In this post, we’ll share 18 wonderful things to do in Uvita, a beach town on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast. We’ll also cover travel information like where to stay, how to get there and get around.
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About Uvita Costa Rica
Part of the Costa Ballena region on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, Uvita has become a popular stop for many visitors to Costa Rica. It has developed a lot in the past few years, with boutique hotels, funky restaurants and cute cafes popping up all over this small town.
Surrounded by stunning, wild beaches, a verdant jungle full of wildlife, and humpback whales passing offshore for 10 months of the year, Uvita ticks a lot of boxes for Costa Rica experiences.
👇🏼 Jump to things to do in Uvita if you don’t need the extra back info
However, despite all the wonderful things to do in Uvita and its surroundings, the town is disjointed and spread out (I’ll unpack this a little more below). Although geographically Uvita is a ‘beach town’, it lacks any of the vibe you’d expect from one. If that’s what you’re chasing, Dominical has more of this feel.
Now that isn’t to say Uvita isn’t worth visiting. If your itinerary is activities-focused, it is a great destination, and I’m going to tell you 18 reasons why! But if you’re looking for a beach getaway to flop and drop, I wouldn’t suggest Uvita.
It took a while for us to warm up to Uvita, and it still doesn’t top my list of favourite beach towns in Costa Rica. Because it is becoming more popular, there are more expats and foreign ownership so prices are high.
But the natural attractions and scenery are undeniably stunning, and it does have everything you could need as a traveller – good food, tons of accommodation options and a handy location between destinations like Manuel Antonio and Drake Bay.
Uvita Costa Rica quick facts
- 🚙 How to get there – drive your own rental car, bus from San Jose or Quepos, or tourist shuttle from various destinations around Costa Rica.
- 🛏️ How long to stay – 2 – 3 nights if you’re also visiting other destinations on the Pacific Coast. Up to a week if you’re choosing Uvita as a base and doing day trips from there.
- 🗓️ Best time to visit – is during the dry season, which is typically November – April. This also aligns with the northern hemisphere whale migration.
Understanding Uvita
Uvita is a strange and disjointed town. It’s hard to get a feel for it until you actually arrive, but to try and be prepared, it’s important you understand a little bit of its odd layout.
Another quirk of Uvita is that you have to pay to go to the beach. Although its coastline hosts some stunning beaches, you can’t simply turn up and pick a patch of sand. The closest beaches are all protected as part of the Marino Ballena National Park, which means you need to pay an entrance fee of $6 USD per person to go to the beach. Worth it, because they’re beautiful, but not really the set-up you imagine for a lazy beach holiday.
Uvita is incredibly spread out, with restaurants and accommodations tucked away in what feels like the middle of nowhere. No matter where you choose to base yourself, you can’t avoid driving (either your own vehicle or a taxi) or walking A LOT.
The Costanera Sur Highway passes directly through the town, splitting it in two one way, and the Rio Uvita river bisects the town the other way. This essentially creates three separate areas – the ‘centre’ along the highway, the inland area near the waterfall, and the Bahia neighbourhood, which is closer to the beach.
📍 HIGHWAY AREA – CENTRAL UVITA
The highway itself and the immediate areas around it are considered the ‘centre’ of Uvita. Here you’ll find the bus stop, a gas station, a large supermarket, a bank and a number of restaurants. It feels busy, commercial and frankly not so pleasant.
But for convenience, this is the place to stay. The highway is about halfway between the beach and national park, and the waterfall to the north. You’ll still need a car or taxi (unless you’re up for a long walk), but this is the most ‘central’ place you could stay.
📍 CALLE UVITA – INLAND WATERFALL AREA
From the highway, Calle Uvita runs northeast up towards the jungle. This dirt road houses a number of restaurants and cafes, including the breweries and Uvita Gastropark, and a handful of accommodation options.
The Uvita Waterfall sits at the top of the hill, and this is the more ‘jungle vibes’ area. It’s a long walk from the highway to the waterfall, but it is doable if you don’t have a car and don’t want to take a taxi.
🏝️ BAHIA NEIGHBOURHOOD – BEACH AREA
Further along the highway, across the Rio Uvita is the ‘Bahia’ neighbourhood. This maze of unpaved streets is tucked between the beach and the highway. This is generally considered the more upscale area, although it does feel very quiet and local. There are a lot of accommodations in this area, most are more expensive than other parts of Uvita.
You’ll also find a lot of food options here, but they are scattered around and many feel quite hidden and random. You’ll be within walking distance of the national park and its beautiful beach if you stay in Bahia, but you will need to drive for the waterfall and other amenities.
