Adventure Tours Costa Rica
Jacó · Catamaran tour
Adventure Tours Costa Rica is a Jacó-based tour company whose water trips are a full-day catamaran run to Tortuga Island and private sportfishing…
Central Pacific
Jacó, Herradura and Los Sueños, Puntarenas and the Gulf of Nicoya, Quepos and Manuel Antonio, where the rainforest runs down to the sea.
Operators and marinas
AdventureSmith Explorations
Pacific coast · Cruise
AdventureSmith Explorations is a US-based travel company that books small-ship and yacht cruises, and Costa Rica is one of its regular destinations.…
Iguana Tours
Quepos and Manuel Antonio · Catamaran tour
Iguana Tours is a Quepos tour company that's been running trips around Manuel Antonio since 1989. Its catamaran leaves Marina Pez Vela for a morning…
Jaco Tour Sportfishing
Jacó · Sportfishing
Jaco Tour Sportfishing is a Jacó-based charter office that books a fleet of more than 20 fishing boats, from 28-foot center consoles to 50-foot…
JacoVIP
Jacó · Yacht charter
JacoVIP is a concierge and vacation rental company in Jacó that arranges private party boat charters, fishing trips and Tortuga Island catamaran days…
Kayak Jaco
Playa Agujas, Jacó · Kayaking
Kayak Jaco has been running paddle and snorkel trips on the Central Pacific coast since 1998, from its base at Playa Agujas just south of Jacó. It…
Safe Harbor Los Sueños (Los Sueños Resort and Marina)
Playa Herradura · Marina
Los Sueños Marina sits inside the Los Sueños Resort and Marina community on Herradura Bay, on the Central Pacific coast. It's now run under the Safe…
Marina Pez Vela
Quepos · Marina
Marina Pez Vela is the full-service marina on the Quepos waterfront, about 15 minutes by road from Manuel Antonio. It has over 250 wet slips, a fuel…
Planet Dolphin
Quepos · Catamaran tour
Planet Dolphin runs large catamaran trips on 2 separate coasts: Tom Cat sails the Manuel Antonio coast from Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, and Tom Cat II…
Pochote Ocean Adventures
Pochote · Boat tour
Pochote Ocean Adventures is a small local boat company in Pochote, near Tambor on the sheltered gulf side of the Nicoya Peninsula. It runs private…
Princess Cruises
Puntarenas · Cruise
Princess Cruises is a large ocean cruise line, and Costa Rica shows up on its Panama Canal sailings. Full ocean-to-ocean transits between Los Angeles…
Puerto Azul Hotel y Club Náutico
Puntarenas · Marina
Puerto Azul is a hotel with an attached marina in El Cocal, on the Puntarenas side of the Gulf of Nicoya. It suits cruisers with boats up to about 60…
Sea Cloud Cruises
Puntarenas · Cruise
Sea Cloud Cruises is a German small-ship line that sails traditionally rigged windjammers. Its newest ship, Sea Cloud Spirit, runs winter voyages…
Star Clippers
Puerto Caldera · Cruise
Star Clippers sails real square-rigged tall ships, and in winter its Star Clipper is based at Puerto Caldera on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. The…
Sunset Sails Tours
Quepos · Sailing tour
Sunset Sails Tours, the company behind the old Trimaran Sunset Sail Tours name, is a family business that's been sailing the Manuel Antonio coast…
The King Catamaran
Los Sueños, Herradura · Catamaran tour
The King Catamaran books shared and private catamaran trips, mostly from Los Sueños Marina near Jacó, with more options in Quepos, Flamingo…
Windstar Cruises
Puerto Caldera · Cruise
Windstar runs small-ship cruises that pair a Panama Canal transit with several days on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. The sailing ship Wind Star calls…
Guides
Costa Rica ferries: the Gulf of Nicoya crossing to Paquera and Playa Naranjo
Guide
Two vehicle ferries cross Costa Rica's Gulf of Nicoya from Puntarenas: Naviera Tambor's route to Paquera, the usual way to Montezuma, Tambor and…
Jacó and Herradura: check which beach is the dock
Jacó is a big visitor base, but many boat trips leave from nearby Herradura, around Los Sueños Marina. A tour sold as a Jacó cruise may include a drive to another boarding point, and that's true of some Isla Tortuga trips too. Local operators include Jacó VIP Tour, Adventure Tours Costa Rica and Kayak Jacó.
Heading on to Montezuma or Santa Teresa? Boat taxis can beat the long drive around the gulf. They aren't car ferries, and some go straight to Montezuma while others land near Tambor with a road transfer after.
Quepos and Manuel Antonio: the jungle from the water
Quepos is home to Marina Pez Vela, where sportfishing boats, yacht services and sightseeing cruises share the docks. Most Manuel Antonio catamarans check in here. Compare Planet Dolphin, Iguana Tours and Ocean King: one group wants a calm scenic trip, another wants snorkeling, a birthday party may want a big social boat.
Puntarenas and the Gulf of Nicoya
Puntarenas is the main ferry port for Paquera and Playa Naranjo on the Nicoya Peninsula, and cruise ships call here and at Puerto Caldera. If you're using the ferry as transport, know the terminal, the ticket type and the road onward. Puerto Azul Hotel & Yacht Club is a small marina on the gulf.
Before you book
Ask whether your boat leaves from Jacó, Herradura, Quepos, Puntarenas or somewhere else, how long the ride to the dock takes, whether swimming is included and what happens if the sea turns rough. For prices, use each operator's official booking page.