Cascada El Pavón
Waterfall · Central Pacific

A free, family-friendly waterfall near Ojochal with a huge boulder wedged right at the top of the falls and a pool below for a dip.
- Cost
- Free
- Time there
- 45 min
- Best time
- morning
- Kids
- 8 / 10
- View
- 7 / 10
- Crowds
- 4 / 10
- Swimming
- 7 / 10
- Effort
- 2 / 10
- Location
- 9.07971, -83.62018 — Google Maps
Tip
Follow the signs for 'Cascada El Pavón' and park on the roadside; there's no entrance fee. Signs for other waterfalls nearby lead to places that charge.
Be careful
Rocks around the pool are slippery, and the stream rises quickly after heavy rain.
Places nearby
- Restaurante ExóticaFood & CoffeeOpen-air fine dining under a thatched roof in the Ojochal jungle since 1998: French technique with Asian, Polynesian and Mediterranean touches, from sea bass carpaccio to duck breast and a chocolate dessert.
- Mica Linda Bar & RestaurantFood & CoffeeA small open-air bar and restaurant at the water's edge next to the boat launch for Isla Garza, south of Ojochal.
- Citrus RestauranteFood & CoffeeChef-run creative cuisine in Plaza Tangara, Ojochal, with a modern dining room and a menu built around local seafood, crispy pork belly and house cocktails.
- Reserva Playa Tortuga (sea turtle hatcheries and releases)Parks & WildlifeA local non-profit that protects sea-turtle nests on the beaches around Ojochal and Uvita from July to December, moving eggs to hatcheries.
- Heliconia RestauranteFood & CoffeeA jungle restaurant in Ojochal set on the bank of a small river, with trees growing right through the patio and capuchin monkeys sometimes watching the lunch crowd.
- Ballena BistroFood & CoffeeA popular bistro on Highway 34 in Ballena, a little south of Uvita, inside the 'Goathouse' building, cooking the same reliable food for more than a decade: tuna poke bowls, mahi-mahi sandwiches, coconut-mango curry and homemade ice cream, with vegan and gluten-free choices.
Sources: OpenStreetMap node/8423657805 · https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8423657805 · https://ticotravel.com/costa-rica-waterfall-cascada-el-pavon-an-essential-guide/ · https://mytanfeet.com/activities/cascada-el-pavon-ojochal