Ten miles south of Dominical on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica in Province of Puntarenas you can find the small town of Uvita, with its two mile long pristine beach. For people who want to get away from the more touristic spots and want to enjoy a more rustic atmosphere. Uvita is the right choice. Playa Uvita is located within the Marina Ballena National Park and therefore activities like fishing are not allowed. The marine park is named after the Humpback whales, one of the world’s endangered species, who migrate to the South Pacific coast of Costa Rica to mate and give birth to their offspring. The whales travel thousands of miles to take advantage of the warm and calm waters around Uvita to let their new born calves gain strength before returning to the cold waters that offer plenty of krill to feed on. Part of the mating ritual is the famous ‘song of the whale’, where the male makes a series of melodious sounds that can travel miles under water. The most common explanation for this ritual is that it is used to attract the females, but so far this has not been scientifically proven. From Playa Uvita you can organize a boat tour to observe the whales during the months that these magnificent mammals visit this part of Costa Rica. The whales from the Southern hemisphere visit Uvita from August till September, the ones coming from the Northern hemisphere can be seen from December till April. Perhaps the reason for the charm and beauty of Uvita is caused by its relatively isolated position. Located between Dominical and Drake Bay, Playa Uvita is relatively hard to reach. By car from the Central Valley it will take you a five hour ride. The excellent Costa Rican public transportation can be used to travel Quepos and San Isidro, where a connection to Uvita can be found. Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela and Tobias Bolanos Domestic Airport in San Jose offer flights to Palmar Sur, from where it is a two hour drive to Uvita. But it’s certainly worth to make the effort and visit the quiet town of Uvita. There is a small but distinct choice of accommodations, stores, bars and restaurants. Boat tours can be made to several small islands, such as Cano Island or Ballena Island. Favorite activities are swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayaking and horse back riding. The unique green landscape is formed by mangroves in marshlands of the Uvita river delta, forest and the beautiful ocean front.