Isla Tortuga from Jacó with Lunch and transportation
Jaco, Costa Rica
- 10 to 12 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
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Overview
Spend the day on a tropical island on this seamless full-day tour from Jaco to Tortuga Island. Board your boat and cruise across the Gulf of Nicoya, looking for dolphins along the way. On Tortuga Island, enjoy a snorkeling tour (conditions permitting) and free time to relax, sunbathe, engage in other watersports and activities such as kayaks and banana boats (extra expense).
- Visit Tortuga Island without worrying about logistics
- Refuel with an included lunch and fresh fruit on the island
- Take it easy with convenient pickup from you Jaco hotel
- Enjoy a more personal experience with a small group
What's Included
- All Fees and Taxes
- LunchFull lunch on the island with drink
- Coffee and/or TeaCoffee with cookies
- Dolphin watching (If weather conditions allow it)
- Snorkel Tour (If weather conditions allow it)
- Transportation from your hotel or Airbnb (if our bus can enter)
- Fresh seasonal fruits
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
Type to search
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.6:00 am
Itinerary
1
Tortuga Island
7 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.0
based on 121 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Hormonal_I, Jul 2026
A must do. You'll see dolphins and spider monkeys along the way. Bring fruit to feed the fish if snorkeling. Food was actually good. The cook knows what they are doing.
Flor_D, Jul 2026
Our Isla Tortuga tour was just okay for the price. I think there are several areas where this company could improve.
First, the tour did not include hotel pickup, even though our hotel was only 5 minutes from the designated pickup location. For $115 per person, I think driving a few extra minutes to pick up guests would be reasonable.
The information provided by the tour guide was also inaccurate. We were told the restroom cost $1 and that beach chair rentals were $8, but neither of those prices was correct.
What disappointed me the most was the lack of drinking water. We each brought our own bottles, but after spending hours on the island, we ran out. There was no water available until lunchtime, and if you wanted water just to rinse your hands before eating, they charged $2.
Overall, the island itself is beautiful, but I would probably book with a different tour company next time to visit the same destination and hopefully have a better experience.
Alicia_H, Jul 2026
It was a good time for the most part but honestly the ocean is very rocky and easy to get cut in so you need to bring water shoes. Other than that it reminded me of a day camp for kids. You eat when they tell you to, you eat what they tell you to and you don’t get to choose how much you eat. They make you a plate and that’s all you get.
. So if you’re still hungry after your meal, too bad. N the food was good though. After a couple hours on the island we were bored but you’re stuck there until they bring you back. Everything cost money including using the toilets. You pay for WiFi otherwise you can’t use your phone at all. I guess if you have a ton of money to spend, and you drink alcohol, you would like it. But I didn’t think it was all that great. There’s only so long you can swim barefoot on dangerous rocks before you’re ready to go back. The views were beautiful though and we saw a bunch of crocodiles on our way back to land so that was cool. So I guess what I’m saying is, my review is objective. You may like it more than we did but personally I wish we wouldn’t have spent the money on it and did something else instead.
David_R, Jun 2026
Great experience with great tour guides. Roy was specially knowledgeable about the area and history of the islands. Very friendly staff and boat ride was super fun. We saw dolphins, water snakes, monkeys, javalina(chanchito), deer and turtles 🐢. The island is spread with different tours, our side had great music, drinks to buy, and a prepared lunch. We went snorkeling and had a blast.
Wilson_H, Jun 2026
It was a good experience Rolando was very accommodating and knowledgeable. Transport was on time and prepared for the trip.
Caroline_A, Jun 2026
The experience was great overall ! We got to see dolphins, the instructor Charlie was very knowledgeable and we had so much time on the island and the lunch provided was light healthy but delicious! The snorkeling to ME personally was underwhelming and crowded as I’ve been on many snorkeling excursions but still something to experience nonetheless. You will have to pay for your own drinks, chairs, and WiFi on the island as there’s NO service at all on the island. Chairs and WiFi are both 10$ each, also make sure you have cash incase their electronic systems don’t work because they were glitching at times! My only complaint was when we went to our first stop which was breakfast, they didn’t tell us how long we’d be waiting there and the driver sat and ate for an hour and I personally had to go up to him to ask when we were going to leave as we all thought it was a 10-15 minute breakfast stop. Overall this was a great experience I recommend for an early day trip because the island is BEAUTIFUL and we also met some cool people who were traveling too! The water is also very rough and rocky so just be aware of that too!! Great experience in Costa Rica for sure!
Sinead_R, Jun 2026
This particular excursion was okay, nothing to hype about. Transportation was very good, a/c work perfectly, driver was friendly, tour guide was A1. This island itself was BEAUTIFUL. My only complaint is that I didn’t like the facts I literally have to pay for everything; use of restrooms, WiFi, beach chairs! Bottle water should be complimentary
Janis_B, Mar 2026
Our Tour Guide, Memo, was Excellent. Knowledgable and most helpful. We saw porpoises and snorkelling was safe and a joy to participate in. The beach, food, pick/up & drop off was timely and fun to share with others on the bus. I highly recommend this Tour!
