Skip to main content

Tag: Dominical

family vacation in dominical

8 Reasons a Family Vacation in Dominical is Wonderful

Family Vacation in Dominical

Dominical, Costa Rica, is a great place to visit for a family vacation because it offers a variety of activities and experiences that can be enjoyed by all ages. From surfing and beach activities to wildlife watching and cultural experiences, there is something for everyone in Dominical.

family vacation in dominical
Costa Rica is a wonderful family friend vacation spot.

1. Beautiful Beaches.

One of the main attractions of Dominical is its beautiful beaches. The area is home to several beaches, including Playa Dominical, Playa Dominicalito, and Playa Hermosa, all of which offer differing types of sand and Pacific Ocean water for swimming, boogie boarding, and sunbathing. Families can spend a day on the beach building sandcastles, playing beach volleyball, or simply relaxing in the sun. It is definitely recommended that every family vacation in Dominical involves some time at the beach.

Playa Hermosa, located south of Dominical

Playa Hermosa is one of just a handful of beaches in all of Costa Rica that is handicap accessible. This feature allows visitors who are wheelchair bound the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful Costa Rica beach.

playa dominical family vacation
Miles of sandy beach at Playa Dominical

2. Surfing

For families who are interested in surfing, Dominical offers a variety of surf schools and camps that cater to different levels of experience. Parents can take lessons or rent equipment to try surfing for the first time, while more experienced surfers can challenge themselves on the powerful waves of Dominical Point. Surfing is a great way to bond as a family and create lasting memories.

surfing at dominical beach
Dominical beach is a great place to learn to surf, and popular with experienced surfers also.

3. National Parks

In addition to beach activities, families can also explore the nearby national parks and wildlife reserves. Marino Ballena National Park, located just south of Dominical, is home to humpback whales, dolphins, and sea turtles. Families can take a whale watching tour or snorkel to see the marine life up close. Manuel Antonio National Park, located about an hour north of Dominical, offers hiking trails through rainforests, beaches, and viewpoints where families can see monkeys, sloths, and a variety of bird species.

It is definitely recommended to visit a National Park during a family vacation in Dominical

manuel antonio national park
Manuel Antonio National Park has amazing wildlife, several beaches and about 45 minutes from Dominical.

4. Cultural Experiences

Dominical also offers cultural experiences that families can enjoy together. Families can also visit nearby towns and villages, such as Uvita and Ojochal, to learn about traditional Costa Rican life and culture. There are also cultural experiences, such as the “Pre-Columbian Chocolate Tour/Experience” where visitors will learn where chocolate comes from and the importance of the cacao fruit in the history of Central America.

pre-columbian chocolate tour dominical
Enjoy a hands-on experience at the pre-Columbian chocolate tour.

5. Restaurants

The town is home to several restaurants and cafes that offer traditional Costa Rican dishes, including gallo pinto (rice and beans) and ceviche (marinated seafood). There are also several restaurants next to the beach, providing a great place to enjoy some cocktails during the sunset on the beach, as well as pizzarias, vegetarian, sandwich shops, coffee shops…for the small size of Dominical, the number of restaurants and speciality restaurants is quite large.

6. Logistics of Traveling with Kids

Dominical’s location is also convenient for families who are traveling with children. The town is located about three hours from San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital city, and there are several shuttle services and buses that make the journey. The closest airport is Quepos La Managua Airport, which is about 45 minutes from Dominical, and there are several domestic airlines that offer flights from San Jose.

7. Lodging in Dominical

Everyone here at Costa Rica Las Villas would prefer visitors rent a vacation rental home from us while in Dominical, however, for some guests, hotels are a better choice. The good news for those visitors is that there are plenty of wonderful boutique hotels in Domincal, as well as more affordable options. Regardless of your budget, there will be a wonderful lodging option in Dominical for your family vacation in Dominical.

dominical vacation rental gema escondida
There are luxury vacation rentals in the Dominical area.

8. Safety in Dominical

In terms of safety, Dominical is generally considered a safe destination for families. However, like any destination, it is important to take precautions and be aware of your surroundings. Don’t leave valuables in your vehicles.

Families should also be aware of the potential for strong currents and rip tides in the ocean and should always swim in designated areas. Playa Dominical has lifeguards at the beach and guests should only swim in approved areas with lifeguard coverage.

Taking a Family Vacation in Dominical, Costa Rica is a great idea! Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of activities and memory building experiences for guests of all ages. From beach activities and surfing to wildlife watching and cultural experiences, there is something for everyone in Dominical. Families can enjoy quality time together while creating lasting memories in a beautiful and safe destination.

Costa Rica Surfing at Playa Dominical Costa Rica

Costa Rica Surfing Photograph

This beautiful sunset photo was taken at Playa Dominical, Osa, Costa Rica. Pura vida!

Playa Dominical photos and info

Playa Dominical is only 35 minutes north of Las Villas de San Buenas. For information about Costa Rica surfing and/or surf lessons in Costa Rica be sure to contact us.

Costa Rica surfer dominical

via Surfer at Playa Dominical Costa Rica Sunset | Costa Rica, Real Estate, News, Travel.

Quepos – Dominical Costanera Highway Update

The road between Dominical and Quepos is now completely finished. All of the road has been paved, bridges constructed and an easy 30 minute drive is all that separates Quepos/Manual Antonio from Dominical.

Historically, this drive could take up to 2.5 hours. As recently as two years ago this would take well over 1 hour.

Here’s some pictures of the completed highway. https://www.flickr.com/photos/solpropertygroup/sets/72157624256899829/

When we started purchasing land down in the southern zone five years ago it was a bit of challenge to drive to. Potholes on the Pan-American highway, potholes on the road from San Isidro to Dominical, or if you chose to drive through Quepos it added over an hour to go 22 miles.

Now the roads are in great condition on the Pan American highway, they are in great condition from San Isidro to Dominical and the road to Quepos is 30 minutes.

Here’s a video of the new intersection in Dominical: Click here

The time of “discovering” the southern zone is just beginning for most visitors. I believe in the next several years we will see a large increase in the number of visitors to the zone. For those who have ever considered purchasing now is a great time. The slow economy in the United States has lowered prices in many places in Costa Rica as US based owners shed their assets and with the new highways completed, do not hesitate if you eve r considered purchasing before the large influx of visitors come to this zone.

It is also important that developers protect the natural beauty that the Osa region has to offer.

At the Village of San Buenas we are committed to just that. We have removed approximately 75% of non-indigenous trees on the project (MINAE gladly gave us all necessary permits). This action alone took over a year and lots of resources, but we are now starting to see results. (We don’t touch any indigenous tree we find). We are seeing large numbers of loro parrots daily, we can hear the howler monkeys daily, and toucans and macaws are seen several times a week.

The reason for the quick increase (six months) is that they now have access to their food sources. We have also started planting more fruit bearing trees in the development. As we begin putting in roads and walking paths (scheduled to start in 2011) we will be planting almond trees to attract macaws as well as other trees to attract Osa’s magical wildlife.