costa rica dominical playa dominical surfing surf spots surf spots costa rica

dominical costa rica playa dominical surfing surf spots costa rica
costa rica dominical playa dominical surfing surf spots

Costa Rica's central pacific coast ( see map ), more specifically Dominical, is one of the country's most beautiful uncut gems. In a country full of beautiful vistas and lush tropical landscapes, this area not only holds its own, it shines. From Dominical's turquoise green water to its fiery red and gold sunsets, the natural beauty of the area is second to none. The town sits on the Pacific ocean bordered to the north by the Rio Baru, on the east by three thousand foot high mountains and to the south by dark, coffee brown, beaches and coves. One of the most striking features of Dominical can be found while swimming in the water, the town simply disappears. All you see are the tall beach palms and mangroves surrounded by verdant green hills reaching up into the mountains. Dominical has been known for many years to the international surfing community because of its consistently good waves. Only recently has it been discovered by those people attracted to its natural beauty. Not more than fifteen years ago the only buildings to be found were a few dilapidated fishing huts built by local fishermen. Since then the town has grown to over 700 permanent residents with a number of small beach front restaurants, bars and cabinas. Even with the emergence and growth of the town, it is possible to walk from one end of Dominical to the other in less than ten minutes.

The area surrounding Dominical, especially to the south, is almost completely unpopulated. Because of this, the area is full of hundreds of different species of exotic animals including; three different types of toucans, giant green and red iguanas, all four types of native monkeys, parrots of all sizes and hues, three toed sloths and various small cats such as jaguarundis and montegordos. These two types of cats are smaller versions of the spotted jaguar and black panther found to the south in the Osa Peninsula. They are extremely rare and this is one of their last natural habitats found in Central America. There are two national preserves in the immediate area with three more ( Manuel Antonio National Park, Corcovado National Park and Caño Island National Preserve ) only an additional hour and a half away. North of town, on the other side of Rio Baru is Hacienda Baru, which is a private 1000 acre preserve. Stretching from the beach with its mangrove swamps filled with bright yellow beaked toucans to its primary forest crested hilltops, Hacienda Baru offers the ecological tourist the opportunity to see a wonderful diversity of tropical plants and animals. To the south is the country's only totally underwater national park, Marino Ballena. Here it is possible to see a pristine and virgin underwater world with scores of multi-colorful marine creatures, coral reefs and jagged, ash black, volcanic rocks and tide pools. In the hills directly east of town are areas of primary forest with numerous waterfalls throughout, including the county's tallest, a three level, 800 foot high mountain of cascading water.

How To Arrive:
By Car
Reaching Dominical and the surrounding area is easier than one might expect. It is a three and a half hour drive from San Jose by car through some of the most visually stunning scenery in the entire country. Traveling south along the Pan-American Highway below Cartago takes you through the country's largest cloud forest and the worlds last remaining, sustainable habitat, for the endangered quetzal.

The highway between San Jose and San Isidro is best traveled during daylight hours, as the fog, rain and mad road conditions make driving difficult during evening hours. While there are still some sections with rather large potholes, the road is in generally good condition. There is an ENORMOUS amount of heavy vehicle traffic on this road (buses, trucks, etc.) so it is recommended you drive with caution. Due to the climb, the temperature at higher elevations is surprisingly low. Make sure to fill your tank before leaving for San Isidro, as there are no gas stations after departing San Jose. As you arrive in San Isidro, approximately 2:45 minutes after departing San Jose, make a right turn after passing the Yamaha dealer on the right side. After veering right, follow this road straight, which continues on towards Dominical. From this point, you are approximately 30-40 minutes away from Dominical. Generally speaking, the road is in fine condition except for a few sections which were washed away during the hurricane of 96'. After a moderate climb, the road heads south rather quickly, en route to the coast. For those interested in heading either north or south from Dominical, it is a one and a half hour drive to Quepos by car; 4x4 recommended. The road south to Punta Uvita has recently been repaved and is in very good condition. It is only necessary to rent a four wheel drive car if you intend to do some exploring in the mountains or continue traveling further north or south.

By Bus
Buses servicing the coastal communities of Dominical, Quepos (Manuel Antonio), Matapalo, and Uvita all depart from San Isidro, which is located about 3 hours south of San Jose along the Pan-American Highway. Buses departing from San Jose go only as far south as Quepos, and do not service any of the coastal communities listed above. The phone number for the bus terminal in San Isidro is 771-4747.

The road between San Isidro and Dominical is in very good shape, as is the road south of Dominical to Uvita; this road has just recently been paved. HOWEVER, the road between Dominical and Quepos looks like something out of Mel Gibson's Mad Max movie. Don't even try it without a 4x4, and even still it could take hours. There are several thin, fragile bridges that have to be crossed, not to mention the pothole littered road.