It had only been a few days since we had moved to Costa Rica. One fine morning, I woke up to a text message from a school friend back home in India. It said “Visit this beach when you can” with an accompanying screenshot of a photo she had come across on the internet. I thought to myself how cool would it be to walk on this distinct looking beach! I immediately added Uvita Beach to our unwritten list of places to visit in Costa Rica.
Few years have passed since then, and in all this time, we have managed to visit Uvita beach on multiple occasions. But every time we are there, we still get amazed by Uvita beach, particularly because of its special feature.
Read our article for an extensive list of things to do in Uvita, Dominical and Ojochal.
Plan your Costa Rica trip:
- Costa Rica Packing List
- Best Time to Visit Costa Rica
- Costa Rica Activities: Things to Do
- Costa Rica Itinerary (from San Jose airport)
The Special Feature: Whale’s Tail Uvita
Playa Uvita is unique because of the iconic whale’s tail formation on the beach. During low tide, the ocean water retreats to crescent shapes on either side, thus revealing a strip of sand and rocks. From above, this looks like the shape of a whale’s tail. Hence the name.
This whale’s tail formation on the map is called Punta Uvita, which literally translates to Uvita point.
Check out our YouTube video on Whale’s Tail to get a visual feel of how this unique formation on the Uvita beach looks like, on ground as well as from above. Subscribe to our channel Paradise Catchers for notification about new videos.
Activities at Uvita Beach
Although part of a protected national park, activities at Uvita beach can range from lazing under the sun to watching whales in the wild.
Whale Watching in Marino Ballena National Park
The whale’s tail formation at Punta Uvita is a cool feature of the beach, not just visually, but also symbolically. The warm Pacific waters of this region are known to be frequented by one of the most majestic marine creatures of our planet, the humpback whales.
Since humpback whales from both the north and the south travel to this part of the world, whale watching tour is one of the best activities at Uvita beach. So, the whale’s tail formation at Uvita beach is like the nature’s way of advertising about this wonderful phenomenon of humpback whales visiting the tropical waters.
Walk on the Whale’s Tail
Walking on the whale’s tail during low tide is another awesome way to enjoy Playa Uvita. Before you head out, be sure to check the tide hours so that you can time your walk accordingly.
Beach R&R
With long stretch of golden sand beach lined by lush vegetation, Uvita beach is great for just chilling out at the beach, a perfect day of sun, sea and sand.
Surfing Lessons
If you prefer to be a little more active at the beach, grab your surfboard take a surfing lesson.
How to reach Uvita Beach
Uvita beach is part of the protected area, Marino Ballena National Park. So you need to reach the park entrance and buy the tickets to start your walk on the beach towards Punta Uvita.
From San Jose airport, Uvita bech is 213 km (132 miles) and the drive takes 3.5 hours. From Liberia airport, it is 321 km (199 miles) away, the drive takes around 5 hours. The drive times are estimates without traffic, without breaks. Both the routes are on paved highways in good conditions.
Here is the Google Map location of Playa Uvita entrance of Marino Ballena National Park.
Hours, Tickets, Entrance Fees
Marino Ballena National Park is open everyday between 7:00 am and 4:00 pm.
You can buy the tickets at the booking office near the entrance. Entrance fees vary by
- Foreigners: 6 USD
- Costa Rica residents and citizens: 1000 CRC
Facilities at Uvita Beach
Parking: Free parking is available next to the entrance of Marino Ballena National Park, Playa Uvita entrance. Tip the guard while leaving. If the onsite parking is full, you may consider parking at one of the paid parking sites down the road.
Restrooms: Wash basins, restrooms and showers are available next to the ticket office of the national park.
Restaurants: There are no restaurants or cafeterias inside the national park. But there are plenty of cool eating joints in town for a filling meal before or after your beach time at Playa Uvita. Check out this Uvita restaurants guide for our recommendations.
Plan your Uvita trip:
- Things to do in Uvita
- Uvita waterfall
- Marino Ballena National Park
- Whale watching in Uvita
- Oxygen jungle villas
- Playa Ventanas
- Playa Pinuelas
- Nauyaca Waterfalls
- Cascada el Pavon
- Dominicalito Beach
- Finca 6 Stone Spheres
Final Thoughts on Uvita Beach
The whale’s tail is the poster child of tourism in Uvita, not just for its formation but also because of the uncanny representation of a favorite spot frequented by the whales. Whether you intend to watch the humpback whales or are just seeking a quiet beach by the Pacific, Uvita beach can be a great addition to your Costa Rica itinerary.
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