⚠️ THEFT WARNING
Uvita and the wider Costa Ballena has sadly become a hot spot for theft. Most crime is opportunistic, and we didn’t feel any threat to our personal safety, but your belongings are definitely at risk.
Be very careful with what you leave on the beach. I would suggest carrying anything valuable with you in a waterproof bag and not leaving your towel and things unattended for a long period of time.
If you have a car, do the best that you can to not leave anything inside, or at least nothing visible. We were camping in a Nomad America 4×4 so of course, everything was always in our car, but we kept valuables out of sight and always locked up. If you’re camping on the beach, don’t leave anything (even your shoes!) unattended if you step away for any period of time.
You will be warned by locals and expats as it has become a big problem in recent years. Be smart and cautious and you shouldn’t have any issues.
Things to do in Uvita and surrounds
- Things to do in Uvita
- 💧 1. Swim in the Uvita Waterfall
- 🏝️ 2. Enjoy stunning beaches inside the Marino Ballena National Park
- 🐋 3. See the famous Uvita whale tail
- 🐳 4. Go whale watching
- 🤿 5. Sea kayaking and snorkel combo tour
- ✨ 6. Visit the incredible Nauyaca Waterfalls
- 🌿 7. Visit Cascada El Pavon
- ⛱️ 8. Hang out at Playa Hermosa
- 🏄🏽♀️ 9. Try surfing
- 🌞 10. Watch a beautiful sunset
- 🎶 11. Envision Festival
- 🦜 12. Visit Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary
- 🐢 13. See baby sea turtles being released into the ocean
- Day trips from Uvita
Things to do in Uvita Costa Rica
In this section, I’ll share things to do in Uvita that are in the immediate town or close vicinity, a maximum of 30 minutes away.
1. Swim in the Uvita Waterfall
One of the best things to do in Uvita is to visit the Uvita Waterfall. Also known as Catarata Uvita or Cascada Verde, the waterfall is just outside of town, nestled into the jungle at the top of the hill.
The waterfall is nothing huge, dropping 7.5 metres (25 feet), but it falls into a big pool, perfect for swimming, and the lush jungle setting is really special.
You can climb up the waterfall on a ladder and slide from the upper level down the waterfall, like a natural rock slide. Although we would only recommend doing this if you can watch a local go first, and show you exactly where to slide and jump in to be safe! They’ve also recently added a wooden jumping platform about halfway up the fall which looks like a lot of fun!
There are two entry points to the waterfall. A common occurrence all around Costa Rica, two private entities own land leading to a natural attraction, so both set up businesses. It leads to confusion for visitors and inconsistent experiences, so I’ll try to explain both options here.
Both lead to exactly the same place, so really it doesn’t matter which you go for, but there are some mild differences.
OPTION 1 – CATARATA ESMERALDA RESTAURANT
The first option you will come across, which has a sign for the waterfall, is the Catarata Esmeralda Restaurante.
Don’t ask me why they are calling it something different; I don’t know. I have actually read the restaurant is rebranding to Restaurante Acacia, so keep that in mind as signage may change.
This access point has a driveway off the main road leading to a car park, which is why we opted for this one. The entrance was 2,000 Colones, including parking. Your ticket also includes access to their butterfly garden on-site, which was sad and not worth doing.
In the past, there have been land disputes between the two owners, and this entrance was blocked from accessing the wooden boardwalks along the side of the river. Instead, they directed you to walk through the river along the stones to reach the waterfall, which was a bit sketchy.
I think this issue has been resolved now, and the trail to the waterfall is back to ‘normal’. Recent reviews all report a straightforward walk, with just a couple of unsteady areas.
OPTION 2 – RESTAURANTE LA CATARATA UVITA
Restaurante La Catarata Uvita is the original access point to the falls, further up the road. There is a very small parking area out the front of the restaurant, but most people just park on the side of the road.
Entry also costs 2,000 Colones here.
They don’t have a butterfly garden, but they have toilets and changerooms, and (usually) food on offer in the restaurant.
This entrance previously outweighed the other because of its well-made boardwalks to the falls. Being the original entrance, I get the impression these guys developed all the trails and wooden paths, so they have the right of ownership here. It was previously a much easier and safer journey to the falls via this entrance, but given they’ve resolved these issues I really don’t think there is a benefit of one entrance over the other.
We visited the falls during very heavy rain, it doesn’t always look this brown, I promise!
