Snorkeling at Tortuga Island: The Best Costa Rican Tours
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Around a one-hour boat ride, Northeast of Montezuma lies Isla Tortuga, which means Turtle Island in Spanish. Tortuga Island is home to white-sand beaches as well as surrounded by clear water that is great for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Taking day trips to this island is a very popular activity if you are staying around the Nicoya Peninsula or Jaco. We stayed in Montezuma when we went but a lot of people came from Santa Teresa too.
The prices for the tour to Tortuga Island have risen in the last couple of years but we spent $70 to visit from Montezuma in 2022. That cost has risen to $80 as of today.
In this guide, I will explain everything you need to know about the Isla Tortuga tour. This will include all our activities, time spent on the beach, and whether it was worth it.
I have heard many people’s opinions about going to Tortuga Island, some good and some bad. So I am here to help you make that decision a little easier.
Which Tour Company Should You Choose?
There are many tour companies to choose from when wanting to visit Tortuga Island. This can become very overwhelming as they all basically can give the same things.
It will depend on where you’re coming from and your budget. Below are some popular tour groups that take you to Tortuga Island.
Zuma Tours
Zuma Tours is the company that we went with when visiting Tortuga Island. We didn’t have that much of a choice because it was sold out every day with other companies.
This tour is perfect if you are staying in Montezuma or even Santa Teresa. They ask you to check in with them at their building and then go to the bus stop by the beach at 9.
- After this, you board the boat and won’t be back until 4 PM. They offer the same amenities as the other tours leaving from Montezuma.
- Your day will include snorkeling, lunch (either fish, chicken, or veggie) at their ranch, and laying on the beach.
- This tour to Tortuga Island costs $80 from Montezuma and $99 from Santa Teresa.
- They also have other packages that you can choose from if you want to add in scuba diving which can cost upwards of $155. The boat we were on wasn’t that big.
We had seats and it felt like it was just a means of transportation, instead of being an activity.
Costa Cat Tortuga Island
Costa Cat tour is more of a boujiee style tour to Isla Tortuga. You are on a 55-foot catamaran that is fully air-conditioned.
They also have a smaller, open-aired catamaran if you would rather take that. The basic tour, leaves earlier than the one from Montezuma.
They also give you a light breakfast and an open bar for liquor drinks.
Some other things to note.
- Their lunch is more buffet-style and Zuma tours weren’t. Besides snorkeling, they take you on a hike to a lookout of the island and free banana boat rides.
- Overall this is a way nicer tour and the entire experience is better. The cost is a lot more though, especially if all you care about is seeing the island and snorkeling.
- They do private Tortuga Island tours as well and that would bring the cost down per person.
Tortuga Island Tours From Surrounding Areas
Depending on where you’re currently located or will be located in Costa Rica, there are different options you can take for your Isla Tortuga tour.
Some information was already stated above but this will be more detailed.
Tours from Montezuma
This is the most popular starting location to take a trip to Isla Tortuga. Zuma Tours is what we took and is the most popular option that you probably see online already.
Many different booking agencies like Tropical Tours lead you to Zuma Tours. So if you want to book them, I would suggest just booking through them directly.
Another popular tour group in Montezuma is called Montezuma Expeditions. They offer the same amenities as Zuma Tours.
The price is not labeled on their site, so you will have to request a booking to find out. It should be around the same price as Zuma Tours though.
Tours from Jaco
If you are staying in Jaco or are thinking about going there on your stay, there is only one main company taking you on this tour.
Costa Cat will be the company you’ll be riding with and currently, their cheapest fare is $140 for adults and $115 for kids ages 4-13.
You might be able to find cheaper deals around on other travel booking sites like Viator but it’ll depend on which boat you want to take.
It may seem like a lot of money but you will not be disappointed in how nice their tour is.
Tortuga Island Map
Tortuga Island Tour from Santa Teresa
If you are staying in Santa Teresa and want to take a tour of the island then your best bet will also be through Zuma Tours.
