Uvita, Costa Rica is one of the best places in Costa Rica for a tranquil tropical vacation. This small coastal village is a favorite destination for those looking for a quiet getaway with its picturesque dark sand beaches surrounded by lush rainforest covered mountains.
Below is our Uvita, Costa Rica guide to help you plan your trip.
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The Town
Uvita may be small but it has all the basics such as supermarkets, pharmacies, local restaurants, banks and gas stations.
Thanks to the well paved Costanera Sur highway and Envision festival, Uvita’s popularity as a top tourist destination in Costa Rica has grown immensely the past several years.
In the last couple years, Uvita has become one of the fastest growing small towns in Costa Rica, with many more houses, developments and businesses being built to accommodate the many new immigrants, expats, snowbirds and digital nomads.
One of the main reasons why people love to visit Uvita is the nature and wildlife. Thanks to the surrounding jungle, rich waters and sweeping mountains, this area is teeming with wildlife such as sloths, Scarlet Macaws, toucans and monkeys.
In the water, the prized animals to see are humpback whales, dolphins and turtles.
Things to Do in Uvita, Costa Rica
Besides relaxing, Uvita has a handful of fun things to do. The abundance of nature and wildlife offer the best outdoor activities in Uvita.
Marino Ballena National Park
The highlight of Uvita is most definitely Marino Ballena National Park and the Whale’s Tail. This park was specifically created to protect the marine life such as coral, turtles, dolphins and humpback whales.
Additionally, Uvita is the best place in Costa Rica to see humpback whales. That fact was not lost on Mother Nature as the national park has something the locals call the Cola de la Ballena, or Whale’s Tail.
It’s an incredible rock formation of two beaches coming together to create one and can be seen only in low tide.
Visitors can walk all the way out to the tail to walk on the rocks, see the tide pools and enjoy the beach. Sunsets here are spectacular so don’t miss out on beach sunsets in Uvita.
You can spend a day at the park swimming, soaking in the sun and walking along the long shores.
Humpback Whale Watching
Since Uvita is one of the best places to see humpback whales in Costa Rica, you can’t miss out on taking a whale watching tour!
The best time to go whale watching is August and September but the season in Uvita is from approximately December – March and July – October.
Mom and babies are commonly seen. The warm waters allow mothers to nurse their babies and teach them to swim, breach, hunt and play.
Caño Island Snorkeling
Caño Island is a biological reserve that has supposedly the second best snorkeling and scuba diving in Costa Rica. It’s about 32 miles (52) kilometers off the shores of Uvita and it is a must for anyone who loves snorkeling.
We went at the end of January and saw turtles, manta rays, huge schools of fish and much more. The visibility was incredible!
If you want to book the Cano Island or whale watching tour, feel free to contact us to help you arrange your excursion!
Envision Festival
Envision Festival is one of the biggest festivals in the world with thousands of participants. It’s a 4 day festival on the beaches of Uvita, dedicated to awakening the inner self to a higher consciousness. There are concerts, meditation, yoga classes, fire dancing, food and performances. Always last week of February.
If you plan to attend, make sure to buy tickets and book your accommodation ASAP. It gets sold out fast, even a year in advance.
Catarata Uvita and Other Waterfalls
Thanks to the surrounding mountains, there are many rivers and waterfalls in the South Pacific. You can hike to Nauyaca waterfalls, slide down Uvita Waterfall or go the free waterfall Cascada El Pavon in Ojochal.
You can read about other things to do in Uvita here.
Explore Beaches
And of course, you have to explore and visit the beaches in the area. Some local favorites are Dominicalito, Ventanas, Linda and Hermosa.
Uvita Weather
The South Pacific of Costa Rica is humid and is about the same all year round. It experiences typical tropical weather with both dry and rainy seasons. Dry season is December through April and rainy is May through November.
However, being tropical rainforest, it can rain in January or February. When we visited for a week in February, it poured for 4 days straight!
Average year round temperatures are mid 80°s F (29° Celsius) during the day and cools off at night. Humidity is always high in this area so make sure you bring clothes that wick away moisture and dry fast.
