Uvita
This small town, situated on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, has long been seen as an intriguing tourist destination but its geographical location means it is not a place frequented as much as the more well known areas in the north such as Monteverde and La Fortuna. That being said Uvita makes a very interesting stop if you are following our itinerary and traveling up from Drake Bay or as a possibility before/after a visit to Manuel Antonio. Uvita has a very relaxed vibe, it's situated along a beautiful coastline and is home to a very unique wildlife viewing opportunity... one that you should not miss.
Uvita is a small coastal town that seems to spark a love it/hate it relationship with most travellers. Some blogs describe it as a bustling, lively surf hangout whereas others list it as a tired, ex-pat ridden ghost town. We travelled there in peak season and, whilst it definitely was not as busy as Manuel Antonio, we found enough to do to keep us occupied for a few days. The unique wildlife watching and pristine beaches made Uvita somewhere we would highly recommend for a few days as part of a wider Costa Rica itinerary.
It is a town that we had reservations about visiting given reports of rising crime levels but we found a very relaxed vibe (ignore anyone online who describes this place as a party-town) with friendly locals, heaps of restaurants and a beautiful stretch of coast to watch the sun set. For all things Uvita, start researching below and get this Costa Rican coastal town on your itinerary.
Things To Do
1. The "Whale's Tail"
If you read about Uvita in any guidebook you will no doubt come across the 'Whale's Tail', a geographical phenomenon that only adds to the whale-led intrigue of this town. It is so named because, from the air at least, the rock formation looks like the tail of a whale jutting out into the ocean from the shore. If you know what you are looking for, it is easy to spot this feature out of the window of your plane ride from San Jose to Drake Bay. The 'tail' itself is formed by the convergence of two opposite flowing water-currents that, over time, have formed a spit of sand.
No doubt this feature is best viewed from the sky but, at low tide, you are able to walk out across the sandy spit all the way to the rocks at the other end. The experience of having the sea on either side of you is quite something and there are spectacular views to be found back towards the shore of Costa Rica's green, mountainous interior. The main things worth noting here are the cost and consideration required for when to do this walk, it is situated within the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena - check out my full guide to the Whale's Tail and Playa Colonia, both found within the National Park, here.
Opening Times:
Marino Ballena National Park: MON-SUN (8:00-16:00)*
*some entrance gates to the park do open at 7:00 but the one nearest the Whale's Tail is 8:00
Cost:
$6 USD per person (£4.75pp) for entrance into Parque Nacional Marino Ballena. Ticket is a day pass and can be used multiple times in one day.
2. Playa Colonia
The beaches in Uvita are a little confusing given that they are situated within the National Park and so require an entry fee to be paid to gain access. The main beach also causes confusion given that on Google Maps it is listed as Uvita Beach but in other places is known by its local name, Playa Colonia. To top it all off there are only three 'official' entry points to the beach, all of which you can purchase tickets at. You can find information online about 'unofficial' entrances where you do not have to pay the fee and I'm sure the locals use these regularly but it is probably not worth taking the risk as a tourist - plus the fee supposedly goes towards the upkeep of the area as a National Park.
The beach itself was so much better than we imagined. It was pure dark sand, no rocks at all, and had a very gradual gradient meaning we were never out of our depth. It was a super fun place to spend some time, mainly because of the waves that were reasonably sized without being at all dangerous. In fact we saw a number of surf schools down at the beach in the afternoons and, had we wanted to learn, we honestly could not have dreamt up a better location to do it - so if that is something you are interested in, definitely look at Uvita for booking surf lessons.
As I mention in my full guide here, last entry to the National Park is at 16:00 but, if you're inside before, the rangers do not start clearing the beach of patrons until at least 18:00 making Playa Colonia the perfect place to watch sunset after an afternoon playing in the waves.
