Let’s assume that the first two points of visiting a place are taken care of: transportation and lodgings, now we look to what to do.
- Surfing
- has always been a big attraction of Dominical, in fact, surfers were the nearly the only ones that knew about Dominical for years prior to it being discovered and the real estate boom occurring. There are a number of surf schools and surf camps in Dominical. Costa Rica surfing page.
- beach time.
- The beaches of Dominical are wonderful. There are a number of long, crescent shaped beaches that you can walk on, literally for hours, sometimes without seeing anyone. Palm trees and Almendro trees line the beach and are very thoughtfully placed so as to easily accommodate a hammock. Reading, sleeping, conversation, meditation and picnicking are nice ways to make good use of beach time in Dominical. Walking and Jogging are recommended beach time activities as well.
- Ecotourism – Spend time in the jungle.
- Dominical has a zip line canopy tour at Hacienda Baru. I highly recommend this for a close up and personal jungle experience. Listen to the guide and ask lots of questions.
Nauyaca Waterfalls is one of the best deals eco-tourism activities in getting back into the jungle and it’s easy. Horses are provided. The waterfall is gorgeous. Breakfast and lunch are included - $45.
Reptilandia is a fascinating way to spend a morning or afternoon here. This is a very serious reptile zoo, the owners of which are more than willing to share their passion with you. - Nightlife, Dining etc…
- Check the restaurants section. In Dominical proper, there is Confusione which serves excellent Italian cuisine in a Costa Rica style elegance, open air, right near the beach.
Tortilla Flats is right on the beach and is in the hub of the surf scene here in Dominical.
The Thai restaurant serves a mean Pad Thai, among other dishes.
La Parcela is probably my favorite in the whole area, but I’m a little swayed by the Banana Flambe presentation that they do there. Also the Tuna, seared to your specs, on a bed of wasabi pasta is to die for. The setting is on a jungle point that juts into the Pacific and so the natural ambience is excellent.
Music and dancing. Friday nights is disco night at San Clemente Bar & Grill. Saturday disco is at Roca Verde. Lots of loud music and people come from all around Costa Rica to cut loose at these events.
Movies in the Jungle has to be one of the most unique and beautiful movie theaters on planet Earth. Toby and Kim have been doing this for years now, and it is common to hear the question "whats playing this week" amongst the locals. Pot luck at 5:00, movie starts at 6:00. This is a great way for re-locators to meet recent and long time expats. - South of Dominical
- I have heard that the Twisted Toucan down by Ojochal is doing Karaoke and dancing with some style, but I’ll need to get more info on this.
Dominical. The highway from Dominical is wide and smooth and extraordinarily lovely to drive along. So getting to these places is cake, and should be added to anyone’s visit to the Dominical area.
Of note in the southern area, all within about 12 – 30 minutes from Dominical. La Terraza in Uvita is getting some good reviews. They also feature dinner and a movie on Thursday nights.
Citrus in Ojochal is all the rage. These are the people that ran the floating restaurant previously. They have moved to tierra firma and are rocking with excellent cuisine.
Exotica in Ojochal is the favorite of many, and challenges my previously stated favorite as a close runner up. While I’m there it is my favorite. I think that I choose La Parcela mainly because it is closer to where I live.
There are more popping up all the time in this vibrant zone of Costa Rica. Please check the Uvita restaurants page at Uvita.biz to see a more comprehensive list of what’s available south of Dominical. - Sport Fishing, ATV (quadracyle) tours, horseback riding, bird watching (some of the best on the planet), the vacation activities here abound.