Location
Uvita is in the South Pacific of the Puntarenas province, 223 kilometers(145 miles) from San Jose via the Costanera Sur (Route 34) and 180 kilometers (112 miles) via Route 243 and Cerro de la Muerte (route 2).
It is located in the area known as the Costa Ballena which consists of Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal.
How to get to Uvita from San Jose
San Jose International Airport is the best international airport to fly into for visiting Uvita. Then from San Jose, you can drive, take a shuttle or the bus. There are no local airports in Uvita.
Driving
There are two routes you can take from San Jose to Uvita: via the Costanera Sur (route 34) or Cerro de la Muerte (route 2). The best one to take is Costanera Sur Route 34 because it’s a flat, well paved highway that is super easy to drive.
Route 2, or Cerro de la Muerte is a very narrow, windy road from San Isidro de Perez Zeledon so you have to drive slowly and carefully and it is constantly foggy in certain sections.
Via the Costenera Sur Route 34, it takes about 3.5 hours. Via Route 2, it takes about 4-4.5 hours from San Jose to Uvita.
Bus
From San Jose, there is a bus two times a day with Empresa Tracopa leaving from Calle 5, Ave 18-20 at 6 AM and 3 PM. This route costs approximately 6000 colones $9.09 USD). There is a bus from Uvita to San Jose every day at 5:30 AM and 1:30 PM and it takes 7 hours.
There are also other Tracopa buses that stop at Uvita leaving from the same San Jose station. You can take the San Jose to Golfito, David, Sierpe, Canoas and Laurel buses and get off at Uvita.
However, they do make you pay the full price which ranges from 5790-11340 colones.
Shuttles
The cost of a private transfer from San Jose Airport to Uvita is ~$260 USD for 1-8 passengers. The cost of a private transfer from Liberia International Airport to Uvita is $~350 USD total. Contact us if you want to book a private shuttle.
Read about the differences between shared and private shuttle services in Costa Rica here.
Flying + Driving
As there is no local airport in Uvita, if you want to fly, you will have to take a domestic flight to Quepos which is the closest airport.
Then you will need to arrange transportation from Quepos to Uvita whether it’s picking up your rental car, waiting for the bus or booking a private shuttle. Quepos Airport to Uvita is a 50 minute drive.
How to Get Around Uvita
Uvita is a small town that is easy to get around as it has paved roads throughout. The town has the main entrance to the national park and the beach, there are several restaurants, info centers, tour companies and the cheap hostels and cabinas.
For someone who isn’t renting a car, you can stay in town and be in walking distance to supermarkets, restaurants, the beach, etc.
Do You Need a 4×4 for Uvita?
If your hotel is in Uvita town or off the main highway and you’re only staying for a couple days, then no, a 4×4 is not required for Uvita.
However, if you would like to explore the area or if you’re staying at a hotel or vacation rental that is up in the mountains, then renting a 4×4 is absolutely necessary.
If you book a vacation rental, make sure to confirm with your host what kind of car you need. Some places are fine with high clearance 4×2, some require a 4×4 with a good engine.
If you really want to see more of the area, then renting a car is the only way to do it and it is best to rent a 4wd if you want to explore. (PS. Get our Costa Rica car rental discount to help you save $$!)
Uvita, Costa Rica Hotels
Thanks to Uvita’s increasingly growing popularity the past few years, there is now a greater variety of hotels.
You can find some of the most luxurious boutique hotels in this area, all with stunning mountain and jungle views, extraordinary architecture and excellent service. There are also a ton of luxury vacation rentals and Airbnbs.
On the other hand, you can also find basic hostels and cheap cabinas amid the lavish selection of hotels. Most of the cheaper accommodation are located in town, making it the ideal place to stay if you’re on a budget or don’t have a car.
If you’re visiting for a romantic escape, then you’re in luck. Uvita is a top honeymoon destination in Costa Rica!
Some recommended hotels in Uvita
- Oxygen Jungle Villas: Adult only boutique hotel with12 glass ocean/rainforest view villas. It also has an incredible infinity pool.
- Manoas: 4 huge fully furnished glamping tents 2 kilometers from town up in the mountains. They also have two rivers on the property, apartments, yoga deck and pool.