2. Enjoy stunning beaches inside the Marino Ballena National Park
The coastline around Uvita and the waters offshore are part of the Marino Ballena National Park. One of only two marine parks in Costa Rica, the park was primarily created to protect the humpback whales that migrate through the region at certain times of the year.
But it has also ensured that on land, a string of gorgeous beaches has remained wild, untouched and free from development. There are multiple beaches inside the park, and whilst the famous whale tail and whale watching often take precedence, don’t forget to save some time to simply soak up the beach.
The main beach, Playa Uvita is one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica, lined with thousands of palm trees, an expanse of dark sand, with jungle-clad mountains rising up behind.
Because these beaches are inside the national park, it’s not as simple as just turning up and hitting the sand. There is a fee to enter, opening hours and different access points to consider.
To keep this post simple, I’ve written a separate post about the Marino Ballena National Park and the Uvita Whale Tail with everything you need to know about visiting the park.
For now, just know you will want to dedicate some serious beach time here. It’s one of the best things to do in Uvita!
3. See the famous Uvita whale tail
Seeing the whale tail is one of the most popular things to do in Uvita, and what really put this town on the map in Costa Rica.
A crazy coincidence, in the very waters visited by humpbacks throughout the year, lies a whale tail-shaped peninsula. Also known as Punta Uvita, you can’t miss this oddly shaped mass on the map.
At low tide, this rocky peninsula and long sandbank appears just off the coast of Playa Uvita, shaped exactly like the tail of a whale. You can walk hundreds of metres into the ocean along a sandbank, with waves breaking on either side of you.
The peninsula is inside the national park, so you need to consider the opening hours and pay your entry fee. We’ve written a complete guide to the Uvita Whale Tail, telling you everything you need to know about this strange natural quirk. From timings and tides, what to bring, which entrance to use and more – read that before your visit for all the details.
🐋 Read our Uvita Whale Tail guide here
4. Go whale watching
Considered the best place to go whale watching in Costa Rica, each year two separate migrations of humpback whales pass by Uvita.
One of the only places in the world that hosts two annual migration events, you can see whales off the coast of Uvita for up to 10 months a year!
Whales from northern areas like mainland USA and Alaska migrate south during the northern hemisphere winter, from December – mid-April.
Whales from Antarctica in the south migrate north during the southern hemisphere winter, from mid-July – November.
The start and end of both seasons have less chance of seeing whales, so it’s better to plan your tour for the peak months of January and February or during August and September. This is when the highest concentration of whales will be in the area, and you have the best chance of spotting them.
The whales don’t come near the shore, so the only way to see them is via a boat tour. You’ll have to pay the fee to enter the national park, but some tours include this in the cost. Plan to spend the rest of the day inside the park, checking out the whale tail or lazing on the beaches.
This tour is highly rated and includes the national park entry fee. You will spend approximately 3 hours looking for whales, as well as other marine life like dolphins and turtles.
👉🏼 Check out our recommended Uvita whale watching tour
5. Sea kayaking and snorkel combo tour
The rocky reef around the end of the whale tail is a great spot for snorkelling. But unless the tide is out, it’s a long swim to get out there!
Doing a combo tour that combines sea kayaking with snorkelling is a great way to enjoy the whale tail and knock off two of the best things to do in Uvita at the same time.
Local tour operator Bahia Aventuras runs a great tour, where you will kayak out to the whale tail, jump in and go snorkelling, before riding some fun waves back to shore on the kayaks and entering a mangrove-filled estuary.
At the time of writing, the tour was $85 USD per adult, and you can get in touch via their website. It includes the entrance fee to the national park.
6. Visit the incredible Nauyaca Waterfalls
Nauyaca Waterfalls is one of the essential things to do in Uvita. Although neighbouring Dominical is the closest town to the falls, it’s still an easy 30-minute drive from Uvita.
The Nauyaca Waterfalls feel like something out of a jungle fairy tale. The most picture-perfect waterfall you have ever seen, with a curtain of water dropping down over a tiered rocky cliff into a huge pool below. It’s become a pretty standard fixture on many people’s Costa Rica itineraries, but I promise it lives up to all the hype.
Although visiting the waterfalls is actually quite complicated! There are two competing businesses, both with an entrance to the waterfall – Don Lulo’s Nauyaca Waterfalls and the Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park.
No matter which entrance you choose, you have a second decision to make regarding how you will reach the falls. Neither of the ticket offices is actually at the falls, so you have to choose between hiking, taking a 4×4 transport offered by the companies or a horse riding tour.
