The beaches of Marino Ballena and the Whale's Tail

SINAC describes the park's land area as Uvita, Colonia, Arco, Ballena and Piñuela beaches; offshore are the Tres Hermanas rocks, Roca la Viuda, Ballena Island and the Whale's Tail tombolo. Cliffs, reefs, sandy and rocky beaches, mangroves and forest share just 15 km of coast.

Whale's Tail (Uvita sector)

A natural rock-and-sand formation shaped like a whale's tail. According to SINAC it is only accessible during the 6 hours of low tide, so check the tide table at the entrance booths before walking it.

Reefs and snorkeling

The left side of the tombolo and Ballena Island have coral reefs suited to snorkeling. The park also allows surfing, kayaking, diving, mangrove walks and wildlife watching.

Arco Beach (Ballena sector)

A strikingly scenic beach you can only enter and leave at low tide; its official entrance is the Ballena sector.

Colonia, Ballena and Piñuela

Each sector has hand-washing stations, showers and restrooms. Punta Ballena and Punta Piñuela hold the most important forest patches, with ojoche, cedro maría and sapodilla trees; Ballena Island is a nesting site for white ibis, frigatebirds and brown boobies.