The warm waters off the southern pacifics osa peninsula are costa rica s most popular destination for whale watching. This whale specie comes to migrate in this country whenever winter comes in the antarctica between august to october. The marino ballena national park is home to one of the most biologically diverse marine habitats in costa rica. A whale watching tour here is the perfect way to spend your afternoon in the. Whale and dolphin watching boat tour bahia rica adventures. During this combination tour well embark on a search for humpback whales to listen to their love songs and feel the great sensation of watching a mammal that weighs more than 40 tons jump out of the water and splash its gigantic tail. Sep 06, 2011 costa rica holds the longest season for humpback whale watching in the world. Costa rica is a great place for ecotourists to spot dolphins and whales. If you are an adventurer or a nature lover osa peninsula tours are for you. Whales and dolphins are so exciting to see when in costa rica. Ecotourists and wildlife enthusiasts will be blown away in our exhilarating whale watching and dolphin encounter combo tour. Dolphin and whale watching tour in drake bay, costa rica. Catch a glimpse of humpback whales in marino ballena national park. Whales and dolphins watching whale watching, costa rica.
We have more months with humpback whales in residence than anywhere else in the world. Tours with integrity at changing tide tours, we understand how important it is to have trustworthy, reliable and quality services. Whale watching tours and snorkeling excursions are your best bets to see them. It is very important for us to offer our customers a safe adventure journey in which you will also be able to take advantage and make the most of all the marine resources we have in our area, in a responsible and balanced way, appreciating their natural environment, but always looking for ways to intervene as little as possible in their habitat, abiding by the rules established about sightings. This long journey starts when temperatures in both north and south america start to cool during their respective winters. The costa rica osa peninsula is truly the last frontier of costa rica and a wild natural paradise. We have costa rican guides who know these waters well and will delight with excitement right along with you when you seen one breech for the very first. Costa rica nature tours, eco tours and wildlife trips.
Snorkeling is available when the ocean water is clear, typically during the dry season which falls between november and june. Costa rica whale watching tour destinations while it is possible to see whales all along the pacific coast and northern caribbean coast near tortuguero, they appear in the largest concentrations along the south pacific coast and the osa peninsula. Costa rica has the distinction of having more months with humpback whales in residence than any other place in the world. Experience the ancient annual ritual of pilot and humpback whales as they journey to complete their mating process in the vast pacific. Their length can extend up to 40 feet and some whale sharks can grow even more than that approximate figure. Hence, whale watching in costa rica tours are not so uncommon. Paul blackman dominical costa rica tours is a beachfront town in the province of puntarenas in costa rica approximately 45 km south of quepos. Whales travel more than 10,000 miles to reach the warm coasts of costa rica. The reason is because during the winter the antarctica august to october, humpbacks migrate from there to costa rica. It is very important for us to offer our customers a safe adventure journey in which you will also be able to take advantage and make the most of all the marine resources we have in our area, in a responsible and balanced way, appreciating their natural environment, but always looking for ways to intervene as little as possible in their habitat, abiding by the rules established about. Apr 30, 20 the zooplankton of this species, which have been eaten by blue whale varied from ocean to ocean depending on the availability. Also includes a guide hike to the archeological side of the island. On this costa rica whale watching and dolphin tour you will.
Costa rica dolphins and whales when should you come. Costa rica is lucky enough to have two whale seasons during the year and you can get to join us on one. Whale watching has become a very popular tour, and everyone is amazed at the sight of these amazing marine mammals. The best way to experience seeing one of these giant mammals is by going whale watching in costa rica with a tour. Celebrated for its incredible biodiversity, the uvita area is a hot spot for ecotourism, whale watching tour, nature tours, adventure tours,snorkeling cano island boat tours, conservationists and ecoadventurers alike. Northern humpbacks typically start to arrive in costa rica in december and can be seen until around april, while southern ones dont show up until later in july and stay until the beginning of november. Southern pacific whale watching in costa rica calendar and locations. In costa rica dive and surf we have an adequate boat, safe and comfortable, equipped for this kind of activities. The warm waters of costa rica s oceans attract whales and dolphins from north and south america. If you are a human seeing this field, please leave it empty. Explore costa ricas diverse forest and beach ecosystems on a halfday combo atv trip and surf lesson from playa hermosa. Dyde whales are frequently seen in costa ricas northern caribbean sea. Costa rica celebrates the longest humpback whale season in the world. Ballena national marine park whale watching costa rica.
