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Whale watching guide

Whale Watching in Costa Rica: Where and When to See Humpbacks

Humpback whales visit Costa Rica twice a year, from both hemispheres, and dolphins stay all year. Here's where to go, month by month, and the licensed local boat guides who take you out, compared and ranked.

By Lior, wildlife photographer and guide from Guanacaste

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Reserve with a 25% deposit on secure WeTravel checkout · Refundable up to 60 days before trips, 48 h before day tours

The short answer

Where
Uvita, Drake Bay, Golfo Dulce
The south Pacific has the most whales
When
Two seasons a year
July to November and December to April
Whales or dolphins?
Dolphins all year
Spotted and spinner dolphins on most south Pacific trips
Can you swim with them?
No
Swimming with whales is banned in Costa Rica.

Lyferr is a marketplace

We don’t run tours. Licensed local guides and operators list them, we rank them openly, and you reserve through Lyferr’s secure checkout on WeTravel.

How it works

Sighting odds

How likely you are to see whales, spot by spot

In season, some bays give you very good odds of humpbacks. Others take luck. Here's the honest picture for a boat tour in peak months.

SpotChance
Marino BallenaUvitaHumpback whale, Spotted dolphinAlmost certain
Drake BayOsa PeninsulaHumpback whale, Spotted dolphin, Spinner dolphinAlmost certain
Golfo DulceGolfito, Puerto JiménezMothers and calves, Bottlenose dolphinAlmost certain
Caño IslandOsa PeninsulaHumpback whale, Spinner dolphinLikely
Manuel AntonioCentral PacificHumpback whale, Spotted dolphinLikely
Papagayo GulfGuanacaste, Dec to MarHumpback whale, Bottlenose dolphinLikely
Gulf of NicoyaTambor, CurúHumpback whale, Bottlenose dolphinGood chance
ManzanilloSouth CaribbeanBottlenose dolphin, Guiana dolphinGood chance

Our local captains' estimate for a half-day boat tour in peak months. As guests report what they saw on Lyferr tours, these become measured rates.

Each tour page shows what guests actually saw, once reports come in.

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Town by town

Can you see whales where you're staying?

Species expert program

Find a certified Whale Expert

Lyferr certifies guides one species at a time. A Whale Expert has the strongest proven record on Lyferr for finding and photographing whales, which makes them your best odds for a good sighting and a good shot.

  1. 175+ logged whale tripsCounted on Lyferr for this species only, not for wildlife tours in general.
  2. 290%+ composite scoreSighting success, cross-checked with public sighting records, weighted with traveller ratings of the guide's species knowledge.
  3. 3Earned species by speciesA guide can hold several badges. Each one is earned on its own and kept once earned.

How guides move up, one species at a time

  1. 01EmergingUnder 20 trips
  2. 02Skilled20+ trips · 60%+ score
  3. 03Specialist40+ trips · 75%+ score
  4. 04Species Expert75+ trips · 90%+ score
Founding experts

At launch, we award Founding Expert badges to guides with several years of premium tours focused on this species. Each one is confirmed or removed once the guide has logged 20 trips on Lyferr. After that, the badge is earned with logged trips and score.

No guide can promise a sighting. The badge shows the strongest track record for this species, not a guarantee.

See Whale Expert guides

Day tours from local guides

Compare whale tours from local guides

Day tours run by independent local guides, all held to the no-touch, no-feeding standard.

Ranked by sighting success, verified reviews and licence

Whales tours from local guides are being added. Tell us your dates and where you’re staying, and we’ll match you with a guide.

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  • Clear refunds

    up to 60 days before trips, 48 h before day tours, on every booking made through Lyferr. Booking fee (11% of the price) excluded.

  • Reserve with 25%

    secure checkout on WeTravel, the rest paid before your tour

  • Group size, upfront

    every listing shows its maximum group size

  • Your guide, confirmed

    guide's name and WhatsApp arrive in your booking confirmation

  • Real reviews

    only travellers who booked can review

How booking works

  1. 1Pick a tour or trip on Lyferr
  2. 2Choose your date and pay the 25% deposit on WeTravel
  3. 3The guide confirms within 24 h. Their WhatsApp arrives with your confirmation

Prices are set by each guide. The 25% deposit includes Lyferr’s booking fee (11% of the price), shown before you pay. Each card opens the tour’s booking page on WeTravel.

When to go

When is the best time to see whales in Costa Rica?

