Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Quepos, Costa Rica
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- All Fees and Taxes
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Dinner
- Boat with captain
- Gratitudes
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.5:30 pm
Itinerary
Quepos (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Julia_L
Anderson was a wonderful guide and very knowledgeable. We were able to spot frogs, birds, caimans, and many other animals with his expert eyes. He even tried to find a sloth for us because we were trying to see one! Thank you Enderson for a great experience! We will definitely try to return to experience more of Costa Rica! You made our trip!
Reviews
4.7
based on 549 reviews
Kurt_E, Apr 2026
Our tour guide and captain provided the best experience in this jungle trip showing Cayman, frogs, Sloth, Gecko, and tropical birds! We even had a fish jump right into our boat!! Great Costa Rica dinner followed. Highly recommend!
Hemant_R, Apr 2026
My first recommendation - Do not use Jade Travel that ultimately takes this booking or atleast for a couple of us. Per our reservation through Viator we were told to come by 530 pm which we did infact by 515 pm. The guide didn't show up until after 6 pm and informed us the we were still waiting for late arrivers.
When I approached the guide about the delay he was extremely rude and ultimately took th position that it's a company issue not his issue although he represents the company.
When we were informed we would still wait I called the office and they lied to me that I was informed to arrive by 6 pm. I check all my messages to make sure I didn't miss anything and I informed the office I was never told to come at 6 pm. At the end the tour started an hour late.
We were then informed after the tour that the included dinner was at a different location.
By that point we decided to leave.
Ultimately the chance of seeing fauna is left to chance. But the dishonesty of Jade Tours is what is jarring.
I absolutely don't recommend them and surprised that viator still uses them after Similar reviews.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hello dear client,
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
We would like to clarify that the confirmed meeting time and location were sent to you via WhatsApp, indicating a 6:00 PM meeting time at the mangrove dock. The 5:30 PM time shown on the product refers to hotel pickups in the Manuel Antonio area. Since pickups can take 30–40 minutes, the arrival time at the dock is later. We also received a confirmation response from your side acknowledging this message.
We understand how frustrating delays can feel, especially when there is confusion regarding timing. However, in this case, the information was provided in advance, and the tour proceeded as scheduled once all participants arrived.
Regarding your interaction with the guide, we regret if this came across as unfriendly, as this is not the standard of service we aim to provide. Your comments have been shared internally for review.
We always strive to be transparent and provide clear communication to all our guests, and we appreciate your feedback as it helps us continue improving our service.
Best regards!
Jade Tours Team
Elle_H, Mar 2026
Such an amazing tour! We had a great guide Johnny who pointed out everything extremely well. We saw two boas, a caiman, bullfrogs, bats, a sloth, and more!! Definitely bring bug spray
Melinda_w, Mar 2026
We were with a 10 and 12 yr old. 10 yr was scared, didn’t like the dark and the animals we saw. You are on the boat for about 90+ minutes. Dinner is not served until after 8 pm (after the tour boat portion is complete). WS good overall just didn’t realize dinner would be so late or would have fed the kids first
Steven_H, Mar 2026
Only the captain and guide had spotlights, a few more people searching would have helped. Also the captain and guide primarily focused on the right side of the boat, so if you were on the left, you did not get to see everything. The meal at 8:40 was a buffet, which are rarely good...
Jennifer_H, Mar 2026
Our tour guide Kevin was incredible! He was very knowledgeable and it was impressive how quickly he was able to spot the wildlife in the dark. The kids had a great time and the meal provided was tasty and very filling.
Donald_M, Mar 2026
Great evening experience loved it saw many night animals and bird and amphibians with typical Costa Rica meal .
Gary_C, Feb 2026
Our guide Javier is a wildlife whisperer. We saw birds (potoo, pauraque, wood-rail, tiger heron, green heron, pygmy kingfisher, green kingfisher), basilisk, bats, cayman and crocodile, iguanas. Although it rained, we remained dry within the boat. We skipped the dinner (and notified them beforehand) because it is served too late for both us and our grandchildren. The tour kindly provided free transportation back to our hotel right after the cruise!
Geralyn_D, Feb 2026
Interesting and fun with knowledgeable and friendly guide, able to spot critters we would have missed. However the driver was frequently talking on his phone making it hard for the people in the back to hear. The dinner afterward was good authentic Costa Rican fare.