- Hotel Cuna del Angel: Right off of the Costanera Sur highway with beautiful and elegant rooms. It has a pool, restaurant and a couple of sloths who live on the property.
- Nature’s Edge Cabinas: Charming adult only boutique hotel just a 10 minutes outside of Uvita.
- La Cusinga Eco Lodge: Excellent choice for birders looking for modern elegance and comfort. Spacious and clean cabinas and suites, onsite restaurant and a spa.
- Bungalows Ballena: 5 minute walk from the national park entrance, this hotel has 5 fully equipped bungalows, a pool and rancho. Great for families or groups.
- Vista Celestial Boutique Hotel: 5 villas, a beautiful infinity pool and offer yoga and wellness retreats. Amazing infinity pool
- Karandi Hostel: Typical hostel near town with shared kitchen, shared bathrooms and dorms. Has Wifi, parking and an attached restaurant. Clean rooms, no air conditioning.
- Hotel Los Laureles: Family owned property close to Uvita with cabins and rooms. Excellent restaurant and very peaceful. They have a secure parking lot and gate. Very sweet local family, great budget option
Airbnb and Vacation Rentals
You can find plenty of vacation rentals on Airbnb and VRBO such as fully furnished ocean view houses up in the mountains, by the beach or in the local neighborhoods. There are many options on Airbnb for large groups.
Once when we visited as a group of 5, we rented out Hotel Por Que No which was perfect (4 bedrooms with private bathroom, outdoor kitchen, parking with a gate and pool).
Recommended Uvita, Costa Rica Restaurants
- Mosaic: Nice wine bar and restaurant. Really good paninis, salad, sushi and fine wines.
- La Colonial: Chill Costa Rican restaurant/bar. Has typical food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Good prices and big portions (the arroz con pollo is our favorite).
- Los Almendros: Good local Costa Rican place in town.
- The Dome Drive through: Good place for sandwiches, wraps, coffee, etc.
- Indomitus Cafe: Great place for veg food, especially veggie burgers.
- Sabor Espanol: Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine.
- Carlitos Restaurant: Mexican. Yummy brunch and drinks.
- Los Laureles: Excellent Costa Rican restaurant, especially breakfast and dinner. Their gallo pinto is one of the best we’ve ever had.
- Que Tuanis Cafe: Nice place in town for coffee, smoothies and breakfast
- Sibu Cafe: One of the best restaurants in the area with coffee, breakfast, pizza and smoothies and they have a bakery + gelato cafe
- Nativo: Great Costa Rican restaurant with huge portions and very friendly staff.
- El Crustaceo: Good Costa Rican soda with variety of seafood dishes.
- Soda Ranchito Doña Maria: Nice little Costa Rican restaurant with typical dishes.
- Five Maes: Burger joint like Five guys in the US
- Pizza time: Good place for pizza, a nice local favorite.
- Marino Ballena Restaurant: Great place for local food
- Whale Tail Brewery and Gastropub: artisan beers and bar food, occasionally has live music
- La Choza de Alejo: Fantastic Mexican food
- Bar Restuarante Kefersi: A local bar – very Costa Rican. Go for local food, cantina music and a fun atmosphere
- Le French Cafe: French restaurant with yummy breakfast and pastries
- Mystic Sushi: Good sushi place
- Bagel time: Bakery with bagels, pastries, sandwiches and other yummy bread, great breakfast and lunch spot
- Mirador Don Roger: Local restaurant that has a beautiful ocean view and great local food
Uvita Itineraries
We have written a couple of itineraries that include Uvita which you can find below.
1 week Costa Rica itinerary Central and South Pacific
1 month Costa Rica road trip itinerary
Looking for ideas on how to spend your days in Uvita? Check our recommendations out. These are for people who rented a car and remember, it gets dark by 6 PM everyday.
Day 1: Arrive in Uvita, check into your hotel, go to the pool, relax, etc. Head to Mirador Don Roger for sunset happy hour and dinner.
Day 2: Check what time low tide is to visit Marino Ballena National Park and walk to the Whale’s Tail. Spend the day in the park.