Halfday tours leave from uvita beach at ballena national marine park and cruise around the humpback whales birthing grounds searching for the worlds largest mammals as well as spotted dolphins, sea turtles and pelagic birds like white ibis and the brown booby. Costa rica holds the longest season for humpback whale watching in the world. While it is possible to see whales all along the pacific coast and northern caribbean coast near tortuguero, they appear in the largest concentrations along the south pacific coast and the osa peninsula. This means that it is harder to see humpback whales during the december to april season, but not impossible. Poas volcano is one of the most important attractions from san jose and from the air is very impressive admire its huge crater, considered one of the largest in the world.
Costa rica whales and dolphins map, tour operator in costa. Costa rica has become the worlds premier ecotourism destination, and for good reason. Fast forward to today, marcy now owns his own boat company in coco. Youll travel as a group to visit a number of different areas in search of humpback whales, bottle nosed dolphins and schools of colorful tropical fish. This kayaking tour begins as the waves go to one side of the whales tail and the tide becomes low. Boat tours are the only way to venture out to whalewatching hotspots, while aerial trams, canopy tours and hanging bridges are the easiest way to get eyetoeye with forest canopy dwellers.
Have the best experience of your trip to san jose, costa rica, taking this unique and beautiful private helicopter tour over the poas volcano. What is the best time for whale watching in marino ballena, uvita, costa rica. Tours marino ballena and corcovado national park biological reserve, another magical place for biological reserve, another magical place for snorkeling, in fact this island has the healthiest coral reef in costa rica. Of the worlds 76 dolphin and whale species, an estimated 25 migrate, mate, birth and feed in costa rican waters. There are many tours for whale watching in costa rica along the pacific coast. Jul 12, 2017 costa rica whale watching tour destinations. In fact, the osa is home to the longest humpback whale watching. Top spots for whale watching in costa rica special places of. Scoot down the sand behind the wheel of an atv and make your way along the coast of three beautiful beaches before heading to playa tamarindo or grande for a surf lesson geared toward beginner and intermediate surfers. Mar 16, 2020 dolphin and whale spotting tour samara beach in guanacaste costa rica.
However, other species, such as the common bottlenose dolphin and pan tropical spotted dolphins can also be viewed during whale or dolphin watching tours. Snorkel in the colorful waters of marino ballena national park and explore the nearby mangrove forest. Whale sharks in costa rica are considered to be the biggest fish in the sea. Located on costa ricas amazingly beautiful central pacific coastline, the small. Costa rican waters are home to dozens of marine mammal species and spotted, or bottle nose dolphins commonly escort small craft on any offshore excursion. We are lucky enough to have quite a few species here that you may have the opportunity to see such as the humpback whale, the pilot whale, the blue whale, and the sei whale. This whale watching tour gives you the opportunity to spot pilot and humpback whales at the marino ballena national park near uvita, on the pacific coast of costa rica. But this reputation means that places as beautiful as the nicoya peninsula can get crowded.
There are several places along the beaches of costa rica that allow travelers to. Take off from manuel antonio and head south along the coast towards the town of uvita. This national park, one of only two national marine parks in the country, consists of 270 protected land acres 110 hectares and. In the correct season, is possible to observe females and their calves playing on the surface.
Whale and dolphin watching uvita bahia aventuras tour. Discover why this area attracts an estimated 25 whale and dolphin species. Humpback whales visit costa rica between july and october and again from december to february. The combo tour snorkeling, caves and whale watching tour is a nature enthusiasts dream and an animal lovers paradise. Discover the capital san jose, the lush nature of monteverde cloud forest reserve and some of the most stunning beaches of the continent. Due to its geographic location between north and south american continents and its tropical climates it is home to over half a million species making costa rica one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Whale watching from sea kayak costa rica adventure highlights. A whale mother is super protective of her offspring, taking hostile behavior against those who are a threat to her family. The migratory routes of costa rica dolphins and whales in the northern pacific pass through the area of samara beach and puerto carillo. There are no specific whale watching tours out of tamarindo but you can go on a catamaran or sailing tour.
