A Mini Travel Guide To Uvita, Costa Rica

Listen, if you need a secluded, relaxing vacation…Uvita, Costa Rica, is the place to go. My boyfriend and I decided to bring in the new year by escaping to this small town in the southern part of Costa Rica. Large crowds and resorts haven’t overtaken Uvita, so it still gives you the jungle scenery that Costa Rica is known for but in a more private setting. You can go whale watching, chase waterfalls, get a massage in the middle of the jungle, and have many other breathtaking adventures. After spending eight magical days there, here’s a mini travel guide to Uvita, Costa Rica.

HOW TO GET TO UVITA

This trip was all about relaxing, so we knew we didn’t want to rent a car like most people suggested. But Uvita is about a four-hour drive from the San Jose airport. 

Private Shuttle

Originally, we wanted to go the bougie route and get a private shuttle. That plan quickly went out the window once we saw how much the shuttles would cost. A one-way shuttle costs $200, so that would’ve been $400 total. That cost us more than our tickets to fly from DC to San Jose, so it didn’t make sense for us. Also, every driver in Uvita charges the same price, so I don’t think you’ll be able to negotiate the price down.

Tracopa Bus

I highly recommend taking the Tracopa bus. It’s just like taking a Megabus, Greyhound, etc, but cleaner. It also only costs $20 for two tickets! You will need to be able to speak and understand a little bit of Spanish, though, as this is more of a local way to get around the country. And you must have colones (Costa Rican money) instead of USD to buy the ticket. Our bus got us to Uvita in 3 hours and 30 minutes, and midway through the trip, there was a pitstop for people to use the bathroom and grab some snacks. Once we arrived in Uvita, we grabbed a taxi ($20) to get to our Airbnb.

We did use a private shuttle on our way back from Uvita to San Jose airport to ensure we didn’t miss our flight.

GETTING AROUND UVITA

The best way to get around Uvita is by taxi. Every driver in the area charges the same price; at the time we went in January 2022, it was $20 one way. I really don’t recommend getting a rental car if you’ll be staying in Uvita because of how steep the roads are in the mountains. Basically, everything to do in the area requires you to go up into the mountains.

WHERE TO STAY

Uvita is known for having some of the best luxury hotels in Costa Rica, like Oxygen Jungle Villas, Kura Hotel, and the Art Villas, which is what made me want to go to the area. I wanted luxury on a budget and found that with Escal Acres.

This Airbnb was stunning. For a full, in-depth review of the property, read “Where To Stay In Uvita: Airbnb Review.”

THINGS TO DO

Spa Day at Oxygen Jungle Villas

Staying on the theme of relaxation, we headed to Oxygen Jungle Villas for a spa day. They offer a day pass for people not staying at the hotel. The pass includes a five-senses massage, a light lunch, and access to the waterfalls on the property. The massage happens deep in the jungle next to the calming sounds of a river. It was so relaxing that I almost fell asleep twice. After the massages, we had a light lunch of chicken quesadillas, coconut curry chicken soup with jasmine rice, pineapple juice, and green juice. The food was very fresh but lacked some seasoning.

Chocolate Tour

This was the star of the trip. We got to learn how to make 100% chocolate from scratch! We tasted chocolate in its fruit form from the cacao plant and turned it into hot chocolate. It was amazing. We booked with Ronald through the Uvita Information Center. The tour is between 3 and 4 hours, but it doesn’t feel that long at all. You also get to walk through Ronald’s farm and learn all about how some tropical fruits & vegetables are grown, like pineapples and plantains. But what made it even more special was that near the end of our tour, white face monkeys appeared in the trees. We put out some fruit for them and saw them up close. If you do anything in Uvita, it must be this tour!

PLACES TO EAT

Scala Restaurant

Honestly, this is the only place you need to eat in Uvita. It is sooo bomb. I am still thinking of the octopus risotto we had here. Everything we got was delicious, but I definitely recommend getting the octopus risotto, wagyu pizza, and salted caramel cheesecake.