We wrote a complete guide to visiting Nauyaca Waterfalls, with an in-depth breakdown of the two entrances and all the different ways to reach the falls. We share more info about getting to the falls from Uvita, both by car, bus or tour (the easiest option if you want someone else to take care of all the arrangements, this tour is highly rated).
Although it’s a bit complex, it is SO worth visiting Nauyaca Waterfalls. They are stunning and definitely one of the most beautiful waterfalls we saw in all of Costa Rica.
✨ Read our Nauyaca Waterfalls guide here
7. Visit Cascada El Pavon
If you’re looking for another waterfall close to Uvita, Cascada El Pavon is a real hidden gem! Located about 25 minutes drive from Uvita here, this small local waterfall is completely free and rarely busy.
You’ll need to take an unpaved road to get there, but a 4×4 is not required. You park very close to the falls, and it’s just a short walk to reach them.
Similar to the Uvita Waterfall, you can slide down the waterfall on a natural rock slide, or jump into the pool below. The unique thing about El Pavon is the big boulder stuck at the top of the waterfall, dividing the stream of water in two.
8. Hang out at Playa Hermosa
There aren’t too many free things to do in Uvita, because you have to pay to access the main beaches inside the national park. But if you’re looking for somewhere to catch a sunset or laze on the sand for a few hours without paying for the privilege, Playa Hermosa is your best free option.
Not to be confused with the many other Playa Hermosas around the country, this Playa Hermosa is a long, open beach with dark sand backed by palm trees. There is little development and few amenities, outside of a guy selling coconuts and a few surfer-types renting boards.
If you’re looking for a quiet beach day, pack some drinks and snacks, and find a patch of sand on this 2 km / 1.2 mi stretch. As always, be warey of leaving your belongings unattended.
9. Try surfing
As with most towns along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, Uvita is a great place for surfing. Although it does cater more to beginner and intermediate surfers, with nearby Dominical offering larger waves for more advanced shredders.
If you’re just starting out, Uvita is a fantastic place to take lessons. Playa Uvita, to the south of the whale tail, has consistent, rolling waves and fun whitewash for those just getting up on the board. The beach naturally runs into Playa Chaman, so you might hear this referred to as a good surf spot too!
Playa Hermosa is a little bigger, depending on the tide and swell, and a fantastic spot for intermediates finding their feet.
We would highly recommend organising at least one lesson in Uvita to get you familiar with the area and comfortable in the water. Then you can rent your own board afterwards if you’re feeling confident. This private surf lesson taught by local Leandro gets fantastic reviews.
10. Watch a beautiful sunset
I usually only include ‘watch the sunset’ on my list of things to do if it’s a cracking location, and the entire town is down on the beach marking the end of the day.
It’s a little different in Uvita, but the reason I wanted to list it here was to explain how you can watch the sunset in Uvita.
Given that the main beach, Playa Uvita, is in the national park and you have to pay an entry fee, heading here to watch the sunset requires a bit of careful planning. I would recommend combining a sunset here with another activity inside the national park on the same day, so you can use your ticket twice.
The ticket office actually closes at 4 pm, and no new entries are allowed. However if you’re already on the beach inside the park, you can stay until 6 pm. So be sure to check the sunset times and arrive early!
You should also check the tides, to confirm if you can get out on the whale tail for sunset. Being able to walk over 500 metres (1,600 feet) out towards the ocean, past the mountainous coastline gives you a fantastic sunset view.
If you want somewhere free to watch the sunset, Playa Hermosa is a great spot to enjoy the glow-up.
For a unique, romantic sunset experience, book a table at Gusto Italian. Nestled up in the hills behind Playa Hermosa, the restaurant has gorgeous sunset views over the ocean. The pizza and pasta are delicious, and although a little pricey, it’s worth it for the experience.
Be sure to book a table in advance, for around an hour prior to sunset. And be aware that the road to get there is steep and bumpy. A 4×4 is best, but a high clearance SUV would be fine if it’s dry.
11. Envision Festival
Each year in February or March, Uvita hosts the 7-day Envision Festival. Not just music, Envision is a holistic health, wellness and spirituality event. Throughout the week, there are a variety of different events from yoga classes, breathwork, workshops and over 150 different music acts.
The festival definitely has a hippy-dippy vibe and isn’t for everyone, but it is a super popular event and tickets sell out well in advance. As does accommodation and activities in and around Uvita.
If you’re not interested in the event, I would suggest avoiding Uvita completely during those dates, which you can find on their website here.