Day 3: Spend the morning at Uvita waterfall. Afterwards, go back to hotel to shower, freshen up, nap. For sunset, head to Playa Hermosa.
Day 4: Go whale watching or snorkeling at Caño Island. Whale watching is a half day tour, Cano Island is a full day tour. If you want non ocean adventure, book an ATV tour that goes up the mountains, through rivers and to viewpoints.
Read Our Other Costa Rica city guides below!
La Fortuna, Costa Rica: The small farming town by Arenal Volcano. Popular tourist destination for adventure, nature and relaxation.
Jaco, Costa Rica: The developed surfing beach town 1 hour from San Jose.
San Jose, Costa Rica: The country’s capital city.
Bijagua, Costa Rica: The rural mountain town by Rio Celeste.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica: The surfing hub of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica: The South Caribbean party town.
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Jen says
Questions about Uvita beaches and safety for kids. I’ve read about the swells and rip currents but I’ve also been reading about small sting rays in the shallow waters in abundance! It doesn’t seem like there is much signage indicating but hoping to avoid puncture wounds or medical treatment while here! Any insight about how much of a concern this should actually be in this area? Your blog and articles are so helpful. We’ve gone all down the pacific coast with the help of your site!
Sammi says
Hi Jen, any of the beaches in Costa Rica can have the small sting rays though they are definitely more present in some than others. To be honest we never stepped on any in all the times we have been there and they may be there only in certain tides or time of the year. We always advise people when they go into the water to do like a “stingray shuffle” like shuffle your feet around in the sand as you walk in. THey will swim away as soon as they feel the disturbance.
Larisa says
Hello- I’m hoping for some insight. My 50th birthday is a week before the envision festival and I’m considering a stay in Uvita or also further up the coast near Manual Antonio. I prefer the rental I’ve found in Uvita, but worried that the town will be focused on preparations for the festival and not as pleasant to visit. Any recommendations?
Sammi says
If it’s just a week before Envision, there will be preparations and crowds coming in as some people come in early. The actual festivities won’t happen so you won’t run into any of that, but there will be noticeably more people. You could also consider staying in Dominical, which is just about 20 minutes north of Uvita since the festivities don’t partake in Dominical, so there may be less festival preparation going on there.
Hogan says
Hey – Envision is not happening in Uvita in 2025 ! No need to worry
Mary Ann says
Planning on a trip to Uvita. Would like to know if the beaches are good for swimming. Would like to avoid rip currents and big waves.
Sammi says
They’re not the best, pretty much all the beaches in that area experience some rip tides and can get dangerous currents during swells. Playa Hermosa was fun for us to swim, just do not go far. Lots of locals like to swim at Playa Ventanas but that beach can also get strong currents. If you don’t see anyone else swimming or if you see the red/yellow flags, do not go in the water as there are strong/dangerous currents if they put the flags out.
Janelle Morris says
Hello, We’re flying into Liberia from Canada (can’t fly into San Jose), and are debating whether we make the long drive down to Uvita or just stay in the Guanacaste region, as it’s so much closer. Thoughts? We have two weeks and two children aged 9 and 11.
Sammi says
Hi, we’ve sent you an email with more information
Caroline says
Hi! I’ve learned so much from your blog. Planning for August in Uvita, will it be warm enough for snorkeling and what attire should we pack? Thanks
Sammi says
Yes it’s very warm in August (temperatures don’t vary much in CR), here is our Costa Rica packing list
Louise Hill says
We are looking at staying in either Dominical or Uvita. We’d like to stay very close to the beach and be able to walk to restaurants. We don’t surf but like to play in the waves, snorkel and explore tide pools. Which destination do you think would be best for us? Are the beaches sandy or little stones?
Sammi says
I would go to Uvita, Dominical beach is very rocky and the waves can be very rough because the waves get big and the Central and South Pacific coast gets stronger waves and more rip tides. Uvita has more sandy beaches like the ones inside the national park
SIS Certifications says
This is an informative post. Got a lot of info and details from here..Thank you so much for sharing.
Tara says
Looking at the transportation part of the blog, you mention there is no airport in Uvita. What about flying a domestic flight from LaFortuna to Quepos? I heard there are small airports in each of these towns, but have done little research. Not sure my husband would agree to the long drive/shuttle/bus on the ground.
