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Whale Watching in Costa Rica
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If you hope to go whale watching in Costa Rica — you are in for an incredible experience! Costa Rica boasts the longest humpback whale season worldwide, so you have a spectacular chance at seeing humpback whales during your trip to Costa Rica — and potentially other marine life too.
Before heading to Costa Rica, read through this guide to learn everything you need to know about spotting whales in Costa Rica, including the country’s whale-watching season, where to see whales, and the best whale-watching tours in Costa Rica.
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Costa Rica Whale and Dolphin Species
During your vacation, you will have the opportunity to see three species of migrating humpback whales in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Whale Species
- California Humpback Whales
- Antarctic Humpback Whales
- North Atlantic St. Lawrence Humpback Whales
- Orcas
- Bryde’s Whales
- False Killer Whales
As we mentioned earlier, Costa Rica has the longest humpback whale season in the entire world. You will be able to see the Northern and Southern Hemisphere humpback whales passing through the waters of Costa Rica for more than ten months of the year.
Some of these whales – primarily humpbacks – are fairly common for Costa Rican whale watchers to see. Others, like orcas, can be elusive, even on a whale watching tour.
Costa Rica Dolphin Species
- Bottlenose dolphins
- Spotted dolphins
- Guiana dolphins
- Spinner dolphins
It’s not only whales you’ll see on a whale watching tour. There’s a good chance you’ll see many of these dolphins frolicking around your boat.
Though they aren’t as common as humpbacks, pilot whales, pseudo orca whales, and blue whales have all been spotted off the coast of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Whale-Watching Season
You can see Northern Hemisphere California Humpback Whales off Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast from December to March. The Southern Hemisphere Antarctic Whales migrate north from late July to November. If you stay along the Caribbean Sea, you can see the North Atlantic St. Lawrence Humpback Whales trading in the cold waters of Eastern Canada for these warm waters from December – March.
The only place with an abundance of both types of whales at both times of year is Uvita — a town on the Osa Peninsula on the South Pacific Coast. That is why famous whale-watching destinations in this region, like Marino Ballena National Park, are widely considered the best places for whale-watching in Costa Rica.
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Best Months for Whale Watching in Costa Rica
The best months for seeing humpback whales in Costa Rica are January, February, August, and September. During these months, the humpback whales are most active because this is when they breed and raise their young. So, if you want to see baby whales, these months are the best times to visit.
If you wish to attend the Annual Whale and Dolphin Festival in Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula, plan your trip in early September, during the peak season. It’s almost guaranteed you will see a humpback whale, and you will likely see bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, spotted dolphins, sea turtles, and sea birds during your whale-watching tour.
You really can’t go wrong when visiting Costa Rica to whale watch. Different months bring different whale species, which can be a great excuse to come back again another time of year.
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Best Places for Costa Rica Whale Watching
Whether you’re searching for humpback whales, pilot whales, or bottlenose dolphins — there are plenty of opportunities to see majestic whales in Costa Rica. From the warm tropical waters of Golfo Dulce to Papagayo Bay — here are the best places to embark on a whale-watching tour in Costa Rica (moving north to south on the Pacific Coast).
Guanacaste & North Pacific Coast
If you’re looking for somewhere to spot whales in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica, the Gulf of Papagayo (or Papagayo Bay) is your best bet. This gulf stretches from Santa Rosa National Park to other beaches in the south, like Playas del Coco and Playa Hermosa. It is most common to see humpback whales here in July and August.
Playa Flamingo and Tamarindo
While it may be less common, you can also see humpback whales off the coast of other beaches in Guanacaste, like Playa Flamingo or Tamarindo, as the humpbacks migrate from the cold northern or southern waters to the warmer waters of Central America.
Many times, whale watching Costa Rica style can mean seeing an endangered humpback whale, blue whales, or other Costa Rica whale species on a snorkeling or scuba diving boat tour.
In the ocean world off Costa Rica, you never know if snorkeling excursions can accidentally cross paths with the ocean’s gentle giants.
Gulf of Nicoya
Another favorite of whale watchers who visit Costa Rica to see Pacific humpback whales is the Gulf of Nicoya. Whale and dolphin tours can lead you to Southern hemisphere antarctic humpbacks, spinner dolphins, and rough toothed dolphins in this popular whale breeding destination. Summer is your best bet to see mother whales basking with their calves in the warm tropical waters of the Gulf of Nicoya.
Uvita and the South Pacific Coast
The further you move down the Pacific Coast — the better chance you’ll have at seeing whales. That is why Uvita, a town between Manuel Antonio National Park and the Osa Peninsula, is one of the best places for spotting whales and dolphins.