Many of costa ricas nature tours are truly standout, promising onceinalifetime experiences. Humpback whales can be seen all along the pacific west side of costa rica, but definitely the best and most consistent place to see them is out of drake bay on the osa peninsula there are many reasons to visit drake bay besides the whales, such as it being the most beautiful part of costa rica with access to costa rica s crown jewel rainforest, corcovado national park. How to experience costa rica whale watching costa rica is one of the few places in the world where whales can be seen throughout the year. Boating in playas del coco with marcy, a local boat operator. The quantity of krill that can be consumed by an adult blue whale would be 40 million in a day. Costa rica is home to many species of marine mammals.
Visit costa rica, take a whale watching vacation to costa rica, and enjoy a whale watching trip in costa rica. The waters are famous for spotting different species of sea. Most tours depart from drake bay, although you can catch day excursions from puerto jimenez, as well. The best place to go whale watching in costa rica is the countrys pacific coast, as humpback whales migrate through the region between late july and november and again between december and march. Whale watching in costa rica two weeks in costa rica. Whales spend more time in costa rican waters than anywhere else. Come december to april, other whales come in to costa rica from antarctica to mate and nest. Apr 29, 2019 costa rica whale watching tours whale watching tours manuel antonio. Perhaps the best place to see these majestic creatures is the osa peninsula, located in the southern portion of puntarenas province. What to know about whale watching in uvita, costa rica. Find your own personal slice of pura vida by heading out into the pacific ocean during this halfday private boat tour from samara beach. Whale watching in costa rica calendar and locations the table shows the best times and places to add a humpback whale watching expedition to your costa rica vacation.
The very best time and place is august through october along the southern pacific coast from about jaco or manuel antonio to the warm waters around the osa peninsula but as detailed below there are lots of possibilities. Of course the whales are wild and there is never any guarantee that youll see them, but your captain and guides will be in constant contact by radio with other boats all using gps and knowledge of the recent movements of the animals in the area. Humpback whales are the most commonly targeted for whale watching tours. Dolphin tours in samara costa rica monteverde costa rica. In summer it is the best time for snorkeling, this depends on the weather conditions. Whale watching in costa rica costa rica costa rica. The divine dolphins wild dolphin and whale watching tours in drake bay, costa rica have been featured on national geographic, animal planet, travel channel, bbc with steve backshall, discovery channel, jeff corwin experience, destination wildlife. There are a few tour companies that operate whale and dolphin watching tours. This national park, one of only two national marine parks in the country, consists of 270 protected land acres 110 hectares and,200 acres 5,375. Apr 10, 2018 from about 1971, commercial whale watching began in north america, with most interest paid to fin and beluga whales and as time went on, the humpback whales and southern right aroused peoples interest.
Our professionally trained crew are passionate about sharing their knowledge and excitement for costa rica s marine life. Biological reserve, another magical place for biological reserve, another magical place for snorkeling, in fact this island has the healthiest coral reef in costa rica. Whales and wilderness includes accommodation as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more. The boat takes you to beautiful sites in search of dolphins and whales. Costa rica waters are home to dozens of marine species and we provide private small boat tours for you to observe them in their natural habitat. The warm waters off the southern pacifics osa peninsula are costa ricas most popular destination for whale watching. Whales and wilderness, you have a 14 day tour package taking you through san diego, usa and 9 other destinations. Due to its remoteness, it is less developed than much of the rest of the country.
Changing tide tours considers each tour and guest unique. Dyde whales are frequently seen in costa rica s northern caribbean sea. Visitors have a chance to see them during the season on a catamaran tour like planet dolphin. How to plan your whale watching tour and what to expect from it. The whale tail at uvitas marino ballena national park two. This tour can be taken year round, however, whale watching and snorkeling is only available during certain months.
Joining a whale watching tour you can reserve your tour online now with costa rica dive and surf. Whales and dolphins watching tour uvita information center. This is a great opportunity to experience the wonders of costa rica \s oceans. Since the middle of the eighties, with worldwide surveys taking place, whale watching gained a large amount of interest. Costa rica tours, hotels and reservations whales and. Spectacular humpback whale breaching off the coast of marino ballena. See dolphins frolicking alongside the boat and whales in their natural habitat. Whale watching costa rica, dominical, puntarenas, costa rica. The most common whale to see in costa rica are the humpback whales as they pass by costa rica more than 6 months of the year. Costa rica whale watching no limit adventures costa rica. Costa rica is a prime whale watching destination and it is all thanks to the spectacular annual migration of two groups of humpback whales. The warm waters off the southern pacifics osa peninsula are costa ricas most. The main species of whale that you will see in costa rica is the humpback whale, pseudo orca whale, and pilot whales. They can be found along both the pacific and caribbean coast, though much more reliably on the pacific side.
