Playa Punta Uva.

Playa Punta Uva is one of the Caribbean coast’s most inviting stretches of coast, loved for its calm, shallow waters protected by an offshore coral reef. Unlike the surf-heavy beaches nearby, this crescent of white sand is ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking, with a river mouth at one end where you can paddle inland. Because the beach borders the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, the tree canopy is alive with sloths, howler monkeys, and tropical birds. A short trail leads up to a cliffside lookout and a natural rock cave at the water's edge. Development here is strictly set back from the high-tide line, giving the area a quiet, residential feel that is naturally beautiful and less commercialized than neighboring Puerto Viejo, which sits just over eight kilometers away.