Uvita, Costa Rica

Along Costa Rica’s stretch of deserted white sand beaches in the Southern Pacific is the small town of Uvita between Dominical and Ojochal. Uvita is known for the annual Envision Festival that celebrates all things permaculture, art, music, health and culture over the course of several days. The festival attracts a young crowd from all over the world and each year the crowd gets bigger. It’s described by many as Burning Man before it became commercialized. The area is also a tourist hub with snorkeling, canopy tours, horseback riding, and ATV tours. There are plenty of mangrove forests and estuaries to explore as well as breathtaking waterfalls along this stretch of the Costa Ballena.

The town is the commercial center for this part of Costa Rica. Uvita consists of a small hub for banks and stores including a grocery store. This little town is one of three pleasant escapes in this zone. Here tucked along the green mountains are eco-lodges, vacation rentals and upscale hotels are hidden from plain view. Neighboring the surf capital of Dominical, it also attracts its fair share of backpackers and yogis. It’s the sport for those looking for a place to take a break. On the coastal side, there is the charming Tico town Bahia-Ballenia.

Cano Island Biological Reserve is a hot spot for snorkeling and scuba diving in Costa Rica. Also, nearby is Marino Ballena National Park, which is known as the best location for humpback whale watching in Costa Rica. There is a piece of shore during that is literally the shape of the tail of a whale that also happens to be the best spot for whale watching in all of Costa Rica. From May through November, the park is also a hotspot for Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles making their way up to shore the lay their eggs each season. There is not a shortage of adventures and outdoor activities in Uvita.

For surfing venture up the coast to Dominical which also offers a number of great little yoga centers and retreat type places.