The unique geography of the Dominical area sees the rainforest covered mountains meeting the deep blue sea. This stunning natural backdrop creates an unforgettable location for our beachfront villas, mountain-side retreats and panoramic-view home sites. The Dominical area is growing to become the most exciting real estate opportunities in the southern Pacific zone of Costa Rica.
Dominical offers dramatic sunrises to the southeast over the forested mountains, as well as some of Costa Rica's most fabulous Pacific sunsets to the west. Regardless of the season, you'll be hypnotized by the beauty of this unique spot. Understanding the lay of the land and the lifestyle that the area offers is key to visiting this area.
Up until recently, Dominical has been the best known town in Costa Rica's Southern Pacific Zone. Dominical going south is a 30 mile stretch of coastline from the Rio Barú south to the Terraba River, located just passed spectacular Punta Ventanas and the charming village of Ojochal. This area is reminiscent of California's costal highway 101 from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, with a topical and wild ambience. The coast area offers countless beaches surrounded by rocky cliffs each unique in their own way. You can swim or wade in the surf, stroll on golden sands, kayak through sea caves, enjoy a picnic under the shade of coconut palms, or watch the pelicans and water fowl that inhabit the shorelines.
BEACHES AND COMMUNITIES OF THE DOMINICAL AREA
Playa Dominical
The village of Dominical is situated 21 miles from the mountain city of San Isidro del General on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica and approximately 25 miles (40 km) from Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Don't be fooled, there is more to the area than surfing, although that remains a great reason to come here. There are many type of accommodations, including beach side cabins to luxury hotels, and gorgeous cliff side estates for vacation rental. The area offers a plethora of restaurants and activates.
Playa Dominical is considered by both Ticos and tourists to be one of the most consistent and ride able waves in Costa Rica. Wave heights rarely drop below waist-high with ideal sandbars producing quality lefts, rights, and plenty of good barrels. Playa Dominical is the focal point for surfing in the area and normally sees between ten and thirty surfers in the water in the high seasons (Dec-Mar and Jun-Aug).
Dominicalito and Dominical Point
Dominicalito is a five minute drive south of Dominical, and is a popular beach for beginning surfers. Waves here are small and gentle – normally about a third the size of Dominical's waves – but there are a few rocks spread out along the bottom so this spot is best surfed at higher tides. A pretty beach and a popular weekend spot for Ticos, Playa Dominicalito is also where local fishermen bring in their daily catch. A small town and s few communities of villas are nestled into the hillside. This also the where you will find the north entrance to Escaleras, a popular and upscale residential neighborhood.
Dominical Point also known as "Cambutal" is a long, peeling left-hand reef break that is rarely too small to surf, and can handle swells up to 15 feet and larger without closing out. When small it's a great wave for beginners, but when it gets big, the point is best left to experienced surfers. There's also an "unnamed" wave across the bay - it's a long easy right-hander, just right for beginners. There is also a beautiful restaurant, "La Parcela", located on the point.
Puerto Nuevo
Puerto Nuevo is located approximately 4.5 miles south of Dominical Beach and offer some beautiful residential homes and an upscale boutique hotel, spa and restaurant. Here you will find lush tropical rainforests covering soaring mountains. Dramatic landscapes, deep jungles and miles of reef-fringed coastline display the variety of plant and animal life for which Costa Rican rainforests are famous.
Playa Hermosa
Playa Hermosa or "Beautiful Beach" in English truly lives up to its name. This beach is located just south of Punta Achoite and just North of Punta Uvita, or the "whale's tail". An incredibly scenic tropical beach, Hermosa is bordered by a spectacular forested cliff on the north, Marino Ballena National Park to the south, and backed by a palm-lined beach and rainforest covered mountains. Playa Hermosa's waves are generally half the size of Dominical with crystal clear water and very good wave form.
Uvita
Uvita is a small town located just south of Playa Hermosa. It enjoys a multicultural atmosphere thanks to the nice mixture of locals and foreigners from all over the world traveling or residing in the area. Uvita has experienced a bubbling development in the last couple of years. Nowadays the town has two well-supplied supermarkets, two drugstores, doctor and dentist offices, beauty parlors, an indoor soccer field and sports center.
The Ballena National Marine Park
Named for the whales that come yearly for courting and calving, this beautiful coast is comprised of many unique and beautiful beaches. The Ballena Marine National Park protects more than 5,300 hectares of ocean and 9 miles of coastline. The park's beaches are protected from dangerous currents by a network of reefs and rocky islands. There are four entrances to the park: Punta Uvita, Colonia (also known as Chaman), Ballena, and Piñuela beach. A sandbar resembling a whale's tail- if you look at it from a high point or from the air, forms at low tide in Punta Uvita Beach. Visitors can walk through it, swim in its quiet, warm waters, and from there behold the magnificent range of mountains that soars high above the shore.
Playa Arco
Playa Arco is one of the most isolated beaches along the southern coast of Costa Rica. Playa Arco is also one of the most spectacular. With no motor road access at all, the beach is a stunning sight of 'rainforest meets the sea'. Near perpendicular cliff faces of hundreds of meters high tower over a wide, flat, sandy beach, giving beachcombers a one-of-a-kind experience. Arco beach can only be accessed via a short trail over a small headland at the northern end ofPlaya Ballena, and is best enjoyed one hour before and after low tide.
Playa Ballena
Playa Ballena is located in Marino Ballena National Park, and is one of the best beginner's waves in the area. Long, peeling waves break gentle on the outside, and then roll for a long way in towards the beach. This wave never gets very big - usually only around a third of the size of waves at Playa Dominical; and not just a beginners wave but a great long boarding spot as well. Marino Ballena is a stop for the humpback whales on their migratory route and during the winter months (Oct-Mar) it's common to see mother whales, their babies, and adult males breeching the surface.
Playa Piñuela
Playa Piñuela is about 1,300 meters long with a small reef off the coast. This makes for very little wave action, creating an ideal beach for swimming. Piñuela is also a terrific spot for ocean kayaking. Since the beach lies within the national park there is an entrance fee.
Ojochal
Ojochal is approximately thirty minutes south of Dominical and thirty minutes north of Palmar Norte. This warm and welcoming village consists of a variety of hotels, restaurants, bars and various activities as well as other amenities. The cultural diversity is as varied as the country itself. Ojochal is centrally located to several beautiful beaches and surrounded by magnificent mountains. The village itself truly captures the natural beauty and mystery of Costa Rica.
Playa Ventanas
Playa Ventanas (Windows Beach) gets its name from the beautiful sea caves that line the north and south ends of the beach. The two caves on the north end extend from the beach out to the ocean, a distance of about 50 meters, and during certain tides create a sort of "blowhole" effect. Pressure from each wave blows a large cloud of steam out onto the beach. The caves on the south end of the beach tunnel deeply into the rock and inspire thoughts of hidden pirate treasure.