12. Visit Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary
If you haven’t had much luck seeing Costa Rica’s wildlife in the wild, and you want to support an ethical cause, Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary does fantastic work.
This non-profit sanctuary was founded in 2014 with a rescue, rehabilitate and release ethos. They provide care to sick, injured or mistreated native wildlife. They aim to release as many animals back into the wild as possible but also provide a permanent refuge for any animal that has been domesticated or is too badly injured to survive in the wild.
They offer tours of the sanctuary where you can learn more about the different species, their care needs and conservation concerns. They do not allow any touching or handling so you can be confident this is an ethical experience.
Located just 15 minutes from Uvita, it’s an easy drive or taxi ride.
Tours run from Tuesday – Sunday (closed Monday) at 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Bookings are essential and can be made online here. They keep the groups small to minimise stress and disturbance to the animals, so be sure to book in advance.
The cost of the tour is 100% donated back to the sanctuary, and the current price for foreign adults is $33 USD and $17 USD for children.
13. See baby sea turtles being released into the ocean
I wanted to include this here as the chance to see baby sea turtles being released into the ocean is an amazing experience. However, this is a seasonal activity and being able to participate is not guaranteed. It is first and foremost a conservation project, not a tourist activity.
Reserva Playa Tortuga is an environmental research centre and conservation organisation, based just outside Uvita in neighbouring Ojochal.
One of the projects this non-profit organisation focuses on is sea turtle conservation. Volunteers monitor turtles coming ashore during nesting season to lay eggs in the sand, collecting the eggs to protect them from poachers and moving them to their secure hatchery.
When the baby sea turtles hatch and are ready to head to the ocean, they release them. This is not like turtle releases you have seen in countries like Mexico or Nicaragua. It’s not a tourist activity, you don’t get to hold your own turtle, only the volunteers handle the little babies. The turtles are the priority, and if you’re lucky, you will get to watch on as a visitor.
Sometimes these releases are publicised on their Facebook page, and you can head to the beach and see the little fellas heading towards the ocean to start their lives.
Releases usually happen between September – April, most commonly at Reserva Playa Tortuga and Playa Hermosa. They will publicise the time and location of the release, usually the morning of.
The organisation will cancel public releases if there are too many people or the rules are not being respected. Please remember the turtles are the priority, and your photos are not.
Day trips from Uvita Costa Rica
There are plenty of great day trips you can take from Uvita to surrounding destinations. Whether or not these suggestions are relevant to you depends on how you are planning your Costa Rica itinerary.
If you’re choosing to base yourself in one place (Uvita) and cover the entire Pacific Coast region from there, you’ll want to take a fair few of these day trips! But if you’re moving around more frequently, and staying in multiple destinations (such as Manuel Antonio, Dominical and Drake Bay), then these activities are best saved for their respective destination.
14. Visit Dominical
Neighbouring beach town Dominical couldn’t have more of a different vibe from Uvita. Just a handful of dusty streets centred around the expansive Playa Dominical, it is more of a ‘beach town’ than Uvita is. But despite its size, there are some great things to do in Dominical.
It’s only a 20-minute drive between the two towns, but we would recommend spending a day exploring Dominical and its surroundings. Here are some things you can’t miss:
- 🌈 Markets – Dominical is famous for its beachfront markets. All day every day there are an assortment of stalls lined up behind the beach, selling all kinds of souvenirs and trinkets. Handmade jewellery, clothes, Costa Rica branded goodies, there is a ton to browse.
- 🏝️ Dominicalito – just outside of Dominical is the smaller and calmer Playa Dominicalito. This beach was one of our favourites in the area, and although not as gorgeous as Playa Uvita, it’s free. The shore is lined with palm trees, and the water is calm enough for swimmers and beginner surfers.
- 💧 Cascada Poza Azul – just behind Playa Dominicalito is this local waterfall. Rarely busy, completely free to enter and a gorgeous jungle vibe make this a worthy stop! The fall itself is small, but there is a large pool to swim in, and a fun rope swing if you’re up for it.
- 🌊 Rocas de Amancio – this unique rock formation is like a little island that appears at low tide. You can climb up onto the rock, where there are big palm trees and other plants growing out of it. A gorgeous place to watch the sunset, this is a very strange, very big but very beautiful rock!
🏄🏽♀️ Read our Dominical guide here
15. Take a cruise through the Sierpe Mangroves
If you’re travelling onwards to Drake Bay from Uvita, you will most likely take the boat from Sierpe, experiencing a taste of the mangroves and making this tour redundant.
