Published on Tuesday, September 2, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Marino Ballena National Park, located in Uvita canton in Puntarenas province, will host the annual Whale and Dolphin Festival from Sept. 5 to 7, celebrating one of the world’s best whale-watching seasons.

The event coincides with the second phase of the humpback whale migration along Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast. Each year, humpbacks travel up to 5,200 miles (8,400 kilometers) from both hemispheres to breed and raise their calves in the park’s warm, shallow waters.

From December to April, whales migrate south from feeding grounds along the U.S. West Coast and British Columbia. Between June and November, they arrive from the north, making Costa Rica one of the few places in the world where both populations converge.

“The festival not only celebrates the whales, but also reflects the community’s commitment to conservation and sustainable development,” said Karol Monge, president of the Park Tourism Operators Association.

Male humpbacks can grow to 46 feet in length, females up to 52 feet, with adults weighing as much as 80,000 pounds. Calves, born in Costa Rica’s tropical waters, already weigh one to two tons at birth.


Organizers include the Tourism Operators Association, the Bahía Ballena Guides Association, the Bahía de Osa Community Development Association, and the Tourism Institute (ICT).


The three-day festival features whale-watching tours, folkloric dance performances, artisan markets, sporting events, and live music. Admission is free, though tours are priced individually by operators.


In addition to humpback whales, the national park is home to spotted and bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, hammerhead sharks, and a wide range of other marine species. The park covers 12,800 acres of marine territory and 420 acres of land.

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