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Uvita, Dominical & Ojochal

11 VIDEOS · 9.16°N 83.74°W · VISITED MAY 2023
WHEN WE VISITEDMay 2023
GETTING THEREDrove 8 hrs from Sámara (with stops)
WEATHER WE GOTRain & some sun
BEST FOREveryone
WALKABILITYLow
NEED A VEHICLE?Yes
TOURISTY LEVELMedium
BUDGET$$
DAYS WE'D RECOMMEND5

We came to this area and stayed in various spots — you can see them in the playlist — and Oxygen Jungle Villas was our favorite. It's very humid here, which brings different animals and creatures than other parts of Costa Rica; when you leave, you'll miss the sound of the tink frogs.

Playa Ventanas was so cool to see — caves with the waves rushing through, a must-experience. Ojochal and Uvita both have good restaurants. We enjoyed our visit, but we definitely wouldn't want to live there.

The Uvita whale tail, Costa Rica A cave at Playa Ventanas, Costa Rica

Watch Uvita, Dominical & Ojochal

What we'd tell a friend

  1. Visit the Ventanas caves.
  2. Go to the whale tail just before low tide.

Who should come here?

COME HERE IF
  • You want nature
  • You want to see the famous whale tail
  • You want to experience Costa Rica's humid jungle
SKIP IT IF
  • You want to walk everywhere
  • You don't like humidity

The Dufresnes Verdict

LOCAL CUISINE
9/10
VALUE
6/10
FRIENDLINESS
8/10
WOULD RETURN? NO

Questions we actually get

Is Uvita worth visiting?

Yes — the whale tail, the Playa Ventanas caves, and the humid jungle make it special, and the food in Uvita and Ojochal is great. We enjoyed the visit, though we wouldn't want to live there.

How many days do you need?

About five for the highlights. We spent longer, staying in a few different spots across the area.

Do you need a car?

Yes — it's spread out, walkability is low, and it was an 8-hour drive for us from Sámara.

When should you visit the whale tail?

Head to the whale tail just before low tide, when the sandbar forms the tail shape.

Travel resources

Holafly Costa Rica eSIM — code THEDUFRESNES for 5% off