Costa Ballena. Osa, South Pacific, Costa Rica

A World of Light and Color!

Costa Ballena is the place where the forest meets the South Pacific Ocean in the Osa Canton. It comprises the area from the Barú River, crossing the bridge at Dominical all the way to the mouth of Térraba River in Coronado. The following small towns belong to the area: DominicalDominicalito – Hermosa Beach – San Josecito – Uvita - Bahía – La Union – BallenaOjochal – Punta Mala and Coronado.

 

Costa Ballena Map

How to get to Costa Ballena?

From San José, take Route 27 towards Orotina, pay attention to the exit to Jaco – Tárcoles, carry on to Parrita and Quepos, and follow the new Coastal Highway (Route 34) to Dominical. Travel time: about 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Alternatively, from San José, take Cerro de la Muerte (Route 2), to San Isidro and then take route 234 to Dominical. Travel time: about 4 hours and 30 minutes.

From Palmar go North on the Coastal Highway.

Nearest airports: Quepos and Palmar Sur.

TRACOPA buses, on their way from San José to the Panamanian border, make a stop in Uvita. Travel time: about 3 hours 30 minutes.

Visit Marino Ballena,National Park. The famous Whale’s Tail is located at Playa Uvita with a length of about 2296 feet and a width of 820 feet, it is the world’s largest sandbank. During the low tide, you can walk to its very end. 

The Park is open from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm every day, the entrance fee is CRC 1000 for nationals or residents and $ 6 for foreigners. THIS ENTRANCE ALLOWS YOU TO VISIT ALL PARK BEACHES ON THE SAME DAY. 

The park is fortunate to receive two annual migrations of whales, the Humpback Whale of the North visits the South Pacific Coast from December to March and the humpback whale of the South begins migration in July which ends in October.

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A WHALE-WATCHING TOUR? Please check >>>

Find here the information about South Pacific Costa Rica tides chart >>>

whale Tail Costa Ballena Guide South Pacific Costa Rica,

Costa Ballena

YOU’VE GOT TO BE TOUGH TO BE AN AGOUTI

When you’re walking through the rainforest and surprise an animal that goes bouncing through the undergrowth emitting panicked, bark-like grunts with every bounce, you’ve certainly startled a Central American Agouti (Dasysyprocta punctata). After 20 years of living here, I finally saw one standing still. Once the hunting was under control on Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge, their fear of humans diminished considerably.

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“Entangled in Costa Rica” A Documentary about whales rescue 2021

It is not unusual for residents on the South Pacific side of Costa Rica to witness humpback whales swimming along the coast with their newborn calves during migratory whale seasons. For anyone, being able to rescue a female whale and her calf’s life is a once in a lifetime encounter. Innoceana, in association with filmmakers The Vegan Pirates, produced a short documentary “Entangled in Costa Rica.”

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Veganism is on the rise – and it is far more than a food trend!

It leads to a lifestyle based on sustainability and compassion.
The three pillars of veganism are:

1. Compassion for all animals (i.e. an understanding that there is no difference between a chicken or a dog, a calf, or a cat).
2. The concern and care for environmental issues (i.e. massive land use and pollution caused by life stock farming, pesticides, antibiotics, etc.); and
3. The positive effects on health (i.e., low cholesterol, no lactose intolerance, a pure conscience, etc.).

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Being on the first page of Google

Before the Internet’s availability, people consulted countless non-digital sources such as phone books and shared friends’ opinions about hotel and restaurant services.
Today consumers have an Internet connection 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to search for information from their computer or cell phone.

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Le French Café – Plaza Bahía Moana

Le French Café at the brand new Moana Plaza Bahía stands out for its innovative decoration. The large terraces welcome the sea breezes, and there are comfortable seats, a well-equipped bar, and display cases with delicacies in bread, desserts, and sweets.

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Alma de Ojochal Hotel

The Alma De Ojochal Hotel is, as the name says, “the soul of Ojochal” and is in tune with the spirit of Pura Vida on the South Western coast of Costa Rica. Here you will have the feeling of enjoying life to the fullest, embracing experience and adventure in a very relaxed atmosphere.

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Ventanas Beach

What a beautiful spot. You will now understand why people love this secluded beach, surrounded by lush rainforest and lined with palm trees. It mostly has calm waves. The shallow waters are safe for children (always under their parents’ observation and paying attention to the lifeguards’ alerts.)

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local economy - economía local

How YOU can help the local economy

Indeed, most of the Costa Ballena region is dependent on tourism. Given that as the background, we hear from our homeowners, clients, and the social media channels: What can we do to help with the local economy?

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Where does your native timber come from?

Where does your native timber come from?

Most of the construction on the Costa Ballena and Osa Peninsula is done by hotels and second-home builders drawn by the lush rainforest. Native timber feels like an obvious choice: who doesn’t love a handcrafted Cristobal door’s luxury?

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travels by bicycle

In Osa the history travels by bicycle

It is an exhibition with identity, designed by and for the inhabitants of the Osa Canton. It is a temporary exhibition “In Osa history travels by bicycle,” which you can admire at the Finca 6 Museum site, in Palmar Sur.

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teenage monkeys, monos adolescentes

The Strange Behavior of a Gang of Teenage Monkeys

The whole gang of teenage monkeys turned tail, ran for the fig tree, scuffled for a position, and ascended to the crown. Once safe from the mother raccoon, they seemed to lose interest in her, like a person trying to forget an embarrassing incident and pretending it never happened. The monkeys returned to their vagrant behavior, and mama continued about her business with her cubs at her side.

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Piper Umbellatum

The surprising benefits of Piper Umbellatum

Before pulling it out as an ordinary weed, I took a photo with an app called PlantNet. And in a second, I had its name; Google told me the rest. I am impressed by the surprising benefits of Piper Umbellatum. It is a plant growing in tropical áreas, and you can find it along our rural streets and in your garden. It can flower all year round if there is sufficient moisture.

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Basilisk

Most probably, you have seen a creature crossing a stream with high speed on his hind legs. This runner is a basilisk, also called Jesus Christ lizard. Basilisks can do this because of their large feet and specialized flattened toe fringes. These fold out when the foot presses down on the water surface.

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Dare to Discover and Enjoy…

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Need help planning your Costa Rica vacations? We look forward to helping you!

Email: carlos@ballenatales.com
Phone: +(506) 8946 7134

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