There are two humpback seasons. Southern humpbacks arrive from July to November, peaking in August and September, mostly on the south Pacific. Northern humpbacks come from December to April, peaking from January to March, more often in Guanacaste. Dolphins are around all year.

Why a guide matters

Why a licensed boat guide matters

Whales can be anywhere in a big bay. A good captain and guide make the morning work:

  • Talking to other boats by radio to find where whales are surfacing today.
  • Reading blows, tail slaps and calf behaviour, so you know when a breach is coming.
  • Keeping the 100 m distance and the 30-minute limit, which protects the whales and the tour's licence.
  • Telling you honestly when the sea is too rough to go out.

Not sure where to go? Send us your dates and where you're staying, and we'll suggest the right guide.

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FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Take the earliest boat: calmer sea, softer light and whales that are often more active.

Migration

Two populations, two seasons, one coast

Costa Rica gets humpbacks from both ends of the planet. They come to breed and give birth in warm water, then swim back to feed.

Northern humpbacks

Arrive December to April, peaking January to March. Fewer whales, mostly in Guanacaste and the central Pacific, after about 5,000 km from California and Oregon.

Southern humpbacks

Arrive July to November, peaking August and September. The bigger season, best on the south Pacific, after up to 8,000 km from Antarctica.

Two populations is why Costa Rica has one of the longest humpback seasons anywhere.

Every whale tour on Lyferr shows which season it runs in.

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Ethical wildlife watching

Whales first, photos second

Can you swim with whales or dolphins?

No. Swimming, diving and feeding near whales and dolphins is banned in Costa Rica's waters. Snorkel stops on tours happen away from them.

If a whale swims toward the boat, the engine goes to neutral and the whale decides.

Short answer: no

How close can boats get?

100 m from whales and 50 m from dolphins, approaching slowly from behind and to the side. No more than two boats per group of whales, for 30 minutes at most.

Captains who chase whales, cut in front of them or crowd a mother and calf are breaking the rules. Tell us, or report them to the coast guard or SINAC.

See whales with a licensed captain

Find a no-touch guide

Not booking yet?

Take the whale season checklist with you

One printable page: the two-season calendar, the 10 spots, the boat rules and what to bring for sun and seasickness. Sent to your inbox.

No spam. One email with the PDF.

Whale facts people ask about

  • 2humpback populations visit, one from each hemisphere
  • ~16 mlength of an adult humpback
  • 100 mminimum distance for boats
  • ~10 monthsof humpback season a year, one of the longest anywhere
  • BallenaMarino Ballena's sandbar is shaped like a whale's tail

Who wrote this

Lior, founder of Lyferr

Wildlife photographer and guide, and a finalist in the Sony World Photography Awards and Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Lior grew up in Guanacaste, on the Pacific coast, where northern humpbacks pass the Papagayo Gulf every winter. This guide is what he tells friends before they go.

  • Sony World Photography Awards finalist
  • Wildlife Photographer of the Year finalist
  • Born in Guanacaste

How we rank guides and operators

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

When is whale season in Costa Rica?

Twice a year. Southern humpbacks from July to November, peaking in August and September. Northern humpbacks from December to April, peaking from January to March.

Where is the best whale watching in Costa Rica?

Marino Ballena National Park in Uvita, Drake Bay and Golfo Dulce on the south Pacific, and the Papagayo Gulf in Guanacaste from December to March.

Can you see whales from the beach?

Sometimes, from viewpoints over Uvita and Drake Bay, but a boat tour is the reliable way.

How long is a whale watching tour?

Usually 3 to 4 hours in the morning. Caño Island trips that add snorkelling take most of the day.

Can you swim with whales or dolphins?

No. It's banned in Costa Rican waters, for your safety and theirs.

Will I get seasick?

The south Pacific bays are usually calm in the morning. Take a seasickness tablet before you board if you're prone to it.

What is the Whale and Dolphin Festival?

A festival in Uvita around August and September, during the southern humpback season.

Can you see whales on the Caribbean side?

Rarely. The Caribbean has bottlenose and Guiana dolphins around Manzanillo, but humpback season is a Pacific thing.

What are whales called in Spanish?

Ballenas. The humpback is the ballena jorobada, and dolphins are delfines.

Keep exploring

More Costa Rica wildlife

Most trips combine two or three of these. Each guide covers where, when and the local guides who know them.

Often on the same tour

Wildlife by town

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