You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
Mae West
If you’re travelling up or down the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, and looking for a seaside spot to stop off for some downtime, I would highly recommend Bahia Ballena Beach.
Where is Bahia Ballena Beach?
Bahia Ballena is located on the Southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, approximately 3.5 hours drive from San Jose or 2.5 hours drive from the Osa peninsula. Bahia Ballena is just south of the popular surfing town of Dominical, and just a couple of kilometres from the quiet backpacker village of Uvita.
Why is it called Bahia Ballena?
“Ballena” means whale in Spanish and the beach is named after this great creature for two reasons.
Firstly, it’s one of the best places in Costa Rica for whale watching. Between July to October and December to February you can take a boat tour to spot humpback whales as they journey on their migrations.
Secondly, the beach here is distinctively shaped like a whale’s tail – very easy to spot from higher ground or the air!
Accommodation at Bahia Ballena Beach
Bahia Ballena remains a bit of a local’s secret and is definitely a quieter beach that’s not so well known on the tourist trail. It’s the type of place where you don’t need to book accommodation in advance – you can just rock up and chat to the accommodation owners and work out a deal between you.
Word of warning – the accommodation here is very basic so if you’re looking for luxury you’re in the wrong place. You may not easily find air conditioning or hot water. But if you just want somewhere to rest your head after a long day soaking up the sun, then this is a great place to chill with a beer or two on your hotel porch or balcony.
Facilities at Bahia Ballena Beach
You don’t need to worry about sustenance when visiting Bahia Ballena as there’s a great strip of small, local bars and restaurants that serve delicious fresh food, as well as shops where you can buy other snacks etc if needed.
Other than that, facilities are very limited. Like most beaches in Costa Rica, Bahia Ballena is rugged and natural – which is all part of its charm.
Safety at Bahia Ballena Beach
You will need to be very careful of thieves in this area. It’s recommended that you leave valuables locked in your hotel room whilst at the beach, and only take the essentials with you. Thieves are operating on the beach and we spotted some suspicious characters ourselves, but luckily didn’t fall prey to anything sinister. There was also a sign warning about caimans, but we didn’t see any!
Favourite memory at Bahia Ballena Beach: Relaxing in the warm shallow waters
Best food at Bahia Ballena Beach: Fresh ceviche in one of the roadside bars
Rio Magnolia Nature Lodge
I did also want to mention a beautiful nature lodge that we stayed at very close to Bahia Ballena – Rio Magnolia. This is a stunning hotel that boasts grounds spanning 280 acres, made up mostly of jungle. From the luxurious rooms with floor to ceiling windows you overlook a vastly forested valley, that you can explore for yourself at leisure and seek out the hidden waterfalls. There is also a gorgeous pool from which we enjoyed toucan spotting in the trees above us. The owners of the hotel insist on a personal touch and each evening ask their patrons whether they prefer to dine alone, or with other guests. So if you’re looking to get to know other travellers this is an ideal place to do it. I had booked this for my partner as a special birthday treat and we definitely felt spoilt staying here. Plus there’s a huge focus on sustainability so you can indulge in luxury without a shred of guilt!
Hidden Corners 