The South Pacific coast of Costa Rica is adorned with several beaches and national parks. One of the fascinating national parks of the region is Parque Nacional Marino Ballena or the Marino Ballena National Park, the first marine national park of the country. This park is easily accessible from the quaint beach town of Uvita and close to the other towns Dominical and Ojochal. The activities in and around the national park are among the top things to do in Uvita. The whale’s tail at Punta Uvita, whale watching, the beaches with rainforests in the backdrop and more activities make the Marino Ballena National Park one of the must-visits in your Costa Rica travel itinerary.
How to reach?
Marino Ballena National Park is the part of the Osa conservation region of the Puntarenas province. A 4X4 is not required to visit the area. Whether you arrive from San Jose or Liberia, you will be on well paved highways.
The distances from the major cities/ towns are as follows:
- Juan Santamaría Int. Airport, Alajuela: 213 km / 132 miles
- Daniel Oduber Quirós Int. Airport, Liberia: 321 km / 200 miles
- San Jose: 225 km / 140 miles
- Tamarindo, Guanacaste: 359 km / 223 miles
- Monteverde: 239 km / 149 miles
- La Fortuna, Arenal: 275 km / 171 miles
- Quepos, Puntarenas: 63 km/ 39 miles
The drive is scenic passing by Pacific beach towns, lush green mountains, river bridges and miles of plantain and palm cultivation fields.
How to buy tickets for Marino Ballena National Park?
The ticket counter is right at the park entrance. We had to wait for some time as there was a queue.
So reach early to avoid crowd as it can get busy. The whale watching tours and the beach-goers flock at the same ticket counter.
Entry Fees
- For foreign nationals: 10 USD
- For citizens and residents: 1000 CRC (~1.72 USD)
- Children below 11 years: Free
Other Important Information
- Hours: 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Parking: On road parking, monitored by guards
- Restrooms: Available
- Food: No restaurant inside, but plenty just outside the entrance. We liked the local Costa Rican food from Las Delicias Bar & Restaurant restaurant. Also, we had some great culinary experiences in the nearest town, Uvita.
What to see and do at Marino Ballena National Park?
Whale’s Tail or El Tómbolo de Punta Uvita
Nature astonishes us in several ways with creations that are beyond our imagination. Punta Uvita is an example of one such creation where two beaches not only club to divide the ocean, but also resemble the shape of a Whale’s Tail. The fact that this place attracts the humpback whales all year round, make the formation of Whale’s Tail even more interesting.
There are multiple theories behind the geological formation. One interesting theory indicates a possibility of tectonic movements in the Pacific and the formation of a strip of land connecting an island and the mainland.
Walking on the Whale’s Tail
During low tide, you can walk till the end of the Whale’s Tail. It feels like walking on the ocean as the whale’s tail keeps the water from reaching your feet. Look back when you reach the end of the strip for a panoramic view of the Uvita beach and the surrounding mountains. The views will remind you why Costa Rica’s nature is a raw tropical gem.
As the high tide kicks in, the ocean slowly engulfs the joining strip of land until it submerges. See you in the next low tide!
Tip: Definitely check the low tide timings to experience the walk. Just ask for the tide schedule at your hotel reception.
Whale Watching in Marino Ballena National Park
Marino Ballena National Park is one the best places for whale watching in Costa Rica.
The humpback whales travel to the warmer tropical waters from the South during July to November and from the North during December to April.
Best time of the year for whale watching
The best time to watch the humpback whales are in the months of July and November. Chances are high that you will get to see a mother and a baby swim together during these months. We had encountered multiple mother-baby whales during our whale watching tour from Uvita.
Whale watching tours
There are several tour agencies that provide whale-watching tours. Typically, the tour starts from the agency’s office where a bilingual guide explains the itinerary. The staff escort the group (normally 15+) to the park entrance. There would be a short waiting period when the guide takes care of the entrance formalities followed by a walk on the beach to reach the boat waiting for the tour.
At the start of the tour, the guide explains the whales’ behavior and shares other details about the park. Then the chase begins (without intruding in the whale’s space). The guide tries his best to ensure spotting and that everyone on the boat gets a fair chance to see the huge marine mammals.
The tour also takes you around the islets which is abode of several marine birds like boobies, pelicans, herons and egrets.
You can read about our Whale Watching experience in Marino Ballena National Park here.
Beach Time
The dense rainforests of the hills surrounding the region extend till the ocean shore. The dry branches of trees and wind-flown leaves casually scattered across the beach make it look raw and exquisite. Bring a picnic basket, towels and relax or swim in the Pacific, while taking a break from the activities.
