When to see whales in Costa Ballena

Marino Ballena National Park gets its name from the whales, and the sandbar at its center, the Whale's Tail, draws a humpback's fluke in sand at low tide. The whales themselves are not year-round, but they are more reliable here than almost anywhere, because two separate populations use the same warm water to calve.

Two seasons, not one

Humpbacks come to Costa Ballena from both hemispheres. The southern group travels up from the waters near Antarctica and is here from roughly July into November, with August through October the busiest stretch. A second, shorter run of northern humpbacks arrives from late December into March. Between the two, the bay sees whales across more months of the year than most places on earth, which is why operators here talk about one of the longest whale seasons anywhere.

If you can choose, aim for the southern season. August to October is the peak, the calves are active, and the town builds its Festival de Ballenas y Delfines around it in September.

A note on the rain

The catch is that the southern peak overlaps the wettest part of the green season. September and October bring the heaviest afternoon rain on this coast. Mornings are usually the clearer window, and most whale tours leave early for exactly that reason, so book a morning departure and keep a flexible day around it.

Picking a tour

Tours leave from the Uvita beach entrance to the park and run two to three hours. A few things worth checking before you book:

• Operators should keep the legal distance from the animals and cut engines near them. Responsible captains do this without being asked.
• Smaller boats get you a steadier, closer look than a packed catamaran.
• Many trips combine the whales with a stop at the Whale's Tail or a snorkel at the rock formations off the point.

Browse the verified whale-watching and boat operators, along with stays and restaurants, on the Costa Ballena area guide.