Playa Arco

Tip

Pay the park fee at the Playa Ballena ranger station, take the trail to Playa Ballena, then walk north over the rocks. Arrive 1–2 hours before low tide.

Be careful

Leave no later than a couple of hours after low tide or you'll be cut off. It's isolated, so leave valuables at home and go with company.

Getting there

Low tide only: you walk over rocks from Playa Ballena. Check a tide chart.

Places nearby

• 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.
• Hotel Cristal BallenaStaysHilltop boutique hotel south of Uvita with ocean views over Marino Ballena National Park, a large pool and a spa.
• La Choza de AlejoFood & CoffeeA big, airy Tex-Mex restaurant in Uvita, down the road from the Maxi Pali supermarket, with huge, nicely plated portions — tacos, burritos, chalupas, fajitas, enchiladas — and a 'museum bar' of tequilas and mezcals.
• Five MaesFood & CoffeeA local-favorite burger and wings joint on the Costanera in Uvita's Plaza Pacific Pools building, just south of the Marino Ballena entrance road: custom burgers, wings, poutine and milkshakes, dine in or take away.
• Bahía AventurasSurf, Boats & Diving · takes 2.5 h–3 h · from $78Costa Rican-owned marine tour operator in Uvita since 2007, offering whale and dolphin watching in Marino Ballena National Park and trips to Caño Island and Corcovado.
• Que Tuanis CaféFood & CoffeeA laid-back café in the center of Bahía Ballena, across from the soccer field and run by local women: Costa Rican breakfasts and plates plus burritos, burgers and wraps, coffee and ice cream.