The Costa Rican southwestern is one of the most geographically diverse areas in the world; it has ample of beautiful beaches and incredible landscapes. Playa Uvita is also among the most beautiful beaches on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast with palm trees swaying by the wind speed It is located in the Puntarenas province around 17 km south of Dominical. It is a best surfing place. Playa Uvita is located within the Marino Ballena National Park. This marine park is very famous due to Humpback; whales travel here to the warm waters off the coast to mate before returning up north between the months December and April.
Accessible throughout the year as the weather is gorgeous most of the time, Playa Uvita is a Two mile white sand beach with modest waves and crystal blue waters. As this beach is a component of the Marino Ballena National Park, fishing and hunting of any aquatic life is strictly forbidden. The swimming conditions are perfect here and travelers can have the enjoyment with a variety of water sports. The best element of Playa Uvita is it has beautiful landscape with estuaries and mangrove marshes in addition to its pretty local village environment.
There is quite a bit to do in Uvita’s vicinity. Apparently, its closeness to the ocean permits for innumerable aquatic activities such as surfing, swimming, sun bathing, snorkeling, kayaking, sport fishing, boat tours, whale watching. Horseback riding and scuba diving are very famous activities here. However, if somebody wants a more relaxed pace, they can go for a long walks along the beach, sunbathe on the coast and take pleasure in the fabulous scenic beauty and marine of the Playa Uvita,Costa Rica. A comparatively calm beach with fewer tourists, you can also a visit to the nearby Cano Island, Violines Island or Ballena Island, or go on a hike to the tropical forest and mountains that are nearby.
Playa Uvita provides abundance of accommodation at a very reasonable price; several budget guesthouses, hotels and rustic lodges are available in the area. There are also ample of local and cozy bars and restaurants to eat at as well, as street side sodas (small cafes) that provide tasty local delights.
Accommodation
There are several hotels, resorts and other accommodations are available at a very reasonable price at Playa Uvita. If you want to stay on the beach, there are cabanas and rooms available for rent.
Cristal Ballena Bahia Resort – Uvita
Cristal Ballena is on a hillside with a 180-degree view of Bahia Ballena (Whale Bay) and features rooms with private balconies with stunning ocean views. This beautiful 4-star hotel, with its open cafe-style Bar – Restaurant “Pura Vida”, is located in the midst of its own 12-hectare grounds, very close to the unique “Marino Ballena” Marine National Park and mountains covered in rainforest.
All their generous Suites are designed with a special eye on details and comfort. Natural interior materials harmonize with the luxurious vegetation in front of the private balcony. The warm and personal atmosphere will let you feel like home.
Their 2 simple but charming Adventure Lodges are situated in our colorful garden, surrounded by cheerful tropical forest. Each lodge is complete with terrace, separate tiled bathroom, king size bed, electricity and ceiling fan.
Whales and Dolphins Ecolodge – Uvita
The Cabins at Whales and Dolphins are vividly located on a bluff overlooking Ballena Marina Park, the pacific coast and Cano Island. This marine national park includes the largest coral reef on the pacific side of Costa Rica.
This lodge has 20 comfortable rooms; all are very well equipped and decorated with balconies to provide awesome views overlooking the natural environment. The property features 4 Superior Standard rooms and 16 Standard rooms, all of them with private balcony with stunning ocean views, AC, fan, private bathrooms, hairdryer, safety box, mini bar, telephone, and satellite TV.
You can find a newly built panoramic swimming pool on the premises that invites clients to relax and refresh themselves, while enjoying awesome sunsets and surrounding large terraces with sun beds, gift shop, bar, and an exclusive restaurant.
They also arrange all kind of tours, adventure and activities, including the popular whales and dolphins observation boat tour, also surf lessons, sport fishing, canopy tours, horse back riding, ATVs, hikes in the natural preserves, sunset tours and visit of nearby beaches and of course visits to the famous Marine Park Ballena.
Oxygen Jungle Villas – Uvita
Oxygen Jungle Villas is a small exclusive boutique resort located in Uvita in the middle of Costa Rica’s amazing Costa Ballena. This special property only caters to twenty four customers at a time in their luxury one bedroom villas.
Activities / Things to do in and around Playa Uvita
If you are searching for a Costa Rica luxury home and planning to settle to the South Pacific after your retirement or you are looking to enjoy you holidays in a tranquil place, there is abundance of things to do in and around Uvita. From eco tour adventures to nights out and fine dining, there is something for every one in Costa Rica’s South Pacific.
Playa Uvita, Playa Dominical, and Playa Ojochal and several others are excellent examples of why this part of Costa Rica has become popular with eco tourists. Maintaining its natural authenticity, the South Pacific has not surrendered to over development. Long white beaches, deep blue seas and rising and falling foothills make the South Pacific a paradise for the nature lovers and holiday seekers.
