The top 5 things to do in Dominical, Costa Rica
Dominical is a laid-back surf town located on the southern pacific coast of Costa Rica, only 3 hours away from the main international airport in San Jose. This small village is a popular destination for nature-minded tourists and adventurists from all over the globe. They come to enjoy the relaxed vibe of Dominical and its stunning natural surroundings. The area offers plenty of activities and is a great place to make a “home base” while you explore southern Costa Rica.
We have outlined a few of the top things to do in Dominical. There is truly something for everyone.
Your Dominical To-Do List
1. Relax on the many gorgeous beaches
The area of Dominical offers plenty of gorgeous beaches for you to enjoy. Playa Dominicalito, Playa Piñuelas and Playa Ventanas are located in a bay. These are very nice small beaches surrounded by nature and are excellent for swimming. Playa Ventanas has caves along the beach that you can walk through during low tide. At high tide you can watch the caves blow-out water with an impressive power. The area offers also long stretched-out beaches, like Playa Hermosa, Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo. Make long beach walks with almost no-one around at Playa Linda or Playa Matapalo, these beaches are very quiet. Playa Dominical is the beach where you can also find bars & restaurants. Come join the locals with their daily ritual of watching the sunset on the beach with a drink. You can also check out this article; 5 awesome beaches in Costa Ballena, Costa Rica.
Dominical offers a great variety of gorgeous beaches
2. Surfing / learning to surf
Playa Dominical is an outstanding surfing spot and nowhere near as crowed as popular surf beaches in the states. Practically every day you will find waves that are suited for surfing. Of course, some days are better than other days. Besides Playa Dominical there are many other surf spots, like Playa Dominicalito; this is a very good beach for beginner surfers. Learning to surf is a great activity during the vacation. In Dominical you will find several excellent surf schools. Read more on why Dominical is one of the best surf spots in Costa Rica.
3. Observe wildlife and enjoy the stunning natural area
The rolling hills covered with jungle start only a couple of meters from the beach. You will spot exotic wildlife like monkeys, toucans and sloths just by walking and driving around this stunning natural area. Besides some nice private parks in the close proximity of Dominical, you can also visit excellent national parks as Corcovado, Manuel Antonio and Mount Chirripo. You can also decide to observe the beautiful nature of the area while having an adventure tour as rafting, kayaking, zip-lining, repelling etc.
“You will spot exotic wildlife like monkeys, toucans and sloths just by walking and driving around this stunning natural area.”
4. Marine park Marino Ballena, Uvita
The national park Marino Ballena in Uvita is considered a “must-see” in Costa Rican travel recommendations. The park covers is home to the largest coral reef on the pacific coast of Central America. See the “Whale Tail,” a gorgeous beach, wildlife and more. Many dive and snorkel tours and wildlife tours launch from this beach, and the area is sufficiently large to not feel crowded.
The park is renown for sightings of the dolphins & whales during their two different migrations through the area. Please go to more information on Marino Ballena.
5. Nauyaca waterfalls
The area of Dominical is known for its many waterfalls. The Nauyaca Waterfalls are closest to Villas Rio Mar and definitely impressive. The highest waterfall of Nauyaca is 45 meters (148ft) and there are several natural swimming pools for you to enjoy. The waterfalls are tucked away in dense jungle, making the setting absolutely gorgeous. Hike, tour via ATV or horseback to the falls.
Our Front Desk will be more than happy to assist you with any question you may have about things to do in Dominical.
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