But if you’re not heading south, it’s worth checking out the Terraba Sierpe National Wetlands on a day trip. Mangroves are one of the most important ecosystems on our planet, and house a huge variety of animals and birds. This is Costa Rica’s largest swathe of mangroves and a protected Ramsar site.
Whilst there are some tours that depart from Playa Uvita, the tides and currents can make this inconsistent. Instead, jump in the car or on a bus to the town of Sierpe, around 1 hour south.
We recommend this highly-rated 3-hour cruise.
Boarding in Sierpe, you’ll already be on the Sierpe River, giving you more time in the maze of mangrove-filled canals. Your expert guide will share a ton of information about the mangroves and point out wildlife. If you’re lucky, you could spot crocodiles, snakes, iguanas and lizards, monkeys, a huge range of different birds and even sloths.
🐊 Book a Sierpe mangrove cruise
16. Go snorkelling at Caño Island
The Caño Island Biological Reserve is considered one of the best places in Costa Rica to go snorkelling and diving. A protected marine reserve, the area is home to crystal clear waters, thriving coral and reef systems, and an abundance of marine life like turtles, rays, sharks and countless colourful fish!
Although Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula is the closest jump-off point for Caño Island, tours do depart from Uvita, too.
You’ll spend longer on the boat (around 90 minutes v 45 minutes from Drake Bay), but if you want to go snorkelling and you’re not going down to Drake Bay, it’s well worth it.
This tour includes two snorkelling stops and a visit to Caño Island with a picnic lunch on the beach.
👉🏼 Find out more about the Caño Island day tour from Uvita here
17. Day trip to Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park is hands down the best thing to do in Costa Rica. We would highly recommend dedicating a few days on your itinerary to travel to Drake Bay (the closest jump-off point to the park) and even consider staying overnight inside the park.
But, if you’re short on time and really prefer to base yourself in Uvita, it is possible to take a day trip. It will be a long day, and possibly feel a little rushed, but if it’s this or nothing, Corcovado is worth seeing!
Due to the distance, tours from Uvita only go to the San Pedrillo Ranger Station, not the Sirena Ranger Station, as it is a shorter boat trip. Sirena is considered the best station to see wildlife and is the station we wholeheartedly recommend visiting. But again, if it’s this or nothing, San Pedrillo is still worth visiting.
This tour is well-rated and one of the only options! You’ll leave Uvita very early in the morning for a 90+ minute boat ride to the San Pedrillo Ranger Station inside Corcovado National Park.
Once you land on the beach, your guide will lead you on a hike around the trails for approximately 3 hours, pointing out wildlife with their telescope. They provide some snacks and lunch before taking the boat back to Uvita.
👉🏼 Book your day trip to Corcovado National Park from Uvita here
18. Visit Manuel Antonio National Park
Around one and a half hours north of Uvita, Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the best places to see wildlife in all of Costa Rica. With a network of trails, stunning unspoiled beaches and an abundance of animals, it’s one of the best national parks in the country, even though it can be a little crowded.
👉🏼 We recommend this tour to Manuel Antonio National Park from Uvita
It is best to arrive at the park as soon as it opens at 7:00 am, which is why we do recommend staying in Manuel Antonio. But if you’re up for an early start, you can still beat the crowds from Uvita.
The park is closed on Tuesdays and you must book your tickets online in advance (unless you take a tour that specifically includes the entrance tickets). Bookings can be made on the Costa Rican National Parks website, SINAC. You can set the language to English, and you’ll need to make an account to buy the tickets.
It’s not mandatory to have a guide, but it will vastly increase your chances of spotting wildlife. The guides are trained naturalists, and have a telescope so you can get a close-up look at any animals hiding in the forest. They have insane vision and know exactly where to look for sleepy sloths, birds high up in the trees and agoutis running along the forest floor.
Most guided tours start from the park entrance, but there is one option that leaves from Uvita, taking care of your transport to the park if you don’t have a rental car.
Starting from Manuel Antonio, tours leave from the park entrance and last around 1.5 – 3 hours. The guides will usually leave you at the beach so you can enjoy the park for the rest of the day, and walk back to the entrance yourself when you’re ready. We recommend this highly-rated tour with a trained naturalist guide, if you’re happy to get yourself to the park.
To get to Manuel Antonio from Uvita, you have a couple of options:
- 🚙 Drive your own rental car – the easiest way, you can leave early, and choose if you join a guided tour when you arrive at the park.
