Ballena Marine National Park

A perfect place to see humpback whales, dolphins, manta rays and sharks

Countries
Costa Rica

Zones
South

Themes
Nature

The Ballena Marine National Park was created in 1989, with an area of ​​110 terrestrial hectares and 5,375 marine hectares.

The park is the favorite site of humpback whales and several types of dolphins, manta rays and sharks, becoming a natural setting where you can admire these animals seasonally. The humpback whales of South America arrive every year from July to October, and those of the North from December to April, to carry out their breeding cycle. They arrive at the Tombolo, a point in the park where there is a rock and sand formation that resembles the tail of a whale. This curiosity is the main attraction of the place. The populations of dolphins are residents, so it is common to observe them more frequently.

Within the Park, you can visit the Tombolo (whale tail), and you can do camping, snorkeling, tour and enjoy the beaches, or practice shallow and deep diving to appreciate a huge range of marine fauna. It is also possible to enjoy the calm sea that bathes these beaches, or take a boat ride around the islands.

The Ballena Marine National Park offers 15 km of beach, and has four official access routes for the enjoyment of visitors, all located an accessed by taking the South Inter-American Highway: Uvita, Piñuela, Ballena and Colonia. This last one is cataloged as one of the best beaches to learn how to surf.

Rincón de la Vieja National Park
San José
  • Playa Las Flores

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  • Quiriguá Archaeological Park

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  • Lake Atitlán and sorrounding towns

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