Bahía Aventuras

Overview

Description

Bahía Aventuras boat and nature tour operator is located in Uvita-Bahia Ballena de Osa, in the heart of Costa Ballena on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast. Stretching from Dominical to Ojochal, Costa Ballena encompasses a vast stretch of a gorgeously rugged shoreline and a number of beautiful beaches. The southern Pacific region of Costa Rica features unspoiled beauty. Celebrated for its incredible biodiversity, Costa Ballena is a hot spot for ecotourists, nature lovers, conservationists and eco-adventurers alike. The beautiful coastline includes the beaches of Dominical, Dominicalito, Playa Hermosa, Playa Uvita, Playa Arco, Playa Ballena, Playa Pinuelas, Playa Ventanas, and Tortuga.

Known as the “whale coast” for the large number of migratory whales spotted here, the most popular attraction in the area includes unique whale watching and dolphin encounter boat tours. Humpback whales regularly pass through Costa Rica’s south Pacific seas between mid July and October, and again in December through March as they migrate to and from feeding and mating grounds in the northern and southern hemispheres.

The Marino Ballena National Park located in Uvita-Bahía Ballena offers secluded beaches, beautiful coral reefs, and tranquil waters. Created to preserve the fragile marine ecosystem and natural habitats of marine species, it covers around 40 acres (110 hectares) of coastline and 2,145 acres (5,300 hectares) of ocean.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 5

Percentage of local employees: 100%

Bahía Aventuras is owned and operated by Walter Brenes, a local community leader and entrepreneur in Uvita-Bahía Ballena. Brenes started the company in 2007 with the help of a friend, local Peace Corps volunteer Travis Bays. A year later, Brenes was able to expand by teaming up with business partner Daljit Hundle. Walter Brenes also plays a significant role in his community as president of the local community micro-credit bank, soccer coach, and vice president of a local marine tour operator association.

Bahía Aventuras’ newly constructed classroom facilitates marine education trainings and hosts community workshops conducted by organizations such as:

• The University of Denver Masters in Business in Administration (MBA) program
• Thinking Beyond Borders
• Rustic Pathways
• MarViva
• Fundacion Integral Campesina (FINCA)
• Grupo Siempre Unidos para Reforzar Nuestro Futuro (SURF)
• Fundacion CRUSA
• Global Journey Inc.

Bahía Aventuras recycles its motor oil, plastics, glass, and paper and helped start a recycling program in the local elementary school. Bahía Aventuras actively collaborates with the officials of the Marino Ballena National Park through in-kind donations, infrastructure, and technical assistance. The company has seven employees, all of which are local community members.

Bahía Aventuras is teaming up with Fundacion Keto and the local Marino Ballena National Park Marine Tour Operators Association in the development of the certification of Best Practices for Responsible Marine Tourism.

Rates

$51 – $75

Tours range in price from $50-$125 per person.

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.bahiaaventuras.com/ (available in English).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: San José (SJO)

Nearest local/national airport: Quepos (XQP); Palmar Sur (PMZ)

Travel time to nearest airport: 45 minutes

The Juan Santamaria International Airport located in Alajuela-San Jose is approximately four hours driving distance from Bahia Aventuras (Uvita-Bahia Ballena).

From Quepos (local airport), take the newly paved Costanera Sur highway to Bahía Ballena-Uvita (Costa Ballena) for 38 miles (61 km). On average, the trip takes one hour.

From Palmar Sur (local airport), take the Costanera Sur and head north through Palmar, Cortes, and Ojochal, until arriving to Bahía Ballena-Uvita (Costa Ballena) for 25 miles (41 km). On average, the trip takes 45 minutes.

You can reach Bahía Aventuras (Uvita-Bahía Ballena) year-round. The best time to visit is during whale seasons in July and October, and again in December through March.

Additional Information

Additional Web sites

• www.facebook.com/pages/Uvita-Costa-Rica/Bahia-Aventuras/158242077062?v=wall&ref=search (available in English and Spanish). Become a fan of Bahia Aventuras on Facebook and receive the most up-to-date information.
• www.anywherecostarica.com/destinations/uvita-costa-rica/tours/bahia-aventura-combo-tour (available in English). Join "Anywhere Costa Rica" to make tour reservations in Costa Rica including Costa Ballena.
• www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g635755-d1569844-Reviews-Bahia_Aventuras-Uvita_Province_of_Puntarenas.html (available in English and Spanish). Share your comments about Bahia Aventuras on Trip Advisor.

Date This Information Was Provided

May 2012.

Photos courtesy of Bahía Aventuras, Costa Rica, for SustainableTrip.org.