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

Costa Rica · Uvita & Ballena

Seasonal or restricted

What depends on tides, seasons or permits, with alternatives for when it isn’t possible.

6 places3 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

    CultureSeasonal

    Whale and Dolphin Festival

    Bahía Ballena, Uvita1.5 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A Bahía Ballena community festival celebrating the humpback whale season and promoting local tourism.

    September only: Wikipedia places it on the first and second weekends of the month. We found no recent official dates; confirm locally. The rest of the year, take a whale tour in season or a dolphin trip.

    Source: Wikipedia – Cantón de Osa (turismo y festivales) · 2026

    Practical details and sources

    Nearby: ATV tour in the hills (0 km) · Uvita Waterfall (0.8 km) · Uvita farmers’ market (Mercado Bahía Ballena) (1.7 km)

    Sources: Wikipedia – Cantón de Osa (turismo y festivales)

  3. 3

    NightlifeSeasonal

    Envision Festival

    Rancho La Merced, about 3 km northwest of Uvita village3.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    $50
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A multi-day music, yoga and workshop festival held on a seaside farm in Uvita that draws thousands of people.

    Once a year only: the 2026 edition ran from 23 February to 2 March in Uvita. Check its website for future dates and book lodging well ahead, as prices rise across the area.

    Source: Envision Festival – official site · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $$$ · over US$50

    Nearby: Playa Hermosa (Osa) (1.2 km) · ATV tour in the hills (2.8 km) · Whale and Dolphin Festival (2.8 km)

    Sources: Envision Festival – official site · Wikivoyage – Uvita · My Tan Feet – Things to do in Uvita (updated Nov 2025)

  4. 4

    BeachRestricted access

    Arco Beach

    Between the Colonia and Ballena sectors; official access via the Ballena sector4.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    $6.78
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A secluded beach in the park, between rocks and forest, that can only be reached and left at low tide.

    Tide-restricted: SINAC only allows entry and exit at low tide, via the Ballena sector. From the post it is about 30 minutes across beach, a river and forest. If the tide doesn’t suit, go to Playa Ballena or Colonia instead.

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

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $6.78 for non-resident foreign adults and $5.65 for children, VAT included; card only. Valid all day in all four sectors (SINAC).

    Tip: Check the tide table at the entrance booth and don’t leave valuables on the beach or in the car.

    Nearby: Ballena Beach (Ballena sector) (1.9 km) · Dolphins and snorkelling at Isla Ballena (3 km) · Scuba diving in Ballena Marine Park (3 km)

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

  5. 5

    BeachRestricted access

    Piñuela Beach (Piñuela sector)

    About 10 km south of Uvita, before Ojochal8.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    $6.78
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    The park’s southernmost sector, at Punta Piñuela, with a small beach and one of the best-preserved forest patches on the land side.

    Sources disagree: SINAC lists it open 8:00 to 16:00, but a guide updated in November 2025 says the sector was temporarily closed. Confirm before going; if it is closed, visit Playa Ballena or Playa Ventanas.

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

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $6.78 for non-resident foreign adults and $5.65 for children, VAT included; card only. Valid all day in all four sectors (SINAC).

    Nearby: Ventanas Beach (sea caves) (1.5 km) · Ballena Beach (Ballena sector) (2.6 km) · Dolphins and snorkelling at Isla Ballena (4.2 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Ballena · My Tan Feet – Marino Ballena National Park (updated Nov 2025)

  6. Caño Island (snorkelling)6

    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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