Costa Rica Beaches

Ballena Beach

By Patrick Brunelle ⋅ October 22, 2009 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Ballena beach is one of my favorite beaches in all of Costa Rica. What makes this beach different from the others is the effort it takes to get there. The beach is situated next to a large cliff where the road is located. This means you can’t drive up to Ballena beach as you can most beaches. The best way to get there is through the private trails that are taken care of by La Cusinga Lodge, one of the top Eco hotels in the world.

Ballena means whale in English. The beach is called Ballena beach because if you are lucky, you will actually be able to spot whales in the distance. This is one of the only places in Costa Rica where whales can be spotted from shore. I have not personally seen any whales while I was there, but I was extremely lucky to see some whales from the hotel lobby area. After seeing them, I can now say, that there are very few things on earth that are as majestic and jaw dropping.

If you want to check Ballena beach out, make sure to bring some drinks and food, as it is quite isolated, and it would be too late to get drinks and food once you got there. You’ll also want to bring a wet bag as there is nowhere to protect yourself from the rain. The easiest way to get to Ballena beach is to drive to San Isidro de General. The drive is about 4 hours from San Jose. Dominical is your best option for finding affordable accommodation, as it is located just 30 minutes away. The coastal drive from Ballena to Dominical is one of the most beautiful drives you will ever embark on, as the Pacific Ocean can be seen for the entire drive.