The national park in Uvita — Marino Ballena National Park — was created to protect the waters around this town since it’s a popular spot for humpback whales to come to breed, nurse their young, and teach them how to dive, feed, and play. For the best chance of seeing whales at Marino Ballena National Park, visit from August to October. However, the official whale-watching season lasts from August to April.
Fun Fact: At low tide, the ocean waters in Marino Ballena National Park retreat to reveal a sandbar in the shape of a whale’s tail, nicknamed the “Whale’s Tail Sandbar.”
Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio National Park, located at the center of Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, is a beloved tourist destination for its golden-sand beaches, excellent surfing, and exotic wildlife, like monkeys and sloths. However, it’s not unusual to see humpback whales or dolphins off the coast of this popular national park during June, July, and August.
Osa Peninsula
Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, located on the Southern Pacific Coast, is one of the best locations in the entire country to embark on a whale-watching tour.
Popular places to see whales on the Osa Peninsula include Drake Bay and Golfo Dulce. Drake Bay is located on the northwestern side of the peninsula, whereas Golfo Dulce stretches between the Osa Peninsula and Piedras Blancas National Park. The shallow, protected, calm waters in both locations provide the perfect place for humpback whales (usually Southern Antarctic Humpback Whales) to raise their calves. Hotels on the Osa Peninsula can typically arrange whale or dolphin tours in these two popular whale-watching locations.
Drake Bay and Golfo Dulce
Drake Bay is located on the northwestern side of the peninsula, whereas Golfo Dulce stretches between the Osa Peninsula and Piedras Blancas National Park.
The shallow, protected, calm waters in both locations provide the perfect place for Southern hemisphere humpback whales (usually Southern Antarctic Humpback Whales) to raise their calves. Hotels on the Osa Peninsula can typically arrange whale or dolphin tours in these two popular whale-watching locations.
Whale and dolphin tours leave into the warm coastal waters annually, typically in summer, and a boat excursion here can be a ticket to see the marine park’s underwater inhabitants.
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Whale-Watching Regulations and guidelines
Like everything in Costa Rica, tourism – and particularly whale watching – has a laser focus on sustainability and conservation. When you go out on a whale or dolphin tour, there are certain rules and regulations that you should be aware of. This isn’t a complete list, but here are some of the main guidelines:
- Whales and dolphins should be approached at low speeds
- Vessels should approach from behind and at an angle of 45º and parallel to the whale or dolphin’s direction of movement
- The closest you can approach a dolphin is 50 meters, and closest to a whale is 100 meters
- The maximum time to observe a specific whale or pod is 30 minutes
- There is a maximum of 2 boats total observing a group of whales at the same time
- Swimming, feeding, and diving with whales is strictly prohibited in Costa Rica
The more that we all adhere to these regulations and guidelines, the brighter the future – for the whales especially, but also for the whale watching and marine tourism industries.
Whether you’re off the northern Caribbean coast, on a Pacific coast December whale watching adventure, or in the Ballena Marine National Park, these rules apply to all Costa Rican waters.
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Top Costa Rica Whale-Watching Tours
While there are plenty of opportunities to see whales and dolphins on the Northern or Central Coast of the Pacific Ocean, most official whale-watching tours in Costa Rica will depart from the Osa Peninsula or Southern Pacific Coast.
- Whale-Watching Tours in Guanacaste: There aren’t many (if any) whale-watching tours offered in Guanacaste. However, you can book a snorkeling excursion, sunset sailing adventure, or fishing tour for the chance of a whale and dolphin sighting while you’re on the high seas.
- Whale-Watching Tours in Manuel Antonio: Similarly to Guanacaste, there are no specific whale-watching tours on the Central Pacific Coast. However, consider booking a catamaran or sunset sailing excursion in August or September if you want to see a whale or dolphin.
- Whale-Watching Tours in Uvita: Uvita is located on the Costa Ballena (Whale Coast) of Costa Rica. Here, you can find plenty of tour providers offering whale or dolphin tours. Popular providers are Dolphin Tours, Bahia Adventures, Ballena Tour Costa Rica, and Ballena Aventura.
- Whale-Watching Tours in Drake Bay: There are plenty of whale and dolphin-watching tours that depart from Drake Bay. Popular tour providers include The Divine Dolphin and Pelagic Boat Tours, Scuba, and Sport Fishing.
- Whale-Watching Tours in Drake Bay: There are plenty of whale and dolphin-watching tours that depart from Drake Bay. Popular tour providers include The Divine Dolphin and Pelagic Boat Tours, Scuba, and Sport Fishing.
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