Whale Bay Ballena Bay
Whale Bay Baia Ballena Bay is one of Costa Rica’s popular beach resorts, famous for its long sandy beaches, lush tropical greenery, and humpback whales swimming close to shore. These places are attractive for wildlife lovers, fans of diving, kayaking, surfing and sport fishing. The sandy shore juts into the ocean with a large bifurcated promontory, which at low tide resembles a whale’s huge tail.
Video: Baia Ballena Whale Cove
General Information
Baia Ballena Whale Cove is part of the Ballena Marine National Park, the region’s premier natural attraction. The reserve covers about 110 hectares of coastline and 5,300 hectares of Pacific Ocean waters. The national park was created to preserve the fragile marine ecosystem and the natural habitats of fish and marine animals such as turtles, sea hares and dolphin-apalins.
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The jewel of the reserve is the humpback whales, which come to the Costa Rican coast every year from August to November and December to April for mating season. These sea giants reach 16-18 meters. An encounter with them leaves an unforgettable impression!
.All year round, thousands of tourists flock to the wonderful sandy beaches of the Whale Bay of Baia Ballena. The beach strip is protected from strong waves by coral reefs and small rocky islands Las Tres Hermanas, so vacationers can feel safe.
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Adjacent to the coast are the mangroves, which provide plenty of opportunities for birdwatchers. They are home to nesting grounds for pelicans, frigates, white ibis, gulls, sandpipers, cormorants, great blue herons and several species of terns.
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To accommodate travelers on the coast, all conditions have been created. If desired, tourists can stay in small eco-hotels, cheap apartments or luxury beach hotels. The territory of the national park is open every day from 6.00 to 18.00. You have to pay $6 to enter the reserve.
.How to get there
Whale Cove Baia Ballena is located in southwestern Costa Rica, near the small town of Uvita and 11 kilometers from Dominical. You can get here by shuttle buses departing from the bus station “Tracopa” in the capital city of San Jose. The drive to the national park takes 3-3.5 hours (223 km).
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