Central and Southern Pacific Lowlands
A marine park: nearly nine miles of coast from the Río Morete to Punta Piñuela, and 5,375 hectares of sea where humpback whales come in from December to March. Seabirds nest here too, and at Uvita a sand bar, the tombolo, runs out from the beach so you can walk out into the bay.
The birding is mostly on the hill above it. Hotel Cristal Ballena has over 200 species recorded on its own 30 acres of gardens and forest, with the park within walking distance, and the guided morning starts from the lodge.
La Cusinga, on a ridge over the same bay, is named for the Fiery-billed Aracari, the cusinga, which nests there.
The Fiery-billed Aracari first, a regional endemic of this stretch of the Pacific, and the bird that gave La Cusinga its name.
In the lowland forest round the bay, more of the birds found only on this coast, each carrying the official list's regional endemic flag: Baird's Trogon, Golden-naped Woodpecker and Orange-collared Manakin.
| English | Scientific | Spanish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiery-billed Aracari | Pteroglossus frantzii | Tucancillo Piquianaranjado | Regional endemic |
| Baird's Trogon | Trogon bairdii | Trogón Vientribermejo | Regional endemic |
| Golden-naped Woodpecker | Melanerpes chrysauchen | Capintero Nuquidorado | Regional endemic |
| Orange-collared Manakin | Manacus aurantiacus | Saltarín Cuellinaranja | Regional endemic |
Fly into San José. Most of our trips come down from the quetzal valley: from San Gerardo de Dota the road drops to Uvita in about two and a half hours. From Uvita it is about two hours up the coast to Jacó and Carara.
All year for the birds. December to March if you want the whales in the bay as well.
Three lodges: nineteen suites on the hillside with the park within walking distance, a ridge-top lodge in its own 250-hectare reserve with no air conditioning on purpose, and Hacienda Barú's lodge inside its refuge a little north.
Photo: Hacienda Barú Lodge
Dominical
A Superb Lodge with Eco-Excellent Ethos in a Natural Reserve
★★★
A lodge inside the Barú National Wildlife Refuge just north of Dominical, 330 hectares of rainforest, mangrove and beach with 7 km of trails and a bird watching tower. "Lots of birds, butterflies, monkeys and sloths", as one reviewer put it, and the owner has written a book about the place.
Photo: Hotel Cristal Ballena
Uvita
Breath-taking Southern Pacific Ocean Seascapes in Your Paradise Oasis
★★★★
Nineteen suites on a hillside with a 180-degree view of Bahía Ballena, 30 acres of gardens round a 1,300 square foot pool, a spa, and Marino Ballena National Park within walking distance. The comfortable night in the south, between the forest lodges.
Photo: La Cusinga Lodge
Uvita
★★★
High on a ridge over the Pacific inside a 250-hectare private reserve, named for the Fiery-billed Aracari, the cusinga, which lives in it. No air conditioning on purpose, hydro and solar power, and humpback whales in the bay below from December to March.
A few minutes on the form, and one of our Costa Rica specialists comes back to you personally with a first itinerary: the Pacific in the right order with whatever else is on your list, and how many nights each stop really needs. That first version is just a place to start.
Or call us: 1 (800) 996-1139 from the US and Canada, +506 4052-2140 in Costa Rica.
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