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…
Sailing tours
Day sails, sunset catamarans and snorkel trips along Costa Rica's coasts, with the real boarding point for each operator we've checked.
Operators and marinas
Blue Dolphin Sailing
Tamarindo · Catamaran tour
Blue Dolphin Sailing is a Tamarindo catamaran company that's been running since 2004. It has 2 boats, a 40-foot and a 50-foot catamaran, and offers a…
Iguana Tours
Quepos and Manuel Antonio · Catamaran tour
Iguana Tours is a Quepos-based tour company that has been operating since 1989. Its own catamaran sails from Marina Pez Vela along the Manuel Antonio…
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…
Kuna Vela Sailing Tours
Playas del Coco · Sailing tour
Kuna Vela Sailing Tours runs morning and sunset sail and snorkel trips on a 47-foot monohull from the beach at Playas del Coco, with a maximum of 15…
Lazy Lizard Sailing
Playa Flamingo · Catamaran tour
Lazy Lizard Sailing has run catamaran trips out of Playa Flamingo since 2002. Every trip is about 4 hours, morning or sunset, shared or private, with…
Manta Ray Sailing
Playa Flamingo · Catamaran tour
Manta Ray Sailing runs private catamaran charters from Playa Flamingo with a small fleet, from the original 12-guest Manta Ray to a 41-foot Bali that…
Panache Sailing
Playa Flamingo · Catamaran tour
Panache Sailing runs catamaran trips from Marina Flamingo on Guanacaste's Gold Coast, about 30 minutes from Tamarindo. You can join a shared morning…
Planet Dolphin
Quepos · Catamaran tour
Planet Dolphin runs large catamaran trips along the Manuel Antonio coast from Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, and a second boat from Marina Flamingo in…
Sea Bird Sailing Excursions
Playas del Coco · Sailing tour
Sea Bird Sailing Excursions takes guests out on a classic sailboat from Playas del Coco into the Gulf of Papagayo. Choose a morning sail and snorkel…
Serendipity Charters
Playa Flamingo · Sailing tour
Serendipity Charters runs private and small-group sails on a 50-foot Beneteau Oceanis out of Flamingo Marina in Guanacaste. It suits couples…
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…
Guides
Sailboat types explained: a beginner's guide before you sail in Costa Rica
Guide
Most sailboats you'll step aboard in Costa Rica are either catamarans (two hulls, stable and roomy) or monohull sloops (one hull, one mast, more of a…
Sailing in Costa Rica: where to go, when to sail and what to expect
Guide
Costa Rica's sailing happens almost entirely on the Pacific coast, from the Gulf of Papagayo and Flamingo in Guanacaste down to the Gulf of Nicoya…
Real sailing or a catamaran cruise?
Not every trip sold as a sailing tour does much sailing, and that's worth knowing before you choose. If you want the wind to do the work, look for boats built and regularly used for sailing. Out of Flamingo, Serendipity Charters sails a 50-foot monohull. In Playas del Coco, Kuna Vela takes small groups around the Gulf of Papagayo under sail. Engines are normal safety gear on any boat, but if you've booked a sail, it's fair to ask how often the sails actually go up.
Wide-deck catamarans are a different kind of fun. Manta Ray Sailing and Lazy Lizard Sailing cover the Flamingo coast, while Planet Dolphin, Iguana Tours and Ocean King run different versions of the Central Pacific boat day from Quepos. Some focus on private groups, others on shared cruises with snorkeling and a social crowd, so they aren't interchangeable.
Choose by where the boat really boards
- Guanacaste: Flamingo and Potrero for sailboats and catamarans; Playas del Coco for the islands and bays of Papagayo. A tour sold to Tamarindo guests may board at Flamingo, so confirm the dock.
- Central Pacific: most Manuel Antonio catamarans check in at Marina Pez Vela in Quepos.
- Southern Nicoya: Tambor, Montezuma and Santa Teresa are linked by road and boat trips, but not every town has a boat boarding on its beach. Check the itinerary before you plan transport.
Match the boat to the mood
A private sailing yacht suits couples and small groups. Families should ask about boarding, shade, swimming and life jackets for kids. A shared catamaran can be great fun if its atmosphere is what you're after. If you get seasick, ask how exposed the route is, not just how big the boat looks in photos. Every trip depends on the weather and the captain's call, and wildlife and clear water are hopes, not promises.
We don't print tour prices. Each operator's page links to its official booking page for current rates and availability, and we keep a profile up only while there's current evidence the company is taking bookings. For regional context, see Guanacaste or the Central Pacific.