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. There are many costa rica tours where visitors can enjoy this spectacle of mother nature while being amazed by the surrounding landscapes. This whale specie comes to migrate in this country whenever winter comes in the antarctica between august to october. Perhaps the most puzzling natural phenomenon of the park is the whales tail sandbar. Whale watching costa rica, dominical, puntarenas, costa rica. Whale watching in costa rica serendipity sailing charters. The blue whales in the pacific ocean are majestic creatures renowned all over the world. Costa rica dolphins and whales when should you come. Humpback whales are the most commonly targeted for whale watching tours. Whale watching season in costa rica is marked from july to october of each year. We have a unique way of meeting your adventurous expectations. Whale watching has become a very popular tour, and everyone is amazed at the sight of these amazing marine mammals.
Of the worlds 76 dolphin and whale species, an estimated 25 migrate, mate, birth and feed in costa rican waters. Costa rica whale watching ecotourists and wildlife enthusiasts will be blown away in our exhilarating whale watching and dolphin encounter costa rica combo tour. Uvita bahia ballena is a privileged place for the best whale watching in costa. Costa rica celebrates the longest humpback whale season in the world. The reason is because during the winter the antarctica august to october, humpbacks migrate from there to costa rica. If you are interested in whale watching during one of our sailing charters, please let us know that this is the goal of your trip. Dyde whales are frequently seen in costa rica s northern caribbean sea. Jul 20, 2015 this place is a whale sanctuary, whale shape, maybe is an alien base under,i guess we have no clue. The whale resort is a large beachfront property located on the edge of canaza, a small town about 15 minutes from puerto jimenez, a much larger port town that offers all the amenities such as restaurants, bars, banksatms, pharmacies, medical facilities, tour operators, a commercial airport, and plenty of shopping, but if youre in a big hurry, canaza also has its own. If you are a human seeing this field, please leave it empty. While it is impossible to guaranty you will see these species during the months outlined below, we have provided the months that they are most commonly sited in the waters of costa rica. You can see whales all along the pacific coast of costa rica during those months. The whale tail at uvitas marino ballena national park two. Where to see humpback whales in costa rica although it is possible to see humpback whales along many parts of costa ricas pacific coast, they tend to congregate in the southern pacific.
Find your own personal slice of pura vida by heading out into the pacific ocean during this halfday private boat tour from samara beach. Technically classified as dolphins, orca killer whales, pseudo orca false killer. Discover why this area attracts an estimated 25 whale and dolphin species. Costa rica s famous whale tail is located in the small town of uvita, about an hour south of manuel antonio and is part of parque nacional marino ballena the national marine whale park. Dyde whales are frequently seen in costa ricas northern caribbean sea.
This southern pacific region of costa rica, situated near the osa peninsula features unspoiled beauty. The official humpback season in costa rica is december to march and. They are mostly found in all oceans and open seas from the freezing waters of antarctica and arctic to the tropical and temperate water of pacific like costa rica. The park is named for the pacific humpback whales that return to these warm coastal waters annually to breed. 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 best time to see humpback whales in costa rica is august and september. Whale watching a big tourist attraction in costa rica the. Beach, transitional tropical rain forest closest airports. Various dolphin species play up and down the pacific coast, while the caribbean is home mostly to the bottlenose dolphin.
The majority of visitors are surfers hoping for a three or four minute ride on the second longest left in the world at pavones. This dolphin and whale map shows the species that either migrate to or inhabit the waters of costa rica. Costa rica dolphins and whales come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and will be a great addition to your trip. These magnificent creatures, some of the largest marine mammals in the world, are an aweinspiring sight. Puerto jimenez is a much larger port town that offers all the amenities such as restaurants, bars, banksatms, pharmacies, medical facilities, tour operators, airport, and grocery stores. They can be found along both the pacific and caribbean coast, though much more reliably on the pacific side. Monitor whales with a multilingual survey learn arcgis. Costa rica whales and dolphins map, tour operator in costa. Southern, antarcticbased humpback whales spend their winter months near australia and as far north as costa rica from june to november.