Opening Times:
Marino Ballena National Park: MON-SUN (8:00-16:00)*
*some entrance gates to the park do open at 7:00
Cost:
$6 USD per person (£4.75pp) for entrance into Parque Nacional Marino Ballena. Ticket is a day pass and can be used multiple times in one day.
3. Whale Watching Tour
The main reason that Uvita is consistently marked on tourists maps is because it is one of the best places in the country to see whales. It is entirely possible to see whales at any time of year when in Uvita but your best chance is January-April and again in July-November. You will be on the lookout for humpback whales, huge creatures that pass through the area when travelling from the North to the South hemisphere (or vice versa). Alongside humpback whales your guide will also be on the lookout for a range of different dolphin and porpoise species that can also be found within the waters of the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena.
There are a huge number of companies in town who offer whale watching tours and, in reality, it really does not matter too much who you opt for. All the tours go out onto the water at the same time, usually in the morning, and they all work together to try and find whales for guests to see. Given that they are in near constant communication with one another the likelihood is that if one tour group sees whales, almost all the tour groups will.
That being said I would highly recommend opting for one of the smaller companies. The bigger ones often have very packed boats, reducing movement opportunities, and going with a smaller one can easily give you a more personal experience - often for a slightly lower price as a bonus. For example, we did out tour with Osamar Adventures. There was only four guests in total on our boat, alongside the guide and a driver, giving us what felt like a personal tour. Unfortunately, when we went, we just happened to be out on the water for the only day in weeks that no-one saw any whales... we did however see loads of dolphins and would highly recommend taking this tour - just be warned, as with every nature experience, there is no guarantee of seeing anything!
Opening Times:
Marino Ballena National Park: MON-SUN (8:00-16:00)*
*almost all whale watching tours leave early in the morning
Cost:
Tours cost around $100-125 per person (£75-100pp)*
*cost varies by company and depending on where you are departing from
4. Waterfalls
We had planned to spend some time in Uvita visiting the waterfalls that can be found in the surrounding hills but, honestly, we had so much fun at the beach we returned there instead.
If you want to visit the waterfalls, which get good reviews and are listed in most guidebooks, you will need a car or a taxi as they are not found within walking distance from town. There are a few available options but Catarata Uvita is probably the most popular - just be warned that its ownership is currently being disputed by two landowners and so it can be accessed from two sites, one of which is reportedly much safer (as it has an easy walkway) than the other (requires a scramble up some rocks). Just be warned that the waterfalls here can get very busy at certain times of the day as they are on the tour group itineraries.
Opening Times:
Catarata Uvita: MON-SUN (7:00-18:30)
Cost:
Entry to Catarata Uvita is 2000 colones per person (£3pp)
5. Corcovado National Park & Caño Island
As mentioned before in my Drake Bay guide here, these two attractions are absolutely must sees when in this region of Costa Rica. Both are definitely best visited from Drake Bay, since it is geographically closer, but it is absolutely feasible to visit from Uvita. You will see plenty of tour companies advertising trips to both Corcovado and Caño Island whilst walking though Uvita and if you do not plan venturing any further south on your holiday then I highly recommend you consider taking a tour from here.
Check out my full guides for Corcovado National Park here and Cano Island here.
Where To Stay
Uvita is a fairly large town. It essentially extends from the main highway down to the National Park on the coast. You can stay on the northern side of the highway, where the waterfalls are found, but this area is definitely a little more isolated and will require transport to get down into town for groceries, restaurants and tours - on the positive side it is where you will find some of the higher end accommodations. The mountains here are filled with, often foreign owned, boutique holiday homes that have caused some controversy amongst locals given that the land is being rapidly developed for tourists. There is no denying some of the accommodations up here are beautiful and you will be rewarded with a real sense of tranquility staying amongst dense Costa Rican forest but I would opt to stay closer to the coast.