Sammi says
Hi Tara, you can fly into Quepos from La Fortuna and then arrange transportation to Uvita, you may have to do La Fortuna – San Jose – Uvita on the local flight.
Corey says
We’ll be in CR late June / Early July. 4 nights in Arenal and 6 nights in Dominical I’m debating which river float to do; Sierpe Mangrove Wildlife, the Rio Frio, or penas blancas. Seeing wildlife and experiencing the jungle/nature are most important. We’ll be booking through you, which would you advise?
Sammi says
I would go with Rio Frio or Sierpe as there are less people (Rio Frio is an exclusive tour run by our partner so no other tour company goes down that river to do safari floats and they only do one in the morning and afternoon so it’s way more exclusive). Sierpe doesn’t have as many tourists, Penas Blancas is the river all tour operators go to so sometimes there can be like 10 boats at once.
Dan and Shiri says
hye!
Thank you so much for this amazing website. your information is invaluable!
My wife and I are coming in two week (early april 2022) to costa rica for our honeymoon!
we thought about visiting Uvita and maybe Dominical but are unsure about the weather.
We were wondering if it would be very cloudy and rainy? and couldnt understand from other sites.
im just not sure if its a nice time to be on the beach nut maybe even so its worth it?
would be glad to hear your thoughts.
im guessing if we avoid this beaches we will only be in Guanacaste where i understand its still pretty dry in April.
Thanks in advance
Dan
Sammi says
Hi Dan, congratulations on getting married.
You can read our Costa Rica weather post for more details
Uvita and Dominical are the rainforest zones, so always be prepared for some rain but you can still enjyo the beach
Lou says
Hey 🙂 great blog!
We are travelling to Costa Rica in March and looking for somewhere on the pacific coast to spend a week.
We keep going between Uvita and Santa Teresa which I know seems to be totally contrasting.
I love the sound of Uvita and all the daytime activities/beaches to explore. The only thing holding me back is after the sunsets does Uvita become like a ghost town or is there some bars for a few cocktails/live music etc?
Thanks,
Louise
Sammi says
It kind of does, there isn’t a big nightlife in Uvita and there are just a couple of places that may have something going on, our friend owns a wine bar that is really nice and sometimes has things going on at night. Defintiely rent a car for Uvita.
Santa Teresa has a ton of bars and nightlife since it’s more of a young backpacker/surfer town
Debora says
Hello:
First thank you for your website. Very informative. Second, we will be in uvita on a day trip soon. Coming from Tinamaste by bus. Our main goals are to do some banking, find out about a bus to Panama/or the border and check out a few places to stay.
You said uvita was small and we could walk……is it possible to walk from the info. Centre to the Banco Nacional. I see they are both on the main highway which crosses the river.
Thank you
Sammi says
You can walk on the main highway
Ruth Carmichael says
We are heading to Uvita for a week in May 2022. I would very much like to see sloths. Is there a particular place to go such as a nature center or preserve in that area that would have educational information and best viewing options? Thanks for all the great information.
Sammi says
Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary is in the area and very nice for seeing a rescue center.
Oosha Rao says
Hi Sam
We r planning to visit CR for 3 weeks in June.
Love adventure. Nature, photography.
We had planned a Dec-Jan trip rented a car, booked hotels, et, but COVID spoiled it.
We are an older couple … well traveled, love South America but never traveled to Central America.
Love your blog, it’s just right.
Need some advice on planning 3 weeks. Will also need to book tours, etc.
Oosha Rao
Dave Schudda says
Hello, I am looking to visit Uvita next January for 4 days, go snorkeling and hopefully see some Whales. Do have any suggestions on another cool place to visit on the way back to SJO?
Thanks
I love your blog.
Sammi says
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio National Park is another nice tourist destination, it’s very touristy so if you want something more low key, I’d check out Esterillos Oeste
Joe says
I love reading your Guide! So helpful and we have been to lots of places you 2 recommend, never disappointed! Thank You
Sammi says
Glad to hear Joe 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Kiye Sic says
Awesome article! Thanks for sharing!