Mar 15, 2012 orca or orcinus orca is a mammal which is a part of the family of delphinidae in the order of cetacea. Whale watching season is in full effect on costa ricas. Orca or orcinus orca is a mammal which is a part of the family of delphinidae in the order of cetacea. Watching a majestic humpback whale performing acrobatic leaps out of the sea rates as one of costa ricas best bucketlist experiences. Apr 29, 2019 the best time to see humpback whales in costa rica is august and september. 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. The osa peninsula and gulf of dulce have high numbers of whales as well as the beach towns of uvita and dominical on the costa ballena whale coast. The country is a perfect place to see these incredible mammals in their natural habitat. About half are commonly spotted off the south pacific, including brydes whales, humpback whales, and sei whales. There are various whale watching tour operators that take you out in. 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 hectares of preserved ocean. Whales migrating from both hemispheres pass by costa rica, so you have a pretty darn good chance of seeing whales if you go to hot spots like uvita, sierpe or drake bay.
Sep 06, 2011 costa rica holds the longest season for humpback whale watching in the world. Oct 18, 2016 our whale watching guide to costa rica is an invaluable reference if youre keen to head on over to admire these ginormous creatures at their best. The scientific name given to the blue whale is balaenoptera musculus. The whale tail at uvitas marino ballena national park. Whale watching and dolphin watching in costa rica, during this tour we can see the humpback whales, spotted dolphins, bottle noses, turtles and sea birds combined with snorkeling in the tail of the whale or whale island where you can see different types of reef fish. During the winter in the arctic approximately december to april, their cousins migrate from the far north to costa rica for romance and babymaking. The whale resort is a large beachfront property located on the edge of canaza, a small town about 15 minutes from puerto jimenez, a much larger port town that offers all the amenities such as restaurants, bars, banksatms, pharmacies, medical facilities, tour operators, a commercial airport, and plenty of shopping, but if youre in a big hurry, canaza also has its own small grocery. Sea turtles, tropical fish, dolphins, and whales all frequent the waters of costa ricas two coasts. Create a survey to record sightings of humpback whales near costa rica.
But this reputation means that places as beautiful as the nicoya peninsula can get crowded. Costa rica is home to an estimated 25 whale and dolphin varieties, which migrate, mate and make their home in the pacific ocean and the caribbean sea. The whale resort is a large beachfront property located on the edge of canaza, a small town about 15 minutes from puerto jimenez. 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. Even most costa rica experts only recognize two peninsulas nicoya and osa because burica is so far down on the map that most tourists never even think of going there. Perhaps the most puzzling natural phenomenon of the park is the whale s tail sandbar. Of the roughly 25 species of whales and dolphins that migrate through costa rica, humpback whales are by far the most abundant and they the most marked. This toothed whale is also better known as killer whales. Costa rica has the distinction of having more months with humpback whales in residence than any other place in the world. Technically classified as dolphins, orca killer whales, pseudo.
Whale watching tours and snorkeling excursions are your best bets to see them. First, youll download and install survey123 connect for arcgis. Marine mammals and predators in costa rica earthwatch. At a height of 1700 feet500m on a mountainside above the pacific ocean and the best beaches in costa rica. You see them all over the map but specifically in places like the golfo dulce, central pacific, guanacaste, osa peninsula and the tropical waters of the caribbean seeing a wild animal in its natural habitat is always a beautiful thing, but seeing a whale jump. The diet of the blue whale like most creatures of its family consists mostly of small crustaceans or plankton present in the waters of costa rica. Guide to jaco, costa ricas largest beach destination. From august to october and from december to march, tourists in costa rica are able to watch humpback whales, who migrate from the northern and southern hemispheres to breed and give birth in the warm waters of the costa rican pacific coast. One of the best places for whale watching in the world. Hi all can someone please tell me what times of the year are the best for whale watching on the pacific coast of costa rica. Because of this, costa rica has the longest humpback whale season in the world a family of whales in costa rica. Costa rica has the longest humpback whale watching season in the world.
