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Aerial view of the Punta Uvita sandbar and its two bays.

Costa Rica · Uvita & Ballena

Ocean trips

Whales, dolphins, snorkelling and diving trips leave from Uvita beach; the sea is usually calmer in the morning.

6 places2 closed or restricted, flagged

  1. Humpback whale watching1

    Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0

    WildlifeSeasonal

    Humpback whale watching

    Depart from the park’s Uvita sector1.1 km from the centre

    Entry
    From $80
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Boat trips from Uvita beach to see humpback whales arriving from both hemispheres, plus dolphins and turtles. They pass the Whale’s Tail, the Tres Hermanas rocks and Playa Arco.

    Seasonal: SINAC gives December to April (northern group) and July to November (southern group); local guides name August and September as the peak, with near-daily sightings. Out of season, do the dolphin and snorkel trip to Isla Ballena.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    From $80 per adult (agency, 2026).
    Time needed
    3 to 4 hours, morning or afternoon.

    Tip: Whale watching is run by local operators, not the park. Minimum age 2 on covered boats; in the dry season it sometimes includes a swim by the Tail.

    Nearby: Uvita Beach (Uvita sector) (0 km) · Kayak and stand-up paddle in Ballena Marine Park (0 km) · Colonia Beach (Colonia sector) (0.4 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · My Tan Feet – Whale watching in Costa Rica (updated Aug 2026) · My Tan Feet – Uvita whale watching tour

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  2. 2

    WaterOpen

    Dolphins and snorkelling at Isla Ballena

    Isla Ballena, off Playa Ballena6.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Boat tours around the bay to see resident dolphins and snorkel the reefs of Isla Ballena, where SINAC records coral and nesting white ibis and other seabirds.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: Dolphins are present all year, so this is the alternative when whales are absent. Water clarity is better in the dry season.

    Nearby: Scuba diving in Ballena Marine Park (0 km) · Ballena Beach (Ballena sector) (2.9 km) · Arco Beach (3 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · My Tan Feet – Uvita whale watching tour

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  3. Caño Island (snorkelling)3

    Photo: Peter Andersen, CC BY-SA 3.0

    WaterRestricted access

    Caño Island (snorkelling)

    Off Drake Bay, about 45 min by boat52.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    $16.95
    Hours
    8:00 to 15:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    A biological reserve about 16 km offshore with one of the largest coral formations on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Snorkel tours leave from Drake Bay and often see turtles, reef sharks and large schools of fish.

    Only with a registered local guide, advance booking and payment (at most 8 days ahead) and at most 10 people at a time in the snorkel zone. No single-use plastic or drones.

    Source: SINAC – Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $16.95 for non-resident foreign adults ($5.65 children), usually included in the tour.
    Hours
    8:00 to 15:00 according to SINAC.
    Booking
    Reservation and payment in advance, at most 8 days ahead, and only with a registered local guide.

    Tip: Many tours stop for lunch at San Josecito beach on the Drake coast on the way back. Visibility is usually better in the dry season.

    Nearby: Scuba diving at Caño Island (0.7 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño · Osa Tourism – Drake Bay tours · Gringo Curt – The beach hike

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  4. 4

    NatureRestricted access

    San Pedrillo sector (Corcovado)

    North coast of Corcovado, 45–60 min by boat from Drake Bay60 km from the centre

    Entry
    $16.95
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Required

    The park’s northern sector, reached by boat from Drake Bay. It has the Catarata-San Pedrillo trail (1.5 km), the Llorona trail (7 km), the Pargo and the Marcos Reyes trails, with denser, hillier forest than Sirena.

    Open in October 2026 with a cap of 120 people a day, but it requires a SINAC reservation and a guide. Book early if you travel that month, as it is one of only two sectors available.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Corcovado · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $16.95 for non-resident foreign adults and $5.65 for children 2 to 12, VAT included (SINAC). Guide and transport are extra.
    Booking
    Mandatory reservation by email to SINAC (acosa.reservaciones@sinac.go.cr), up to 6 months ahead; groups of at most 10 plus a guide; payment by bank deposit.
    Time needed
    A day trip from Drake Bay.

    Tip: The landing is on the beach and depends on the sea; wear shoes that can get wet.

    Nearby: San Josecito beach (Drake) (6 km) · Río Claro and Punta Río Claro Refuge (6.6 km) · Los Planes sector (Corcovado) (7.5 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Corcovado · Tico Times – Costa Rica restores visitor capacity at Corcovado’s Sirena Station · Gringo Curt – San Pedrillo

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  5. 5

    WaterOpen

    Scuba diving in Ballena Marine Park

    Bahía Ballena6.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    SINAC lists diving among the park’s activities; usual sites are around Isla Ballena, Roca la Viuda and the Tres Hermanas rocks.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: There are dive shops in the area; for better visibility many divers prefer Caño Island.

    Nearby: Dolphins and snorkelling at Isla Ballena (0 km) · Ballena Beach (Ballena sector) (2.9 km) · Arco Beach (3 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · My Tan Feet – Things to do in Uvita (updated Nov 2025)

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  6. 6

    WaterOpen

    Kayak and stand-up paddle in Ballena Marine Park

    Park’s Uvita sector and the Barú River (Dominical)1.1 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    The park’s waters can be explored by kayak or stand-up paddleboard; there are also kayak or SUP trips through nearby mangroves and the Barú River, by Dominical.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: Go early, when the sea is usually calmer, and keep clear of swimming areas.

    Nearby: Uvita Beach (Uvita sector) (0 km) · Humpback whale watching (0 km) · Colonia Beach (Colonia sector) (0.4 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · My Tan Feet – Marino Ballena National Park (updated Nov 2025) · My Tan Feet – Day trips from Dominical (updated Aug 2025)

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