• Walk Score 70 (daily errands accomplished on foot) • In the upscale + safe Bahia Ballena/Uvita neighborhoods • Full stocked + equipped kitchen • Shared Pool, private parking, four showers, BBQ, Hammocks, washer + dryer, Veranda, two terraces, four seating areas, two workstations (WiFi 200 Mb/s), • Near the ocean/the animals, see mountains/forest • 2500 m2 botanical garden • Antiquities, Artefacts, Paintings, and Statues for art lovers _________________________________________________________________ Casa Mediterranea, with a botanical garden near the beach and forest, is a 2 bedroom+2 bathroom Villa located 800 meters from the Ballena National Park in Playa Uvita; travel can be done on foot/bicycle/car, where you can enjoy an exceptional landscape. You can hear the melody of the ocean and the noises of various tropical animals while enjoying the house and the garden (there is no thorough pathway to the beach). There are several beach entrances; the closest one is 800 m. Casa Mediterranea is the place for travelers looking for something more than budget! Private and comfortable for one to six guests, this brand new Casa is located in the coast-side village of Bahia, only 800 meters from the main entrance of the Marine National Park Ballena and the beautiful wild beaches Playa Uvita and Playa Colonia. Its location right behind the beach forest of the National Park, only 200 meters from the Ocean, provides a daily breeze and the constant magic melody of the sea waves (No thorough pathway) The two-bedroom house is made of locally cultivated, environmentally friendly certified pinewood. The sea breeze is reinforced by five designed ceiling fans and three wall-mounted remote-controlled Fans in all rooms and the porch; a fresh local ceramic floor completes the cozy feeling of natural immersion. All open areas of the house have screens against unwanted animals. The main bedroom with a queen-sized bed and en suite bathroom, A/C, fans, and garden view are connected to the second "private/romantic" porch called Pera Terrace, which contains a chaise long, hammock, bar, chairs, and an outside bathtub with shower for relaxing/reading/listening to the tropical sounds/having red wine. The second bedroom has a bathroom, A/C, fans, and two single beds. A living room sofa bed is available for 7th and 8th guests. The fully furnished kitchen is nicely decorated with European tiles. It forms a unique space with the living room and creates continuity with the external porch 1, thanks to the phantom sliding door. Enjoy the flat-screen TV and video library on the comfortable micro-fiber textured sofa and armchair. The en suite bathroom's walls are made of glass, are bright, and have a private and credible view of the botanic gardens. A third and fourth (exterior) showers and a bathtub are on the Pera Terrace and in the back of the house. There are two security safes for valuables, including laptops. The spacious external porch 1 offers a hammock and chairs to enjoy the sound of the Ocean while navigating on a comfortable high-speed wireless internet, watching the coastal jungle, and experiencing the sight of a monkey or a loud screaming pair of Scarlet Macaws! The new 2100 m2 garden has a Jacuzzi and a Veranda (12 can sit). The parking place for four cars is private and lightened at night. No expensive 4x4 rental car is necessary… you won't need a car at all! The village of Bahia (an old farm that became a tourist destination after the National Park was created) can be easily reached by public bus. It hosts all tour operators organizing mid-day boat tours of the Park or daily tours to the more distant and spectacular Caño Island and Corcovado National Park. You can hang around walking or cycling (bicycles available on request), go to the beach and take a low-tide walk to the worldwide-known Whale's Tail, surf a wave at Playa Colonia when the tide rises, rest in one of the local sodas and enjoy a fresh fried fish or a natural fruit juice, or buy some food and be back home………all within few hundred meters from Ocean and forest! There is no need for inaccessible luxurious villas anymore…With this Casa Mediterranea, you can make your visit to paradise possible, optimize your money, and enjoy unforgettable excursions without renouncing the comforts your vacation deserves! 