Bahía Ballena is  located inside the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena in Southern Puntarenas in the Oso  canton and is 7 km (4.3 miles) south of Uvita in the region known as Costa Ballena on Costa Rica´s  Southern Pacific Coast.

The National park was created in 1990 to protect the  coral and rock reefs around the Isla Ballena just off the coast.  It is an important island for seabird nesting  colonies as well as basilisk lizards and green iguanas. Humpback whales can also be seen here in the  area from December to March, when these whales migrate to warmer climes.  Bottle-nosed dolphins can be spotted along  the coast all year-long.

It is a three hour drive from San Jose if you drive to Jacó and then  continue south on the Costanera Highway.   You can also drive over the mountains toward San Isidro El General and  then go west towards Dominical where the road intersects with the Costanera  Highway and then you continue south.

Bahia Ballena, which literally means “Whale Bay”, has its name for two  reasons.  One is because at low tide the  sandbar on the north end of the Ballena Marine National Park beach forms into  what from above looks like a giant whale’s tail. The second reason is because its location on  the Pacific Ocean gives it a fairly stable water temperature year round,  providing the perfect place for whales from both the north and south to give  birth. Because of this, there are two whale watching seasons in this town.

Activities available in Bahía Ballena are horseback riding, surfing,  snorkeling, whale and dolphin watching tours, nature hikes, kayaking, yoga  lessons, canopy tours, scuba diving, horseback riding and sport fishing tours.  Also, it is popular to walk to the famous  “Whale’s Tail” at Uvita Point, drive to a local waterfall and enjoy a swim in  the freshwater pools, or sunbath at any of the local palm-lined beaches.

Cano Island is an attraction that is popular among visitors, as well as the  many beaches, haciendas, and biological reserves located nearby. Other  popular activities near Bahia Ballena include hiking or horseback riding to  Nauyaca Waterfalls, touring the Terrabe-Sierpe Mangroves by boat or kayak,  surfing in Domincal, surfing in Playa Hermosa and a visit to Oro Verde.

There are a number of reasonably priced lodging options, which are mostly owned  by locals. Bahia Ballena also has  several “Sodas” or typical Costa Rican restaurants, as well as restaurants that  serve American dishes. Restaurants,  internet cafes, banks, ATMs, and car rental services are all available. Hospital services and a police station are  available in Uvita, a 3 minute drive from Bahia Ballena.  The weather is very beautiful, but it is a  tropical community and has a lot of humidity. The rainy season starts in late June and can last through November.

The surf at Bahia Ballena is quite consistent with soft-breaking waves  averaging about three to five feet in height (chest to head-high) and offering  length of rides up to 150 yards long. Also, there are not very many crowds. All of this makes Bahia Ballena a great surf break for beginner and  intermediate surfers.

Bahia Ballena is a beach break wave, which means that you can find waves  along the entire stretch of beach, although the southern end, known as “Playa  Chaman”, is the more consistent and frequented by surfers. At the north end of the beach there is a small  river mouth which occasionally will produce a sand bar with some waves, but  this is not very consistent. The  southern end has a larger river mouth which makes for good waves, as well as  for some rip currents during the rainy season.It is possible to find waves between these two river mouths, depending  on the sand bars.

Playa Bahia Ballena is a great beach to get away, do some surfing and watch  the whales and dolphins jumping in the waves.