Apart from the Uvita beach, there are couple of other beaches which are part of the Marino Ballena National Park – Arco and Pinuela. Arco is a secluded beach with a cave and waterfall. However, it submerges during the high tides.
Snorkeling
The best time for snorkeling is the dry period December – April, as the visibility is excellent during that time. You can choose from various options for snorkeling from Marino Ballena National Park.
At the Park:
Marino Ballena National Park has reefs near the islets away from the shore. This provides great snorkeling opportunities. You can book a tour for half a day snorkeling activities. Almost all the companies that offer whale-watching in Uvita, also offer snorkeling tours.
Self-guided near the Whale’s Tail:
If you wish to explore the marine species of the park on your own, you can try near the whale’s tail. As the ‘tail’ blocks the ocean, the water is shallow and warm creating an opportunity for snorkeling. But you can do it only during the low tide and need to carry your own snorkeling gears.
Caño Island:
Another option and the best one is a full day tour to the Caño Island Biological Reserve (around an hour and a half from Marino Ballena). This reserve is home to plethora of marine species. Also a popular scuba-diving spot, Caño Island offers a complete snorkeling experience in the remote Pacific.
Birding and Wildlife
So far we talked about the beaches and the marine species. However, the terrestrial wildlife of the Marino Ballena National Park is as diverse and exciting.
After entering the park follow the trail in the forests behind the beach. There are birds like scarlet macaws, tanagers, woodpeckers, toucans and animals such as, howler and capuchin monkeys and sloths. If you wish to increase the chances of spotting wildlife, book a guided tour.
When is the best time to visit?
Simply put, throughout the year. The region has a typical tropical monsoon climate and the temperature slightly drops during the rainy months.
Keep in mind, the whale watching is a year-round activity which makes it a possibility anytime.
Dry season: December to April are the best time to visit if you wish to avoid rains and enjoy clear days for snorkeling and kayaking.
Wet season: May – November are the rainy months. However, the chances of rain are higher in the afternoon. This period has the best whale-watching season starting July. Also, the rainforests are an absolute beauty and come alive during this season.
This is why it is difficult to pick the best time. It will depend on the traveler’s wish list. But whatever the season is, the Marina Ballena National Park has a lot to offer.
What to wear for your trip?
Given the tropical climate, bring comfortable cotton clothes apart from the swim wears for the beach activities. Some parts of the beaches in the National Park are rocky, so it is a good idea to bring a pair of hiking sandals. The same will be useful if you plan to go for birding and wildlife walk.
If you plan to try some self-guided snorkeling near the whale’s tail, carry your own snorkeling gears.
Final thoughts
The Whale’s Tail, wildlife, beach or water activities, whatever your interest is, Marino Ballena National Park has a lot to offer. This South Pacific Costa Rican marine-terrestrial national park packs a versatile vacation anytime of the year. Although this region receives decent amount of tourists, it is still largely raw and has managed to retain the wilderness amidst all modern amenities.
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We’re suckers for National Parks, so this is definitely on the list whenever we make it out to Costa Rica! I’ve somehow never been whale watching and would love to do that too. Thanks for all of the tips!
Hi Brian, glad that the topics covered in this post are of interest to you. 🙂
What a unique and magical place! Everytime I hear about places like this in Costa Rica it just makes me want to visit even more 🙂 Would love to go during the time you are able to see the whales especially!
Hi Kelly, hope you can visit Costa Rica some day. Since we have whales visiting from both the north and the south at different times of the year, you can get to see whales almost round the year.
I will need to keep Marino Ballena National Park in mind for next time I visit Costa Rica. Whale watching is one of my favourite past-times and it would be awesome to see the mom with her babies. I haven’t seen that before.
Hi Kelly, then you would be delighted to see the mommy whales with their babies. 🙂
This look like a spectacular place to visit. I would love to go whale watching!
Our family was supposed to visit Marino Ballena National Park in February while we were in Costa Rica, but our son got sick! I’m so happy that I got to experience it through your blog which seems to have captured the area so perfectly. The whale watching seems like an awesome experience – for some reason, I didn’t think whales were synonymous with Costa Rica!
Sorry to hear about that Stephanie. Glad to know that our blog post could bring to you the virtual experience of visiting Marino Ballena National Park. Actually, there are many places in Costa Rica where you can watch whales. We have visitors from both the north and the south. 🙂