Come with us to experience an ancient ritual repeated year after year by pilot and humpback whales as they make their journey to complete their mating process that enables their species to continue to thrive in the pacific waters off the coast of costa rica. It is famous for large, yearround waves and is well known by most surfers in costa rica. This boat ride takes you through ballena marine national park, near the city of uvita. While tours devoted to whale watching are most common in the southern zone, if youre visiting areas in northern costa rica, like guanacaste, you might still be able to witness these giants passing through. Costa rica has the longest humpback whale watching season in the world. Find in this costa rica tourist map the best points to observe this wonder of nature. Did you ever want to see whales or dolphins on a boat ride. Whales and dolphins watching whale watching, costa rica tours. Paul blackman dominical costa rica tours, whale watching. Whale and dolphin watching, snorkeling and a visit to natural water caves. Costa rica is one of the best places in the world to go whale and dolphin watching. One of our staff members will contact you as soon as possible to provide more information about the tour.
The best place for whale watching in all of costa rica is definitely its southern pacific region, around the areas of osa peninsula and drake bay, where chances of spotting whales while in season is humongous. Humpbacks or other types of whales are sometimes spotted on catamaran, snorkel, or dive tours. We invite you to come join us on one of our boat tours and experience nature as it happens on the osa peninsula, costa rica. Whale and dolphin watching boat tour observe exceptional sea creatures. About half are commonly spotted off the south pacific, including brydes whales, humpback whales, and sei whales. You can start by downloading our free costa rica travel tips ebook and joining our newsletter which is a great first start to your trip planning. The divine dolphins wild dolphin and whale watching tours in drake bay, costa rica have been featured on national geographic, animal planet, travel channel, bbc with steve backshall, discovery channel, jeff corwin experience, destination wildlife, in vegetarian times magazine and more. Ballena tour costa rica, marino ballena and corcovado national park tours developed. The warm tropical waters provide a perfect nursery for humpback whales from both the northern and southern hemispheres. Humpback whale watching tour in costa rica dolphin. The whale tail at uvitas marino ballena national park. Costa rica whale watching ecotourists and wildlife enthusiasts will be blown away in our exhilarating whale watching and dolphin encounter costa rica combo tour. May 20, 20 costa rica tours, tours costa rica, costa rica tours are pioneers in organizing tours throughout costa rica, costa rica tours invites you to experience a tou. South puntarenas, northern region of the osa peninsula drake bay is one of the most isolated places in costa rica so you can either take a domestic flight or you can take a boat ride from sierpe.
Costa ricas best whale watching drake bay on the osa. When you reserve our dolphin and whale watching tour directly with us, you are assured to be on drake bays original pelagic tour with our passionate and qualified guides, our custommade tour boat, our onboard hydrophone to hear the dolphins and whales, and our 22 years of experience in drake bay, costa rica. Download a pdf fact sheet with all the information about the selected tour download pdf. Oct 28, 2017 because of this, costa rica has the longest humpback whale season in the world a family of whales in costa rica. Most of the scientists estimated that the average lifespan of this animal would be 80 years. During the winter in the arctic approximately december to april, their cousins migrate from the far north to costa rica for romance and babymaking. Courier services of costa rica to send national and international. Whales migrating from both hemispheres arrive to costa rica looking for perfect waters to breed and give birth.
Whale sharks in costa rica costa rica scuba diving. Whale watching costa rica the best times and places. Costa rica whales and dolphins map, tour operator in costa rica. The other whales that pass by costa rica are deep ocean dwellers. This southern pacific region of costa rica, situated near the osa peninsula features unspoiled beauty. He surfs as much as he can, fishes when he gets a chance and takes people out on his boat so they can discover the tremendous beauty of the gulf of papagayo. Whales, dolphins, turtles, sea birds, islands and caves.
175 1161 51 452 1049 1077 1076 1356 1044 1046 364 1263 652 1505 270 784 31 1401 242 1277 248 875 1495 626 459 927 1376 676 278 1147 743 775 1302 448 730 809