I would recommend staying as close to the beach front as possible especially, if like u, you are only in town for a few days. The walk from the main highway to the primary National Park entrance (where the whale watching tours depart from) is roughly thirty minutes and so anywhere in between the highway and here is a reasonable choice but the closer to the beach you are the less you'll have to walk. There are a number of private owned parking establishments near the beach entrances in Uvita and so you could easily stay a little further afield and travel if you had a hire car - just be warned there's a reasonable daily cost for parking.
We stayed within a three minute walk of the main National Park entrance, at Bungalows Ballena, and could not have been happier with our choice. The location was absolutely spot on; we were able to walk to the main and secondary entrances of the National Park, had supermarkets and restaurants right on our doorstep and the resort had a super fun little swimming pool which was a perfect way to cool off in the Uvita heat. The resort itself consists of five villas which all had two bedrooms, their own cooking facilities, private outdoor seating areas and shared communal spaces. We were very impressed with the villa itself and it exceeded our expectations from the pictures found of it online. The staff were incredibly friendly and the swimming pool was a huge added bonus. Uvita can get extremely hot and so having a space to cool off was very much welcomed. Again, this pool was so much better than we imagined it would be and the small water slide gave us endless amounts of fun. An added bonus was the 'free' laundry service provided - payment was the completion of a TripAdvisor review.
If Bungalows Ballena does not fit your requirements then there are endless other accommodation options to be found here but, as mentioned before, I would try to get one close to the beach entrances unless you have access to a hire car and do not mind paying parking costs.
Location Tips to Consider
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Stay within walking distance of the main beach - it is where all the whale watching boats depart from and will save you from paying the high parking charges.
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The mountain region behind town is home to some stunning accommodations but be prepared to pay slightly more than down at the coast. You will likely also need a car to access your property and then have to pay for the private car parks if you visit the coast.
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I would only recommend staying up in the hills if you plan on staying in Uvita for an extended period. The town is very walkable and you can take advantage of this fact by staying in the town itself - anywhere in the shaded zone will mean you can walk to the National Park entrances easily.
Where To Eat
Uvita was one of the few places where we did not eat out that much and instead found ourselves taking advantage of the local mini mart and our self-catering facilities within our villa. That being said, Uvita has a number of restaurant options for an extremely wide variety of budgets.
There are a whole host of eateries in town, most of which have regular opening hours. Uvita is a nice level of busy in that you likely will not be the only patrons in a restaurants but you probably will not have to make a reservation beforehand. We found some of the best places to get food were actually smaller cafes or bars as opposed to the bigger restaurants.
BEST FOR A MEAL
01
Que Tuanis Cafe
Easily our favourite spot in Uvita and within walking distance of our accommodation. We actually went here for a snack the first time but quickly realised the portions are definitely on the larger side and so left feeling pretty full. From the outside it looks very basic and the menu is definitely not complex. It has a western theme but it was all incredibly tasty and so cheap in comparison to some of the other Uvita establishments. They serve some of the best milkshakes in Costa Rica, the Oreo one was a particular highlight for us!
Opening Times: MON-SUN (07:00-19:00)
Cost: £8pp (main plus milkshake)
02
Kinsu Restaurante
Situated enroute to the secondary entrance of the National Park (the best one for swimming) this eatery has some odd opening hours but gets very good reviews. It seems to specialise in vegetarian food, although there was everything available, and boasts a very cosy outdoor dining space. A superb option if going to or from the beach but one that is at the pricey end of the spectrum.
Opening Times: FRI-WEDS (07:00-21:00)
Cost: £10pp (main plus non-alcoholic drink)
BEST FOR A SNACK
01
Falafel Uvita
Just around the corner from Bungalows Ballena is this small falafel restaurant. It gets exceptional reviews and is a nod to the expat community that have made Uvita their home. If this is the sort of food you like then it is well worth stopping in for a small bite. Just be warned, the prices are not so much snack sized...
