Dominical

“More dramatic in rainy season”

Dominical sits where the Baru River meets the Pacific on a long dark-sand beach that produces consistent surf and dangerous rip currents that operate regardless of the apparent size of the surf. The waves here break at multiple points along the beach and shift with the swell direction; the rips are a persistent feature of the beach geometry and not conditions-dependent. The town is a single main road of sodas, surf rental shops, and small guesthouses that runs parallel to the beach. The jungle presses close — the hills behind the town are densely forested and the Nauyaca waterfalls trail begins from the road above the village. Marino Ballena National Park is eighteen kilometres south, Uvita fifteen. In the rainy season from May through November, Dominical operates at reduced capacity and the local atmosphere becomes more functional than touristic. The surf quality is most consistent in the dry season swell window, though the water temperature remains warm year-round.