Marino Ballena National Park
Parque Nacional Marino Ballena
A marine national park on the coast of Uvita, where a sandbar shaped like a whale’s tail is exposed at low tide, with whale watching in season and snorkelling and dolphin spotting.
Ballena Marine National Park was established in 1989 to protect the coastline, mangroves and coral reefs. Its most famous feature is the tied island sandbar at Uvita Point. At low tide the sandbar and rocky reef join to form the shape of a whale’s tail, and you can walk out to the tip (check the tide times first). Humpback whales from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres come to breed here, from July to October and from December to March respectively. Whale-watching boat tours cost about USD 80–100. Park entry is about USD 6–7, and the park has several entrances. It is about 1–1.5 hours’ drive from Manuel Antonio.
Opening hours
Approx. 07:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- Uvita Whale Watching Tour
- Uvita Waterfall
- Playa Ventanas
- Ojochal
- Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary
- El Pavón Waterfall