Last Tuesday, a visitor at Las Catalinas was treated to a special surprise: the sighting of two humpback whales right off Playa Danta. Some people at Sentido Norte also reported seeing them earlier in the week.
This is the season when humpbacks from the Southern Hemisphere arrive in the Pacific waters of Costa Rica. They travel thousands of kilometers from the cold seas near Antarctica and Chile, seeking the calm, warm waters of Guanacaste to give birth and care for their calves.
Costa Rica is actually one of the countries with the longest whale-watching seasons in the world. That is because both Northern and Southern Hemisphere populations migrate here at different times of the year, creating a unique overlap thanks to the country’s geographic location. It is no coincidence that Marino Ballena National Park, just south of here, is consistently ranked among the top ten places worldwide to see these marine giants.
Humpbacks are famous for their acrobatics. They can weigh up to 40 tons, yet still leap out of the water in spectacular breaches. This is exactly what you can see in the video below, where a whale is caught breaching and spinning before crashing back into the water. A fun fact about them is that each whale can be identified by the unique patterns on its tail, which remain unchanged throughout its life.
Another remarkable trait is their haunting songs, produced by males during the breeding season. These sounds can last 10 to 15 minutes, adding yet another layer of wonder to these animals. The Institute of Culture and Turism created a fun infographic for these whales, which you can check out here if you want to read more about them.
August and September are some of the best months to witness them along the Pacific coast, and Playa Danta, with its calm bay and clear views, became a front-row seat to this remarkable migration.