There are many costa rica tours where visitors can enjoy this spectacle of mother nature while being amazed by the surrounding landscapes costa rica is a blessed spot for experiencing nature in an unimaginable and completely different way. Humpback whale mothers give birth in the pockets of shallow temperate waters off the shores of costa rica while orcas and bottlenose dolphins troll for sushi. This is when they come to breed and raise their young and is the best time to go on a costa rica whale watching tour. The main species of whale that you will see in costa rica is the humpback whale, pseudo orca whale, and pilot whales. Whale watching a big tourist attraction in costa rica. Killer whales migrate to warmer, temperate water of pacific coast of costa rica in abundance. Orca comun, espolante habitat open tropical, temperate, and polar seas are home to the orca. 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. With coastlines on both the pacific ocean and caribbean sea, costa rica is one of the few countries in the world with. Costa rica whales and dolphins map, tour operator in costa rica.
A rare encounter with a family of humpback whales in the gulf of papagayo, near liberia, costa rica. Whale watching in costa rica two weeks in costa rica. You see them all over the map but specifically in places like the golfo dulce, central pacific, guanacaste, osa peninsula and the tropical waters of the caribbean seeing a wild animal in its natural habitat is always a beautiful thing, but seeing a whale jump from the. There are huge resident populations of dolphins up and down both of costa ricas coasts, so.
Come december to april, other whales come in to costa rica from antarctica to mate and nest. 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 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 hectares of. Costa ricas famous whale tail is located in the small town of uvita, about an hour south of manuel antonio and is part of parque nacional marino ballena the national marine whale park. In most areas, dedicated whalewatching tours are uncommon. Situated on the south pacific coast of costa rica, ballena marine national park is the destination that comes to mind first for many costa rican whale watchers. Snorkel and observe bottled nose dolphins, spotted dolphins, turtles, bicolor parrot fish and more in uvita, costa rica. Costa rica whales and dolphins map the country is a perfect place to see these incredible mammals in their natural habitat. There are various whale watching tour operators that take you out in various boats to see the great mammals. Technically classified as dolphins, orca killer whales, pseudo orca whales, and short. Stretching from dominical south to ojochal, costa ballena encompasses a vast stretch of a gorgeously rugged shoreline and a number of beautiful beaches this southern pacific region of costa rica features unspoiled beauty and natural charm that expresses an overarching appeal and gives a unique character to the region. 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. They are most likely to be seen in costa rica between august and october. The focus of these tours is on whales, but youre likely to spot dolphins, sea turtles, rays, and other marine life while out on the water as well.
We highlight the best spots in costa rica for whalewatching and offer nifty tips to ensure your journey is a safe, responsible and unforgettable one. Whale watching in costa rica costa rica costa rica. The blue whales were present in all major oceans across the world until the start of this century. The warm waters off the southern pacifics osa peninsula are costa ricas most. In this post, well focus on whales, specifically humpback. There are many tours for whale watching in costa rica along the pacific coast. Golfo dulce, a narrow inlet on the southern pacific coast of costa rica, provides a rich habitat for cetaceans whales and dolphins. Costa rica tourism costa rica hotels costa rica bed and breakfast costa rica vacation rentals. There are 30 species of whale, dolphin and porpoise that pass through costa ricas waters, but many of them move only through deeper water and thus are more rarely seen, except with a deep sea boat and a spot of luck. All of this and more can be seen on dolphin and whale watching excursions into costa ricas ocean habitats some of the most biologically diverse marine habitats in the world. Costa rica has become the worlds premier ecotourism destination, and for good reason. Where to see humpback whales in costa rica although it is possible to see humpback whales along many parts of costa rica s pacific coast, they tend to congregate in the southern pacific. 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.
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