Playa Ballena (Marino Ballena National Park)

Before you go

Entry

$6 for visitors · same-day entry to Playa Arco and Playa Piñuelas (Marino Ballena National Park)

Payment

card

Tickets

Pay at the entrance

Swimming

Only when the water is calm

Kids

Good for kids

Bring

card for the park fee, water, snacks

Checked

2026-10

Tip

One park ticket covers Ballena, Arco and Piñuelas for the day: come at low tide, walk the short connector trail north to Playa Arco and its cave, then come back to Ballena for a swim.

Be careful

Rip currents can form even on calm-looking days. Don't leave valuables in the car — break-ins have been reported around the Arco side.

Getting there

Signed turnoff from Highway 34 about 5 km south of Uvita to the park's Ballena sector entrance, with parking next to the ranger booth.

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.
• 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.
• 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.