Best places to stay:
Close to modish Uvita village – a low-key, beach-and-rainforest alternative to nearby, tourist-busy Manuel Antonio – this hillside eyrie offers a sense of romantic wilderness isolation with restaurants and bars on the doorstep.
Glass-walled villas dominated by huge four-posters sit in secluded forest groves on a hillside in lush semi-wild rainforest.
Light floods into the rooms and the villa fronts are faced with al fresco terraces, poised to catch views of the setting sun as it drops over pristine jungle to the distant Pacific Ocean.
Suites have private plunge pools; there’s a spa set next to a tinkling stream and a wealth of wildlife and light adventure tours (horse-back riding on the beaches, whale watching, zip-lining and jungle hikes).
On the Central Pacific, just outside Marino Ballena National Park and just under an hour south of popular Manuel Antonio National Park, this resort feels heart-of-the-wild and secluded.
Yet the restaurants of Uvita village – an increasingly fashionable but low-key mini-hub – are only a 15-minute drive away. The international airport in San Jose can be reached in under three hours.
There are good rainforest hikes in the surrounds and day trips to Corcovado National Park – one of the country’s top places to see wildlife.
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Bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Ballena Marine National Park, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica[7.3 miles]
This marine national park off Uvita is one of the best places in the Americas to see humpback whales, with near year-round visits. You’ll also spot dolphins, Olive Ridley and Hawksbills turtles, boobies and pelicans.
Best for ages: 4+ | £50 | 3-4 hours
Destination guides including or relevant to this place to stay
Costa Rica
Rainforests, powdery beaches, white-water rivers and towering volcanoes: this relaxed Central American country offers exceptional wilderness adventures in stunning landscapes.
