As the jet lag begins to reside and the haze inside my head clears, I open my eyes, stretch my arms to the sky and peer out over the Pacific Ocean. It is then that it all begins to settle in. I’m in Uvita baby!
Uvita, Costa Rica is a small seaside village nestled at the base of the Talmanca Mountain range on the southern Pacific coast. It is here where dreams become reality and one can truly embrace the true essence of mother nature.
Dotting the landscape is a plethora of “stress relieving,” retreats and spas. Accredited with containing 5% of the flora and fauna of the world, Costa Rica truly is the Garden of Eden. Morning coffee while enjoying fresh hand-picked tropical fruits all while the orchestra of exotic birds plays feverishly in the palms overhead. All in the day of life in Uvita. Pura vida!
Adventure seekers will also be drawn to the area for it’s many activities like 4X4 riding in to the mountains and even along the many beaches of the area. How about zip lining 200′ above the jungle floor? Uvita even has ultra light tours for that extra special adventure where only the birds soar.
Cano Island, one of the best dive locations in Costa Rica, is located on a short distance off Uvita beach to the south. It is here that one can enjoying a spectacle rarely seen anywhere … the hammerhead shark swarm. Every year thousands of hammerhead sharks meet off the coast of Cano Island, where they perform their majestic mating ritual. The hammerheads form a sort of underwater funnel with the exchanging of dominant positions by the males in order to impress the females in to breeding. National Geographic has described it as “truly magical” and “a once in a lifetime experience.”
Aside from any man-made formation beaches of the world, Uvita has to have one of the Top 5 in the world for uniqueness. It is here that Mother Nature’s artistic side can be seen. Best viewed from above, as one begins to climb the mountains above Uvita and glances back at Uvita beach, something truly special unfolds. Uvita beach consists of two semi circle beaches that when they come together in the centre, they form a perfect rendition of a humpback whale tail. For this reason it has been labeled the “Whale’s Tail of Uvita” aka Playa Uvita to the locals.
How fitting is a beach shaped like a whale’s tail in an area that, every year, hosts the return of the humpback whale. Here you can take your pick of whale watching tours to get up close and personal with the maestros of the sea.
In order for anyone to sincerely grasp the true emotion and excitement Uvita has to offer, an article could never suffice, only a visit to the “Little Grape” of Costa Rica will satisfy the senses. To emerse yourself in the Costa Rican rainforest surrounding Uvita is to let go of all the stresses and concerns of your daily grind and connect, if only for a moment, to our true mother…Mother Earth.