Opening Times: FRI-WEDS (11:00-21:00)
Cost: £10pp (main plus a non-alcoholic drink)
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Best Time to Visit
In terms of cost, just like the rest of Costa Rica, you will find accommodation and tour costs hit their peaks during the main tourist season (December-February). This time of year also coincides with the dry season on the Atlantic coast which brings with it the most favourable weather conditions. If you are visiting Uvita you are likely here for some beach time and so opting to arrive during the dry season would seem like the best option.
It is worth noting that, regardless of when you decide to visit Uvita, you will experience sunshine. The average monthly temperature throughout the year hovers around the 30C mark but the dry season itself begins in December. The seasonal rains come to a close and through January, February and March you will find the lowest chance of rainfall, with an average of just 1-4 days of rain per month in this period. April sees the rains begin to return, initially in the form of short showers but these intensify as the year progresses, turning into thunderstorms that often arrive on the coast in the afternoon and evening. The heaviest, most prolonged periods of rain are found in September and October, with these being the only two months I would maybe advise against traveling to Uvita.
We traveled to Uvita in January and, unsurprisingly, had amazing weather. We were only there for three days but we did not see a droplet of rain and experienced cloudless skies throughout the day. It was warm, but not as humid as Drake Bay, with temperatures that were perfect for an afternoon at the beach.
Currency
Colones and US Dollars are widely accepted throughout Uvita but almost everywhere we visited accepted card, even some of the smaller local restaurants and minimarts. There are plenty of ATMs here as well as two banks. Payments for tours can usually be made beforehand by online transfers or on the day by card or in cash. In summary, this was a very easy destinations to make payments and access money - you will have no problems here.
Language
Uvita is a tourist focused town with a number of expats within the community and because of that it is fairly common for people to speak English here. You will find almost all companies offer English-speaking tours and most hotel staff or restaurant workers will have some understanding of English. That being said, Spanish is the primary language here and we found we needed some speaking skills in the local minimarts and that the locals always really appreciated it when we tried to converse in their native tongue.
Safety
Uvita has developed a reputation recently for not being as safe as it once was but we personally had no problems at all during our visit. Whilst we walked everywhere we did stay very close to the beach front region and so cannot say for certain whether all of Uvita is as tranquil for walking.
The one thing we were a bit concerned about was the beach. We had read online about people having their belongings stolen whilst on the beach and the main entrance to the National Park actually had a sign warning about this when we entered. There is a walking path through the jungle which backs right onto the beach and it appears that, if belongings are left unattended in the shady spots found here, then people can easily snatch them before disappearing amongst the trees.
We were a little nervous about visiting the beach for swimming and leaving our stuff but, at the secondary entrance, we found locals, tourists and surf schools (safety in numbers) and no warning signs about belongings going missing. There were plenty of people around to watch over our belongings whilst we played in the waves and it is another reason why I highly recommend visiting this entrance for an afternoon at the beach in my Whale's Tail & Playa Colonia guide, found here.
Public Transport
Despite being a bigger town there is no Uber to be found in Uvita. Taxis are readily available and you will require one if you wish to venture up into the waterfalls or if you are staying out of walking distance of the national park. They can be found on the street, although they are not that regular, so it is probably best to get your hotel to arrange one. Agree a price before starting the journey as there are no meters or set tariffs found here.
If you choose your accommodation in Uvita wisely, you'll be able to walk almost anywhere you need for a stay lasting a few days and avoid the fairly high taxi fees.
How To Get There
Uvita is not as well visited as it might be mainly because of its location. From San Jose you have to travel past Manuel Antonio to get there and so most people do not take the time to do so.
Uvita is fairly well connected however and most of the larger coaches run by Tracopa (the nationwide company with a terrible website) pass through the town on their way to or from San Jose. Whilst it appears you can book coach tickets online we found the company's website to be very tricky to navigate (most of the time it was down) and we were told the best way to catch a coach is to go to the bus terminal and wait for one to arrive. The difficulty with this is that the schedule, whilst existing, does seem to see most coaches traveling very early in the morning and so there is no guarantee you will get a seat on a bus later in the day. Whilst it is therefore possible to get a coach to Uvita for a standalone holiday or as the destination to start your Costa Rica adventure I personally think Uvita should be used as a perfect stopping place for a few days between some of the bigger, more touristy locations.
