ECOTOURISM ISN’T JUST A PLOY; IT’S HOW TOURISM IS DONE IN COSTA RICA
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Lounging around your private pool, walking on the beach at low tide to Dominical, trying out one of the wonderful restaurants in the area: you could easily spend a week and never go more than a few kilometers from Caballitos del Mar. Our approach is a little more exploratory. We like a calendar of alternating days around the villas, with excursions on the opposite days.
While we haven’t exhausted all of the exciting tours and activities in the area, we have been visiting and sharing the South Pacific Coast area with family and friends for 15+ years. Kayaking, nature tours, waterfalls, ATV tours, ziplines, surfing, shopping in Dominical, beachcombing, scuba diving, river boat rides with naturalists, whitewater rafting and horseback riding are all available, and are reasonably priced.
Excursions are generally half day or full day, and can be booked at many places in Dominical, including through YouGetHere, our property management team. Many are free if you are willing to do some driving or hiking on your own. Check out some of our favorites below and let us know what you think are the best excursions.
Nayuca Waterfalls and Horseback Ride
A wonderful family will take you on a gorgeous horseback ride to the family home for a delicious breakfast, followed by a trip to a waterfall and swimming hole. On the return you’ll have lunch at the same home. Takes about 5 hours, cost is about $80 per person including meals, excluding tips. We've taken eight year old kids with no horseback riding experience on the trip, and they have loved it. If you've ever wanted an exotic place for your family Christmas card photograph, this is it. Here's a link for more information.
Corcovado Ranger Station and Boat Ride
Corcovado Ranger Station is the closest point on the Osa Peninsula to our villas. The tour takes an entire day and consists of a drive to Sierpe, about an hour south, and then a boat ride out the Rio Sierpe, through the surf, and down the coast to the Corcovado Ranger Station. This is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, and is a must for birders, monkey seekers, and naturalists of all types. Breakfast and lunch are provided, plus transportation and the boat ride. About $160 per adult, $100 per child, inclusive, for a 10 hour activity.
Surfing in Dominical
Many, perhaps most, people visit Dominical for the surf. Depending on the tide and swell, you can have surf that is great for anyone from beginners to experts, and it is extremely accessible by just paddling out from the beach. It can also be a little overwhelming, so know the conditions and consider taking lessons from one of the many excellent surf schools and surf camps in town. We like Costa Rica Surf Camp, but others are very good as well.
River Rafting
We’ve now done this on two rivers in the area: Rio Guabo is narrow and in a nearby canyon while Rio Savegre is quite large and about half way between Dominical and Quepos. Either is loads of fun. The guides provide the requisite helmets, paddles, and safety instruction. A fresh fruit lunch is served along the way. We generally book at Dominical Surf Adventures, on the left as you enter town. Ask for Henry. $80-100 per person.
Ziplining at Hacienda Baru
Flight of the Toucan is the local, wonderful, opportunity to zipline through the jungle. This is north on La Costanera (The Coast Highway) from Dominical about 5km. Fun zip lining in the jungle with naturalists. Safe, exciting, and reasonably priced. $52 per person for 2-3 hours.
Swimming Holes
There is a lovely, quiet swimming hole on the river that passes through Dominicalito, about half a kilometer south of the homes. It is a short hike up the Dominicalito road and off to the right. Ask a local for directions. If you're really into bouldering and exotic locations, we have a secret waterfall hike that we love, and it's virtually unknown to tourists. We will tell you where it is when you book with us.
Nightlife in Dominical
It should be no surprise that COVID put a but damper on the nightlife in Dominical and several of the clubs never reopened. But most nights will have some dancing or music in Dominical, although the location tends to change night to night. Ask around to find out if any restaurants or resorts have something planned in the evening. Sometimes it's salsa dancing, or live music, or other entertainment. Like many Latin nocturnal activities, the party doesn’t really get going until after midnight.
Kayaking
There's both sea kayaking and river/estuary kayaking available in the area. An easy choice is to go just north of Hacienda Baru with a local Dominical outfitter and explore the mangroves. Very reasonably priced and not a lot of driving. We like Pineapple Tours, among others.
If you want a little more open water, try sea kayaking. This is only offered when the seas are calm. You'll depart from a beach about 30km south of the villas, and paddle south to some gorgeous sea caves that are accessible only by boat.
Swimming in Dominical and Local Beaches
Swimming in the Pacific Ocean is one of the best reasons to visit Dominical and the Southern Pacific Coast, but…
The surf can get large, and there can be riptides. It’s worth spending some time discussing water safety before you dive in. Please see this page for more information about safe ocean swimming.