Beachfront house in Playa Ballena

A beachfront house for 4 people, LA BARCAROLA is set in beautiful Ballena Marine Park. The ideal place to enjoy Nature at its fullest: surrounded by huge trees, visited daily by monkeys and toucans. Whales and dolphins will show off right in front Ocean-front, LA BARCAROLA is a cozy, lovely and charming wooden house that sleeps 4 people, surrounded by huge trees, toucans, blue morphos, howler and cappuchin monkeys. It is located at Finca LA BARCAROLA, a 20,000 square meters property, right on one of the most pristine spots of Costa Rica, Ballena Marine National Park. The Park is known worldwide as one of the best for whale-watching. Check this out: (website hidden) . The wide beach, safe for swimming, is a few steps away, just beyond massive trees that make you feel right in the heart of the tropical jungle. Nature lovers will delight with the constant presence of howler and capuchin monkeys, as well as a huge variety of birds. Early -very early- walks on the beach after a night-time high tide during the months of August and September can be very exciting: this is the time of the year when sea turtles lay their eggs, and it's not uncommon to find their tracks on the sand. Very conscious locals dig the nests up and take the eggs to the Park's office -a short walk away- where they have a hatchery to look after the eggs until they hatch. Then they release the baby turtles at the same spot where the eggs were found. La Barcarola is the perfect place to get away from it all, but if you feel that you need some action, this rapidly developing region offers a wide variety of restaurants and adventure activities a short drive away in the surrounding towns. Guests have unlimited access to the full 20,000 square meters of the beachfront property, including the forest, gardens, creeks, paths and, of course, the whole beach just for you! A caretaker couple lives in their own house in the back area (entrance) of the property, Diógenes and Emérita. They are very obliging and willing to assist in any way they can should you need help or guidance, provided that the language barrier is not a problem. If anything should come up, we are a phone call away. - By the way, should you feel like it, hiring Emerita for a delicious Costa Rican breakfast -she makes a mean gallo pinto with eggs and delicious homemade tortillas- is an option. As little as ten minutes driving either north or south of Parque Marino Ballena -if you really feel the need to go somewhere else- you will find exotic restaurants, bars and trendy places. The South Pacific coast of Costa Rica has become a destination all of its own, so people from many nationalities who've decided to make this beautiful area their home have set up shop to offer a wide variety of services, from Thai massages to Indonisian food. Some examples below: -Uvita, (12 minutes driving) is a small but very vibrant community with banks, restaurants, supermarkets, doctors' and vet offices, which can provide you any necessity. You may also find a wide variety of local activities, from yoga classes to snorkeling, kayaking, whale-watching tours and horse-back riding. If you are feeling adventurous, you can take a boat tour to Isla del Caño -45-minutes- where you can scuba dive, snorkel or hike to your heart's content. -Dominical Beach, one of the hottest surf spots in Central America, is a 20-minute drive north of La Barcarola. The town is full of places to eat and drink, as well as quaint souvenir shops. -Nauyaca Waterfalls is also a great option: hike or horse-back ride for a while to reach breathtaking waterfalls in the heart of a mountain. This is an almost full-day trip, so plan ahead. -Boruca: Most people don't know about this, but if you drive south to Palmar Norte (40 minutes) and then east for 25 km along the spectacular Terraba River, you will find a sign on your left showing the way up (8 Km) to the town of Boruca, inhabited exclusively by the Boruca indigenous people. They are known for their carved wood masks and textiles, and you can experience food like you've never had before. If anything, the views uphill wil make the trip completely worthwhile. Public buses, shuttles and taxis ar available to travel from the capital city, San José. to Uvita, Playa Ballena and surrouding towns. There is also a shuttle service directly from Aeropuerto Juan Santa María. Nevertheless, we recommend you rent your own car, hopefully a four-wheel-drive, That way you will have the liberty to move around and explore everything that this region of the country has to offer. LA BARCAROLA was built just in front of the Pacific Ocean to be wholly integrated with its surroundings, so it is as open as it can be: the windows do not have any screens and ocassional bats could appear during the evening. Don't worry, they are completely harmless. Early in the morning, the garden is visited by wonderful blue morphos (butterflies), hummingbirds and an enthusiastic band of parrots that come to feed in the nearby trees. It's a bit of a Robinson Crusoe feeling... If you choose to drive, it is convenient to rent a 4-wheel-drive, as the entrance to Finca LA BARCAROLA is a steep hill that sometimes can be tricky to negotiate. A flashlight is useful in case you want to go to the beach or leave the house after dark. There is no hot water at the house, but because the climate is completely tropical, you will find it unnecessary. Actually, most of the time people use the outside shower, mornings or evenings, and not the indoor bathroom!