We traveled from Drake Bay, first via river taxi and then by private transfer, to Uvita and this worked out perfectly. The river taxi was very reasonably priced and our Drake Bay hotel was able to put us in contact with some of the locals in Sierpe willing to drive us to Uvita (about an hour trip), again for a very reasonable price.
The final option for getting to Uvita is to drive yourself. Given its location on the main highway this is an extremely feasible method to take and it is easily accessed from San Jose (4 hours) or from Manuel Antonio (1.5 hours). The road is in extremely good condition and so you should have no worries driving here if that's what you would like to do. I would just recommend making sure your accommodation has parking as the privately owned establishments for leaving a car within Uvita are not cheap.
Where To Next?
As I have mentioned above, I would recommend Uvita as a destination to incorporate for a few days within a bigger tour around Costa Rica. There are a number of respective options for where to go next but your decision will likely be decided by the method of transport you use to depart.
1
Drake Bay, COSTA RICA
It would be extremely feasible to do our itinerary in reverse and head from Uvita to Drake Bay. As mentioned in my Drake Bay post, getting to this remote part of the country is an adventure in itself - but one I would highly recommend taking. From Uvita you would need to get to the river town of Sierpe and the easiest way to do this would be to take a private transfer. The one hour drive would likely cost you around £25 per person but it would mean you could arrive at the dock in perfect timing for the river taxi.
The other option would be to take a bus to Palmar Norte, a large town further down the highway. The big coach company, Tracopa, as well as local buses all travel here but the schedule is a little fluid. From here you would need to get a taxi to Sierpe before then collecting your river taxi transfer into Drake Bay.
The first option is definitely a little easier, although a tad more expensive and remember to be ready for a wet landing when you get to Drake Bay.
2
Manuel Antonio, COSTA RICA
Slightly further up from Uvita along the Pacific coast, about a one and a half hour drive, is the Quepos region where you can find one of the country's most famous attractions, Manuel Antonio National Park. This area of Costa Rica has some exceptional beaches, swathes of restaurants and some of the country's highest end hotels. The national park itself is one of the most visited tourist attractions and can feel very busy.
We did visit here but right at the end of our month-long tour. Stopping here after Uvita makes logical sense in terms of travel direction however and you can take a shared or private shuttle transfer from Uvita to here. This is a fairly common route for tourists to take and so there are a number of shuttle companies running between these two sites. Again, you could take a bus, but it would drop you near the town of Quepos and require you to then get a taxi to your accommodation on the peninsula - not the most time efficient route.
3
San Jose, COSTA RICA
If you do not fancy a stop in Manuel Antonio you could head all the way back to San Jose, the capital. This is quite a long journey (around 4 hours) but is actually what we did because we then picked up a hire car and went on to explore the northern half of the country. The capital itself has been long undervalued as a tourist stop but we actually did not spend any time here at all. There are lots of good things to be read online about this city and it would be easy to spend a few days here seeing the main attractions. We, like most others however, used the city as a stopover for the odd night before heading further afield - almost all major roads in Costa Rica lead back to San Jose and so it acts as a connection for the whole country. Coming here would also allow you to catch an internal flight to somewhere else in the country, or an international one, taking you back home or onto another country to continue your adventures.
4
Bejuco, COSTA RICA
Another option along the Pacific coast is the tiny village of Bejuco. This coastal settlement is home to one of the nicest beaches in Costa Rica and it is almost exclusively used by locals at the moment. If you fancy some quiet days on the beach then I would highly recommend some time in Bejuco. It is about two hours driving or in a private shuttle from Uvita to Bejuco.
Jaco is another, larger, option just up the road from Bejuco, but it gets very mixed reviews as a tourist destination online and we did not visit it.