Although development in this part of Costa Rica has been moderate many of the beach town’s benefit from excellent facilities making the transition to paradise living all the more easier. If you are searching a vacation with nature and looking for something to do during your visit to Playa Uvita,Costa Rica and love nature then the South Pacific has it all.
San Josecito Beach Day Tour
San Josecito is a lovely beach with palm tree and thick vegetation. You can enjoy the beach, have sunbath, swim and you have the choice of snorkeling, that provide you the chance to view of tropical fish. You can explore the under water world also.
Sport Fishing Tour
Enjoy with sports fishing during your visit to Uvita. Private fishing charters are available. The South Pacific coast of Costa Rica has abundance of Pargo, Wahoo, Marlin and Tuna and the most common areas for sports fishing are Faruno Bank and Cano Island.
Snorkeling Tour at Marino Ballena National Park
The Marino Ballena National Park is a snorkeler’s paradise, you will be to spot several types of fishes, a variety of sea-floor creatures and observe different creeping creatures at the bottom of the ocean. The park has 18 different types of coral reef. You have a chance to watch dolphins and whales plying around your boat.
Bahia Aventuras Combo Tour
During the Bahia Aventuras Whale Watching & Dolphin Encounter Combo Tour, you will have several experiences like whale watching, dolphin encounters, snorkeling and a visit to natural water caves. search for humpback whales, listen to their love songs and feel the great sensation of watching a mammal that weighs more than 40 tons jump out of the water and splash its gigantic tail. Snorkel and observe dolphins, turtles, bi-color parrot fish and more.
Corcovado National Park Day Tour
Corcovado National Park is an experience of a lifetime. It include the only remaining old growth tropical forests on the Pacific coast of Central America, and 13 major ecosystems including lowland rain forest, highland cloud forest, jolillo palm forest, and mangrove marshes, as well as costal marine and beach habitats. There is a good chance of spotting some of Costa Rica’s most endangered inhabitants here; Baird’s Tapirs, Jaguars, Scarlet Macaws, Harpy Eagles, Red-backed squirrel monkeys and White-lipped Peccaries. It is wet, remote and rugged, but the trails are relatively good, and the camping areas near the ranger stations are grassy and well drained.
If you have ever imagined yourself swimming up to a deserted golden sand beach lined with coconut palms, then rinsing off under a waterfall surrounded by the greenness of the rainforest.
Cano Island Biological Reserve Day Tour
Take a whale watching and dolphin tour during your visit. You can get a day long eco dolphin and whale watching tour in Drake Bay and Cano Island. Get the opportunity to witness five species of dolphins and three species of whales in the area.
Waterfalls Tour
Take a relaxing waterfall tour and hike through the rainforest landscape. The Nauyaca and Diamante waterfalls are the most famous in the South Pacific area. Tour operators offer hikes or horseback rides to the waterfalls.
Canopy tour
Take an exciting canopy tour. It is suitable for all ages; canopy tours are a best way to get knowledge about the paradise surroundings. The South Pacific has plenty of canopy tours to choose from including the Hacienda Baru National Wildlife Refuge Canopy Tour, the Rainforest Canopy Tour, the Canopy Observation Platform and Rainforest Tree climbing.
Bird watching
Enjoy with a bird watching tour in Corovado and Marina Ballena National Park located in the Osa Peninsula.
Golfing
You can have the enjoyment of a couple of rounds of golf surrounded by paradise in the South Pacific.
Surfing
Take pleasure with Surfing in the South Pacific.
Scuba Diving
Scuba diving is best at Cano Island National Park. The rough coastline is 10 kilometers long with small beaches of white sand, rocky platforms and cliffs up to 60 meter high. There is no better place for big fish encounters than Cano Island: white tipped reef sharks, mantas, bluefin trevally, snappers, rays, eels etc., just to name a few can be seen here.
The first marine park in Latin America was established in 1990. The park is a system of reefs and islands called Las Tres Hermanas that protect the coastline which creates some of the best diving and snorkeling in Costa Rica.
Also basic diving courses and different PADI courses like open water diver, advanced, rescue and dive master are accessible.
Dining out and cultural activities
South Pacific’s region is famous as an eco tourist destination so there are several top rated restaurants located here. The South Pacific has a large expatriate community. Many retirees continue to run small businesses here including restaurants. Expect to find international cuisine ranging from Italian, French, Spanish and South American to traditional U.S and Costa Rican dishes.
Getting to Uvita
Uvita is located in the south of San Jose, the best way to reach Playa Uvita is to fly in to the San Jose airport, and then catch a bus to Quepos, Dominical, or San Isidro de El General. From there, you can catch another bus to Playa Uvita, which is a short drive away. An alternative option for tourists is to fly to the Palomar Sur Airport and then drive to Uvita beach.
