I'm a sucker for a road trip along the coast; yes, even when I'm in Costa Rica. It didn't take much mentioning of waterfalls and secluded beaches to convince my family to follow my lead down the Costa Rican west coast to Dominical and Uvita for a day.
I recommend this day trip for anyone staying within a reasonable drive of the area. Quepos was only a 1 hour drive (no detours) to the final destination, and from Jaco it would only be about ~2 hours. If you have more time to spend in the area, each of these waterfalls and beaches could easily be a full day activity.
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| Uvita Beach |
The key to a successful road trip is making stops for good food. Our road trip started and ended with some of my favorite meals of our week in Costa Rica.
Stop #1: Farmers Market (Eco Feria) in Dominical
I love getting a taste of local culture, and this
Eco Feria offered just that. Only open on Friday's, you can find local vendors selling handcrafted jewelry, trinkets, clothes, and local fresh produce. I recommend stocking up on homemade empanadas and pastries to take with you to snack on throughout the day's adventures.
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| Dominical Smoothie Shop |
Just down the road from the Ecoferia you'll come across a few fresh juice and smoothie huts. Any fruit combination in the world they'll have it. And by fresh, I mean we watched the coconut water come out of an actual coconut. Fresh squeezed and fresh cut fruit does come at a price though - not money...but time! It wasn't
fast food, but it was
fresh food.
Stop #2: Waterfalls
A highlight of this trip for sure - let me tell you about a few waterfalls in the area that are sure to impress. We spent the majority of our time at
Catarata Uvita, but you could make a whole day of just waterfall hopping.
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| Catarata Uvita |
This one threw us for a few loops, and it just so happened to be our first waterfall of the day, but we couldn't turn down the appeal of it being a super quick detour off of the main highway in Dominicalito. Despite encountering a flooded dirt road blocking our cars access to the trailhead, or getting bitten by ants on our way down the trail, we saw it through. However, we didn't stay for too long. It's a very short, but steep walk down to the waterfall where you'll find trickling falls, a turquoise pool, and even a rope swing! I wouldn't seek it out again - knowing now that theres so many magnificent waterfalls the area has to offer.
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| Pozo Azul |
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| Pozo Azul |
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Now, this waterfall was absolutely incredible, especially considering how easy to get to and not crowded it was. The pool was huge and you could climb the waterfall and slide (!!) down it. Easy to spend a few hours here lounging in the refreshing water and climbing and jumping around. At the top where the main entrance/path down is, there's a little cafe with drinks and light food, which was perfect for an afternoon snack. *There is a $2 fee to get to the waterfall if going through the main entrance.
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| Catarata Uvita |
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| Catarata Uvita |
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Not visited, but look to be other great options:
San Luis Waterfalls (if up for a 45 min drive inland from Uvita), Diamante waterfall (if up for a similar 45 min drive + unmarked hike), and lastly the popular tourist attraction of Nauyaca Waterfalls (if up for a longer hike + lots of tourists)
With the fresh water out of our system, we finally headed to see the beach as our next stop.
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| Whales Tail, Punta Uvita |
I'd heard about the
Punta Uvita "whales tail" at low tide and I knew we had to visit this beach. You can reach Punta Uvita by foot along the beach from either the North at
Playa Hermosa or the South from
Uvita Beach. We parked near
Uvita Beach and walked from there. Be sure to check
tide charts when you plan to visit, because the whales tail only appears during low tide. Luckily we were able to catch it just before sunset and about 2 hours shy of dead low. Not only was the whales tail super cool, but the beach was large and empty, full of beautiful seashells. I definitely could come back here to hang for a day.
Stop #4: Dinner at Osa Thyme
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| Osa Thyme, Uvita |
Recommended by a local, dinner at
Osa Thyme was the final stop of our road trip. A reservation only restaurant, Osa Thyme takes fresh food and a farm to table concept very seriously. The menu was on a chalkboard because it changes every day, and only a few people can be served each night because of the limited fresh ingredients. We indulged in drinks made from fresh squeezed juices, fresh watermelon shrimp ceviche, and local caught fish. This restaurant was definitely a fun place to experience if in the area and craving something unique.
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| Osa Thyme, ceviche |
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| Osa Thyme, seafood |
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| Osa Thyme, trout |
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| Osa Thyme, watermelon salad |
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I'd make a weekend out of Dominical and Uvita if I could, but I was happy to experience it even for just a day. Going from waterfalls to the ocean made for truly an incredible day - and I can't get over how easy to find and access all of it was.
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| Uvita Beach |
Follow my footsteps to Dominical and Uvita with this Google Maps List
Happy Travels! Xx Suz
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