Hotel Cristal Ballena
Location
Accommodation
The views over the treetops are tremendous, the sunsets are superb, and the elevated position of the hotel makes the best of the onshore breezes. If you prefer to be within the vegetation itself – all the better for birdwatching – then there are two secluded, no-frills ‘adventure lodges’ with shady verandas in the lush gardens.
Given how much there is to do in the area, you’ll be glad to know that you’ll be fully fuelled each morning by Cristal Ballena’s famous breakfast spread. And if you are heading out under your own steam, there’s a shuttle service down to the coast.
Experiences & Activities
- Take a stroll along the adjacent Cristal Ballena Rainforest Trail. You may be accompanied by toucans, scarlet macaws and hundreds of butterflies. More than 200 bird species have been spotted locally.
- Head down to the whale-tail headland at Uvita to see if you can spot whales and dolphins from the shore. The bay has two whale migration seasons for visiting humpbacks.
- Take a boat trip to Caño Island Biological Reserve. It’s the perfect place for sea kayaking and snorkelling and even has pre-Columbian stone spheres of mysterious origin.
- Within reach are both Corcovado National Park, on the Osa Peninsula, and Manuel Antonio National Park. There are hiking trails galore and plenty of chances to spot wonderful animals such as sloths.
- Paddle through the mangroves and flooded swamps of the Terraba-Sierpe National Wetlands, if you can summon up the courage to share the water with crocodiles
- Take a nighttime safari in the nearby Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge. During the day, this is the place to fly like a toucan on a zipwire.
Positive Impact
We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.
Private Journeys Unique to You
We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 25 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made holidays to megadiverse Latin America. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 25 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made holidays to megadiverse Latin America. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.
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