Barbara_I, Mar 2026
The tour itself was good, well
Organized and we had a great group and the staff was always helpful and friendly. The downside was little things that should have been explained from the beginning like prior to the pick up - the cost of chair rentals, and the cost for the bathroom use. The experience itself was very relaxing.
Laura_J, Feb 2026
It was a very long drive to the boat
The boat was more of a water taxi than an excursion boat
The island was small with little to do other than spend ALOT of extra money after an already expensive trip fee
It was “okay”
PAUL_T, Feb 2026
They kept on time with every time they stated. Which is great. The driver moved us as fast as he could given the traffic. The breakfast was good. And the island itself is beautiful. I recommend kayaking and taking the nature trail. But if you’re going to hang on the beach I definitely recommend chairs in an umbrella. Especially on a really sunny day.Luis was our guide. He was extremely helpful, communicative about times and where to be, and just an all-around nice guy. We really enjoyed that day
CharlotteH, Jan 2026
The boat ride was great, saw dolphins and crocodiles, the snorkeling is fantastic, the beach is amazing, the lunch yummy.
Susie_B, Jan 2026
It's a great experience. The ride to the island can be a bit wild, yet fun! The beach was amazing, with great beverage service. The food at lunch was delicious!
Ashley_G, Jan 2026
The views and vibes were amazing! Roi and Charlie were great tour guides! Lunch was delicious fish could use loving but overall fantastic trip!
Anastacia_T, Jan 2026
There are additional costs: for lounge chairs, to use the private restrooms, for wifi, to go on a hiking trail and to rent paddle boards, kayaks and the banana boat.
Julie_C, Dec 2025
The snorkelling was disappointing. The trip was expensive, and then there were all the added costs, like a tasteless, synthetic breakfast at the most touristy stop I have been to since arriving in Costa Rica six weeks ago. The guide was a talking price list, good at telling us how much everything would cost: water, beach chairs, and more. For lunch, I had the fish, which was dry and bland. Coffee came in a tiny paper cup, the kind that serves the samples at a Cosco tasting station. I thought I was going on a snorkelling trip, but the trip was sitting on an island in a $10.00 beach chair and wondering if I had brought enough money to pay for whatever came next. The island is beautiful, and the water is clear, warm, and wonderful to swim in, but take yur wallet.
Indiana_G, Nov 2025
Fun experience, catered to tourism so be ready to spend money on the island for anything else than laying on the ground (Kayaking, hiking,drinks, water…) The meal that is provided is not the most generous amount. Guides and people are lovely tho!
Stanko_K, Nov 2025
The trip from Jaco to Isla Tortuga was overall a great experience — the boat ride was fun, the staff were friendly, and the island itself was beautiful and relaxing. The beach was clean and perfect for sunbathing, and lunch on the island was tasty and well-organized.
The only downside was that the sea water was a bit muddy, and snorkeling had very low visibility, which was disappointing since we were looking forward to seeing marine life. Apart from that, everything else was enjoyable, and it was still a nice day trip overall.
SIMONE_H, Nov 2025
We paid over £100 each for what turned out to be little more than transport. The timing and communication were poor from the start. We were collected very early in the morning — which I don’t mind — but ended up arriving an hour early, only to sit at a service stop for about 45 minutes with nothing to do. No one explained the plan for the day, so we never really knew how long we’d be waiting or what was coming next.
When we finally reached the place to board the boat, no one mentioned that we’d be going snorkelling straight away. We only found out once we were already in the middle of the ocean. Everything felt rushed and disorganised. The snorkelling itself was the worst I’ve ever experienced — the water was completely murky, visibility was basically zero, and there was nothing to see. You were just floating in cloudy water. We then had to get changed on the boat, which was uncomfortable and unnecessary if things had been communicated properly.
Once we arrived at the island, we discovered that everything costs extra — something not made clear at all beforehand. You have to pay for toilets (every use), bins, and sunbeds. Nothing was included, whereas other tours clearly include these things. So, what exactly did we pay over £100 each for? Essentially, just transport.
The lunch provided was very average, with a single glass of iced tea included. Make sure to bring cash because there’s no mobile service, and even to access the Wi-Fi (to top up money on your card), you have to pay! When I asked the tour guide what to do if someone didn’t have cash for the toilet, he laughed and said, “You could go in San José,” which was seven hours away — incredibly unprofessional.
They also fail to mention that although this is sold as a 10–12 hour tour, you only spend about 4–5 hours on the island itself — the rest is just travel and waiting around. At the end of the day, the guide even had the nerve to ask for a tip. Here’s a tip: be transparent on your listings so people know exactly what’s included and what’s not, like every other tour in Costa Rica manages to do.