- 🎟️ Join a tour from Uvita – that takes care of transport and your guide in one. There aren’t too many options but this option is highly rated.
- 🚐 Take a tourist shuttle – if you still want an independent, self-guided experience without the hassle of buses, you can take a tourist shuttle from Uvita to Manuel Antonio. The first shuttle departs at 6 am, getting you to the park nice and early.
- 🚌 Take the local bus – this isn’t a very straightforward route, and you may need to change in Dominical, and definitely in Quepos.
🦥 Read our Manuel Antonio National Park guide here
Where to eat in Uvita
One thing we did love about Uvita was the amazing range of food. Although a little on the expensive side, when we decided to splurge over our usual Costa Rica budget, it was worth it and the food quality was good. These were some of our favourite food options.
- 🍛 Soda Ranchita Doña Maria – a much-loved local soda with delicious food and affordable prices.
- 🍕 Uvita Gastro Park – a really cool, shipping container-style outdoor food park, with all kinds of cuisines, from Asian (including the amazing Phat Noodle!) to ribs and meat, sushi, burgers, pizza and more!
- 🍺 Whale Tail Brewery – a range of beers brewed on-site and tasty bar snacks like sliders, pizzas etc.
- ☕️ Sibu Café – another great café that doesn’t look like much from the outside, but has delicious coffee, a variety of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and an adjoining bakery and ice cream shop with delicious pastries.
- 🥟 El Hornito – an Argentinian restaurant in the Bahia neighbourhood with delicious empanadas, Argentinian pizzas and sandwiches.
Where to stay in Uvita
IN UVITA TOWN (BEACH AREA) 🏝️
The pocket of Uvita south of the highway, near the beach, is a maze of dusty streets. But hidden here is a range of stunning accommodations for all budgets, and a surprising number of food options. You’ll have easy access to the Marino Ballena National Park.
- 💰 Karandi Hostel – situated close to the beach, Karandi gets rave reviews from travellers. They have modern, simple and spotlessly clean dorms on lovely garden grounds, with plenty of wildlife and birds to spot. Staff are kind and helpful, with a great atmosphere.
- $15 USD + per night check prices Hostelworld | Booking
- 💰 Shipwrecked Hostel – this brand-new hostel is designed with a nautical, ship theme. Rooms are ‘below deck’ with pod-style dorm beds equipped with a privacy curtain, lights, outlets, mirror, shelf and strong air conditioning. The communal kitchen, rooftop and hangout spaces are modern with amazing jungle views.
- $20 USD + per night check prices Hostelworld | Booking
- 💰💰 Ballena Rey Hotel – this new and modern hotel is a fantastic choice for value and convenience. Each room is an apartment-style, with private kitchen facilities. There is a pool on-site, and it is as central as you can be in a town like Uvita. We stayed here and loved it.
- 💰💰 Seren Glamping – for a unique and romantic option, Seren Glamping has gorgeous bell tents with all the luxuries and amenities you could dream of. The tents have their own private outdoor bathroom, are air-conditioned, and there is a communal pool with gorgeous gardens.
IN UVITA TOWN (INLAND WATERFALL AREA) 💧
There are a lot of accommodation options in the area north of the highway. Generally a bit more affordable than the area closer to the beach, you will be near the biggest range of restaurants, the supermarket and bank, as well as Uvita Waterfall.
- 💰 Hostel Cascada Verde – nestled at the top of the hill above the town, right next to the waterfall of the same name, Hostel Cascada Verde is a traveller favourite! Designed like a treehouse and immersed in the jungle, this hostel gives you an eco-lodge experience without the price tag.
- $10 USD + per night check prices Hostelworld | Booking
- 💰 Tucan Hotel – part hotel, part hostel, you can get a cheap dorm bed with a resort feel! The hotel has a pool, perfect communal spaces for relaxing and socialising, and daily breakfast included. It’s an easy walk to lots of restaurants, the bank and the supermarket.
- $25 USD + per night check prices Hostelworld | Booking
- 💰💰 Hotel Daleese – a fantastic midrange option with self-contained rooms with fully equipped kitchens. Within walking distance of ‘town’ with supermarket, bank and restaurants on your doorstep. The property has a pool and lovely, tropical gardens.
- $100 USD + per night check prices Booking
- 💰💰 Tamandua Homes – this looks like a gorgeous property with a number of self-contained houses around a shared pool. It’s got a beautiful jungly vibe and you can see birds and wildlife around, while still being centrally located and within walking distance to ‘town’.