You might be able to find cheaper deals through Viator once again but these don’t seem as well run as Zuma tours.
For an extra cost, I think it is worth it to take the more popular tour company. The cost will be more expensive to come from Santa Teresa to the island because of transportation.
They pick you up from your hotel and bring you to Playa Montezuma. The cost is $85 which is $15 more than if you are staying in Montezuma.
Activities During the Tortuga Island Tour
Depending on which company you take, you will be able to do different activities if you want to do them. I only have photos from my Zuma tour which did not include banana boat rides or scuba diving.
Related Blog Post: 10-day Itinerary in Costa Rica
Boat Ride to Tortuga Island
Our boat when we did our Isla Tortuga tour through Zuma wasn’t very big. It was a handful of rows of seats and then a front section of padded seats.
On the way to the island, they said we might be able to see some manta rays, whales, sea turtles, and dolphins.
We only had the chance to see some dolphins unfortunately but you might be luckier than we were.
Also, within 10-15 minutes of the boat ride, we stopped in front of the famous El Chorro waterfall while also passing Playa Grande.
This waterfall is 1 of 7 in the world that drops directly from land into the ocean.We hiked to it and it was breathtaking to see.
Snorkeling at Tortuga Island
I haven’t snorkeled a ton in my life, so my experiences are limited but this was by far my favorite time doing so.
Snorkeling on Tortuga Island is one of my favorite memories in Costa Rica. The water was so clear, especially in the 2nd spot that we went to.
You get to snorkel for around 30-45 minutes at both spots. Be careful as there are many sea urchins at the bottom or on the rocks in these areas. We were given headpieces and flippers.
Our guide picked up a starfish and a sea urchin for us to take a closer look at. Overall I was super pleased with the snorkeling during the tour.
Eat, Drink, & Relax
If you don’t want to snorkel and would rather lay on the beach, they stop first and let anyone who wants to do that.
After you’re done snorkeling you will be taken back to the beach and will be given lunch.
When paying for your tour, you will be given three options for your meal. They will be fish, chicken or veggie.
I was highly impressed by the meal and would gladly eat it again right now. For the Zuma tour, they gave us free beers while we were there, and went to sit on the beach after lunch.
The water surrounding the island is gorgeous and it was a super relaxing end to the tour.
Other Important Things to Know
Tortuga Island Tour Cost
The tour might cost slightly depending on where you’re coming from.
Prices have increased since I’ve been but whether you’re based in Santa Teresa, Montezuma, or Jaco, it’s still worth the money.
- Zuma Tours: $80 from Montezuma & $99 from Santa Teresa
- With Scuba diving: $150 to $160
- Costa Cat (Jaco): $140+ for Adults & $115 for Children 13 and under. Free for kids under the age of 3
- This tour offers more than the Zuma Tours does with a small breakfast, buffet, lunch and hike. It also leaves from Jaco instead of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Where to Stay in Santa Teresa
- NATURA Loft Garden: Looking for resort-level accommodation at a hotel budget? Natura Loft is that place!
- Zeneidas Surf Garden: Interested in surfing? Look no further than the Zeneidas Surf Garden. They have an awesome community where you’ll meet a lot of like-minded travelers.
- Ventura Santa Teresa: This is another surfing accommodation that has its own restaurant available! It’s also a great place for those who need reliable wifi to work.
Was the Tour to Tortuga Island Worth It?
I think so! My only experience is through Zuma tours so this can change depending on who you go with but I loved it. It is a little pricey, especially if you’re coming from Jaco.
If you have been in the Nicoya Peninsula area for a long time, I would suggest trying to budget some money to do this activity.
This was the only paid activity we did during our time in Montezuma. Many people who are on a backpacker’s budget might not think it’s worth it but that will vary.
I would say coming from Jaco if you’re a backpacker, then probably not worth it but if you’re staying in Montezuma for a week or more then it’s worth it.
The snorkeling made it and without it being that good, I would probably say otherwise.