We were crammed onto the boat even though it’s currently low season, so I can’t imagine how awful it would be during peak season. Overall, this was the low point of our holiday. I’d strongly recommend looking into other tour operators (example Costa cat seemed very good, our tour was run by inside tours Costa Rica - stay away from these ) who include more for less money — and actually seem to care about their guests.
Jannette_A, Jun 2025
The day was beautiful the dolphin and the time in the island was great nice and calm
Water perfect way to end our vacation
Andresa_E, Jun 2025
We had a wonderful time. The provided lunch wasn’t great however. Everything seemed over cooked and it was very bland. The fruit was good though. And we also enjoyed the cookies. The tour guide was great. The island is very beautiful so that made any issues very minuscule.
Casey_S, May 2025
We loved the boat rides and the island!! Lots of food/drinks included in the price. Marcela was so sweet along with the rest of the crew!!
However, there was a little lack of communication beforehand. The port is actually 1.5 hours from Jacó which we were not aware of before booking. Also, while the boat rides were very nice, it was not a catamaran, as advertised. Also of note, you do have to pay for beach chairs on the island and for the bathrooms, so be prepared for that.
We overall had a very nice time, just a couple things they could work on communication wise!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Hello, nowhere in our activity does it mention a catamaran. I recommend you carefully review the tour you book.
All the information described in the tour is what we offer.
Angela_L, Apr 2025
Trip was good long drive to get to the port but the beach was worth it! Loved the coco drink they sold!
Katherine_L, Apr 2025
Beautiful views on boat ride and beach. Snorkeling was fun with beautiful fish. We got to see dolphins, spider monkeys and even crocodiles on the trip. Lunch was good. Lots of beach time- make sure to bring extra sunscreen. Be ready to purchase additional items (drinks, renting beach chairs, additional activities).
John_A, Mar 2025
Isla Tortuga was truly a fantastic trip and it couldn’t be possible if Guillermo wasn’t our tour guide! He was the best and I couldn’t have asked for a better time. The food, the atmosphere and how accommodating they were was out of this world. The cook and the people on the island from Coco Loco bar were absolutely awesome. Highly recommend for anyone and everyone!
Russell_M, Mar 2025
The guide and communication was first rate. Saw Dolphins, monkeys and other animals. The boat ride was fun and informative.
Don_J, Feb 2025
Tour itself was great but the “added costs” once at the island were a frustration. None were identified in the tour ads materials. $10 each for a chair and 600 Col to use the bathroom each time. Just beware the costs are not all inclusive, but we did have a very good time. The fact they heavily feed the fish to get them to come to you when snorkelling was a bit much too. Can’t do that in most places we have travelled. Gives a real false impression.
Josshua_C, Feb 2025
Tour guide did not advise the group about jellyfish in the water, so some people got stung by them.
Also we asked for any remedy but they forgot our request.
Also there was not proactiveness from your guide in regards of free beverages or the start of the activities.
Keith_C, Feb 2025
First, I want to say that all of the guides were great and did a fantastic job. The issues with this tour had nothing to do with them and are more operational in nature. First up is communication. It would have been nice to get a rough itinerary up front. We didn't realize when booking that it was about 1.5 hours from our pick up spot in Jaco to the boat, so that's 3 hours right there. We stopped for breakfast, which was nice, but didn't know that it was not included in the cost. We only got about 30 minutes to snorkel, which wouldn't be a big deal if it was communicated. The snorkeling was not that great, but that was likely more of an issue with the currents and water clarity that day. There were a lot of fish in the area, but the currents were strong and the water relatively cloudy (this is not a complaint about the tour, there's nothing they can do about that). What they could do though is provide swim fins. It's pretty difficult to fight ocean currents without them, and it would be an easy thing to supply. The tour sold water bottles for $2 each, but this was not mentioned, nor was it ever mentioned that it was cash only. Oddly water bottles are not available on the island, but there are several bars there to order drinks from (which do take contactless card payments, Apple Pay, etc.). Lunch was great, no issues there!
Rachel_R, Jan 2025
I signed up for tour to depart at 7:10 AM from Puenta Leona. I received a text the night before to arrive at 6;05. I texted back that my pickup was for 7:10 and no response. I got a message from the guide who was very nice but was a free agent said he would contact the company who said if we weren’t at the meeting point at 6:05 AM we’d lose our money. The guide Alonso nicely worked out that we could meet at the restaurant at 7:00 AM and kept in communication even though the company didn’t. The drive was fairly long from there but the shuttle bus was comfortable. The boat was fine. The snorkeling was nice (I think they threw in food to cause fish to swarm). We paid $20 for 2 beach chairs and maybe $14 for a coconut drink and beer and enjoyed the beach. We learned later that Kosta Cat departs directly from Jaco and includes. Breakfast, snorkeling banana boat beach chairs and unlimited drinks for just &150. Obviously would have been a better option.
From $115.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Isla Tortuga from Jacó with Lunch and transportation
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