the best falafel in town
• Fernandos | Tasty local food
• Pizza Express | Some pizza slices in between
• Ballena Paraiso | Delisious desserts and coctails

During this trip we stayed at Koru Village Hostel with the most beautiful showers ever and great outdoor space where you can cook, work, or relax in the pool.

The best time to visit Uvita is from October to April, then you can expect less rain. Also the other months are good to visit, just be sure to take your rain coat.

Entry to Costa Rica is allowed for tourists from all countries. A return flight ticket is needed when entering Costa Rica, the immigration officer will ask for it upon your arrival.

Visitors to Costa Rica must have a valid passport as well as proof of their intent to exit the country before their visa or entry stamp expires, usually within 90 days. Even with a 90-day tourist visa, the immigration official determines the duration of your stay as allowed by your passport.

The prices are per person, except for the accommodation and Taxi, which we rent for 2 people.

Accommodation: $37 / night

Restaurant: $11 – $13 / meal

Pleasure: $3 – $8 / event

Taxi: $4 – $8 / ride

Activity: $3 – $71 / event