1. See the whale's tail at Marino Ballena National Park/whale watching Marino Ballena National Park is a huge national park in Uvita that has one fascinating characteristic: there is an area where two beaches meet, and during low tide, the rocks and sand create a formation in the shape of a whale's tail. It's even more interesting because this area is the best spot for humpback whale watching in Costa Rica and is the longest in the world! Make sure you go in low tide to see the whale's tail, and there are plenty more activities in the National Park. Walk along the dark sand to admire the jungle, meet the beach landscape, swim, or relax. Many whale and dolphin watching tours depart from Marino Ballena National Park. Don't miss out on seeing humpback whales in the wild! 2. Jump off Nauyaca Waterfalls. Close to Playa Dominical is a big, beautiful waterfall called Nauyaca Waterfalls, one of the most popular in the country. You have to hike about 4 kilometers from private property to get there or take a horseback riding tour, and either one you choose is guaranteed to be a fun day in the jungle. Once you're at the waterfall, you can swim in the pool, lay on the rocks, or jump off the side of the fall. The horseback riding tour guides tie a rope so people can climb up and leap off the edge. 3. Cano Island Biological Reserve is one of the best snorkel/scuba dive spots in Costa Rica, as it houses abundant marine life. It's famous for the pre-Columbian artifacts found on the island, and many biologists come to research the coral living there. You can take snorkel/scuba dive day trips to Cano Island from Uvita, and the snorkeling there is incredible. It's about a 1.5-hour boat ride departing from Marino Ballena National Park, then you snorkel for a couple of hours at the island and head back along the coast for stunning views. You can see dolphins, turtles, and all sorts of fish like snappers, jacks, trumpet fish, pufferfish, parrotfish, and more. Other animals to see are manta/eagle rays and white-tip reef sharks. You can read about our Cano Island snorkeling trip; we left Uvita and went with Bahia Aventuras. It is a must-do! 4. If you're not planning on going any further south, then a day trip to Corcovado National Park is another must-do. From Uvita, you're a boat ride away from one of the most biologically diverse spots in the world. Day trips from Uvita go to San Pedrillo Ranger Station, where you'll hike for a few hours and visit a waterfall. Wildlife that can be seen at San Pedrillo station are birds such as toucans, macaws, tanagers, tapirs, agoutis, and monkeys. Don't miss out on exploring the dense jungles of the south and fabulous wildlife watching! 5. Nauyaca waterfalls aren't the only waterfall in the area – there are so many more! You can go on a waterfall tour or explore independently, which we like to do. Nauyaca waterfalls are one of the biggest ones in the area, but there are several more where you can jump off – even slide off! Cascada El Pavon (left) is a small but very cool waterfall with a rock in the middle. Uvita waterfall is another small one, but you can climb up to the top and slide down! This one has an entrance fee ($3 or so), but El Pavon is free. Both are easily accessible from Dominical and Uvita. 6. Along the Costanera Sur, there are a ton of entrances that look like they don't go into anything. Many go to different beaches, such as Playa Ventanas and Playa Tortuga. Although the beaches in the South aren't as pretty as the ones up north, it is still fun to spend a day exploring the different ones. Most of the beach entrances are unpaved roads, and we've encountered a couple that we needed the 4X4. Others were gravel roads that you need to drive slowly. 7. SUP/Kayak is a viral activity in the Dominican and Uvita area because there are several places for beginners and pros to do it. Many people like to do it at Marino Ballena National Park because of the views and the whales' tails, but you can also SUP/kayak at Rio Baru, Ventanas Cave, and the Sierpe mangrove. It's a fun sport that first-timers can do, and you may even have the chance to see some wildlife if you go into the Ocean! 8. Bird watching: As the South is more humid and dense than the North, the number and variety of birds greatly increases. You can find birds endemic to this area with beautiful coloration and interesting calls, making this spot a must for bird lovers. You can go on a guided bird-watching tour, which is recommended. You'll have someone who knows the area to help you locate the birds. Some of the best spots are Hacienda Baru, Oro Verde, and Rancho la Merced, all near Dominical and Uvita. Some birds you can see are toucans, such as the Black-mandible and Fiery-billed Aracari, hummingbirds, tanagers, and birds of prey. 9. The Sierpe mangrove is the largest in Central America and not very far from Uvita and Dominical. You can take a guided boat trip, kayak, or SUP in the mangrove to see the wildlife and learn about this important habitat. It's a very peaceful place as you glide in the water quietly to get close to nature.