- $100 USD + per night check prices Booking.com | Expedia
AROUND UVITA 🌈
If you have your own rental car, there are some gorgeous properties hidden away in the jungle in the hills around Uvita. Because they are so remote, you would feel trapped without a vehicle, and many do require a 4×4 to reach. But if you are looking for the best boutique, luxury options in Uvita and want to immerse yourself in the jungle environment, check out these gorgeous properties.
- 💰💰💰 Vista Celestial – the height of luxury. It doesn’t get much better than this in Uvita, with a series of ocean-view villas nestled into the jungle, each with its own private pool, hot tub and balcony. Rooms are minimally decorated in warm, earthy tones and come with the convenience of your own kitchen.
- 💰💰💰 Oxygen Jungle Villas & Spa – blending seamlessly with the jungle, no matter which room you choose, you will be surrounded by nature with all the luxuries. Enjoy the infinity pool with ocean views, daily breakfast and fantastic service.
- 💰💰💰 Art Villas – home to some of the most spectacular architecture in all of Costa Rica, Art Villas hosts a collection of luxury villas perched on a jungle-clad hill. Their famous ‘pod’ style villas come with a waterslide, pool, indoor/outdoor living and floor-to-ceiling views, immersing you in the surroundings.
- $180 USD + per night check prices Booking
⛺️ If you’re camping in Costa Rica as we were, Uvita is a little trickier to find a spot. Because most of the beaches are inside the national park, you can’t drive up and camp anywhere. You have to look at paid campgrounds instead, which are back off the beach.
We highly recommend Camping Casa Viva. This was the cheapest option (some places were pretty pricey!) and had decent amenities. The camping area is nestled into a grove of palm trees and we saw so many macaws and toucans. They offer good WIFI, toilets, cold showers and a direct path to access the beach, Playa Chaman, for free even though it is technically part of the national park.
How to get to Uvita Costa Rica
- 🚙 By car – like everywhere in Costa Rica, getting to Uvita is best done with your own rental car. It will make it a lot easier to get around this disjointed town, and as you can see from this list, will be invaluable for many of the best things to do in Uvita.
- 🚌 By bus – if your budget doesn’t allow a car, you can get to Uvita via bus. There are multiple daily departures from San Jose with Tracopa. They have their own terminal in San Jose, located here. There are also buses from Quepos to Uvita if you are coming from Manuel Antonio.
- 🚐 By tourist shuttle – otherwise, you can opt for a tourist shuttle. More expensive than the bus, but far more reliable and stress-free, a shuttle will pick you up from your accommodation and drop you off in Uvita. There are direct shuttles from many different destinations around Costa Rica, like San Jose, Monteverde, Montezuma and Manuel Antonio.
How to get around in Uvita Costa Rica
- 👣 On foot – if you don’t have a car in Uvita, you are going to be walking A LOT. Even then, you won’t be able to walk everywhere, as the beach and town are so spread out.
- 🚕 By taxi – taxis will help you cover the extra ground you can’t walk, e.g. from the beach to the waterfall. They are pretty easy to find around town, but otherwise, your accommodation can help you organise one if needed.
- 🚌 On the bus – the bus can be helpful to get to other attractions outside of town that are along the highway, they run up and down throughout the day. But you may need to take taxis if you’re going further off the main road or have a tight time schedule.
- 🚙 With your own car – your own rental car is by far the easiest option, given the disjointed layout of Uvita. Even more so if you are using Uvita as a base to explore the broader Pacific Coast area.
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Final thoughts: Things to do in Uvita
I hope this post has helped plan your Uvita itinerary! There are so many great things to do in Uvita and its surroundings, you will easily fill your days with whales, waterfalls and wild beaches.
MORE DOMINICAL & UVITA POSTS
- 20 Wonderful Things to Do in Dominical Costa Rica
- Nauyaca Waterfalls Guide – Which Entrance to Choose?
- Visiting the Uvita Whale Tail & Marino Ballena National Park
OUR COSTA RICA TRAVEL GUIDES
The Comments
Carlan Tonks
THIS WAS SO AWESOME!! And so Helpful!! Thank you thank you thank you!! My family and I are planning a trip to Uvita in late June! We are hoping for not too much rain!! Thank you for taking so much time and effort to write this!
Sally Rodrick
Carlan TonksSo so glad this was useful for your planning Carlan 🙂 I think you should be prepared for and accept rain – better not to get your hopes up! But sending positive vibes that it’s just some afternoon showers and you get plenty of sunshine too! Enjoy Uvita 🙂 Sally