What to Do in Uvita in 3 or 4 Days: A Suggested Itinerary

Uvita has enough to offer for a lot more than a beach weekend. With 3 or 4 days, you can mix adventure, ocean time, a bit of local culture, and enough rest that you don’t come home more tired than when you left. Here’s a base itinerary — with options to stretch it to 4 days or trim it to 3.

Day 1 — Arrival and settling in

Check in, unpack, and skip the ambitious plans on day one — the heat and travel catch up with you. A good way to start is walking to Uvita Waterfall (20 minutes on foot from the main road, just 600 meters from our door) to cool off. If the tide cooperates, close the day walking the Whale’s Tail in Marino Ballena National Park — a great spot for sunset.

Day 2 — Ocean day

This is the day to book Whale and Dolphin Watching (if you’re visiting in season — Jul-Nov or Dec-Apr) or, if you’d rather do something more active, Kayak in the Sea with snorkeling included depending on the tide. Both tours leave in the morning from Uvita Bay, inside the park. In the afternoon, take advantage of the pool and rest — you’ll be tired from the sun and water.

Day 3 — Land adventure

A half day at Nauyaca Waterfalls, near Dominical — hike, 4×4, or horseback ride to the pools, with plenty of time to swim in front of the main falls. If you’d rather have more adrenaline, swap it for zipline, ATV, or waterfall rappelling — all of them run 3 to 4 hours, leaving the rest of the day free to explore town or just do nothing.

Day 4 (if you have the extra day) — Choose your own adventure

With a fourth day, you have two paths:

• Intense nature: a full day at Corcovado National Park or Caño Island (snorkel or diving) — both require an early departure and a late return, but they’re among the most complete experiences in all of Costa Rica’s South Pacific.
• Quiet, cultural day: if your last day falls on a Saturday, start with the Farmers Market in the morning, follow with a visit to Finca 6 (stone spheres, UNESCO World Heritage, 35-40 minutes away), and close with a free afternoon before you head out.

If your trip is only 3 days, the easiest fix is to merge Day 1 and Day 3: arrive, do Uvita Waterfall the same day, and use the free afternoon from another day for whatever’s left.

Where to stay

Hotel Uvita Forest is the ideal base for this itinerary: 8 rooms with fiber-optic Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and a private pool, minutes from everything mentioned above.