Hayden_T, Feb 2026
You never know what you might see so having a good guide like Kevin, who kept us informed and engaged, is the key. As it turned out we were fortunate to see a sloth, caimans numerous birds, snakes, bats and amphibians. The boat was comfortable and the dinner after tasty.
Saja_C, Feb 2026
I had a great time on this excursion with Rodolfo! The tour was well organized from start to finish, transportation was smooth, and dinner was a nice added touch especially when it’s late at night I didn’t have to worry about dinner after the excursion. My guide Rodolfo was funny, engaging, and very knowledgeable, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable.
Being out on the river in the dark was such a cool and unique experience, and it added a fun sense of adventure. It was kind of creepy at first but it was overall cool. I do wish we had seen a few more animals, but still it was still a memorable and worthwhile tour. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something different and fun to do!
William_S, Feb 2026
It was a fun experience, but not without issues. First, selecting a meeting location is difficult and I tried to reach out through Viator. I ultimately had to call the tour operator the day of our booking which was unneeded stress. It worked out but we had to follow the tour bus in our own rental. Poor communication. Second, the boat seemed to fly up and back the river. I felt like the tour guide was just going through the motions and didn’t necessarily care if we saw wildlife. We saw some birds and frogs, but nothing spectacular which is not the fault of the operator. I just think it could have been better if we spent some time actually looking for wildlife. Lastly, our dinner stop was at a nice local restaurant and the food was good. I would go back. I just wish we had eaten dinner before the tour and not at 9:00PM. Kids were staring to get run down by then. All in all, it was an interesting evening. Don’t know if it was worth the money, but the boat ride at night was enjoyable and worth doing.
Julia_L, Feb 2026
Anderson was a wonderful guide and very knowledgeable. We were able to spot frogs, birds, caimans, and many other animals with his expert eyes. He even tried to find a sloth for us because we were trying to see one! Thank you Enderson for a great experience! We will definitely try to return to experience more of Costa Rica! You made our trip!
Jessica_H, Jan 2026
You might think that a kid-friendly 3-hr tour at 5:30 "including dinner" would involve starting dinner before 8:30, but you'd be wrong! My kids were starving and exhausted. This is not what we signed up for. It's too bad because the actual guided tour in the boat was totally fine. But the logistics were not factually accurate and we nearly got locked out of our hotel because the tour went so much longer than expected. We didn't even get on a boat until 6:45. I had to beg the hotel manager for the gate code through WhatsApp. Don't bring kids if your kids expect to eat dinner before 8:30.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the guided boat portion of the tour and that it met your expectations.
We sincerely apologize for the timing issues you experienced. While the tour duration is listed as approximately 3 hours and includes dinner, the schedule can sometimes shift due to variables such as arrival times at the meeting point, preparation for departure, or daylight conditions (important for wildlife viewing). In your case, the late boat departure unfortunately pushed dinner later than expected. We understand how difficult this can be, especially for families with children, and we regret that your kids were left hungry and exhausted.
We will take your comments into account to improve how we communicate timing for meals and set clearer expectations for families traveling with children. For future guests, it’s helpful to note that the included dinner is typically served after the tour concludes, which can sometimes be later in the evening depending on start time and logistics.
We truly appreciate your feedback as it helps us improve both planning and guest communication, and we hope you were still able to enjoy the wildlife and the unique experience on the water.
Kind regards,
Jade Tours Costa Rica
Narinder_K, Jan 2026
Not exactly pleasant to sit on hard seats in junky boat in dark night and trying to see few scarce creatures, followed by cafteria style buffet in shack -
Greg_H, Jan 2026
The tour was great - we saw some great wildlife. You go on the tour first and then you are taken to a restaurant for dinner. The dinner was tasty - you get a casado with choice of protein. Our guide was a little hard to understand sometimes but it was nice to be on the boat in the mangroves.
Steve_S, Dec 2025
We did both the night tour and the day tour of the mangrove by boat without realizing they were the same location. I liked the day tour slightly better but you will see different things. Nighttime vipers and more birds. Daytime monkeys. Both alligators basilisks, bats, iguana sloths in our case. Both take you to the same restaurant for a mediocre casado tipico buffet. Edgar was a great guide. The boat driver is the main wildlife spotter and it's amazing what they can find.
Kim_M, Dec 2025
Great tour with Guillermo (spelling?). He and driver found so many animals. Took as long as needed to see them, made sure everyone was ready to leave before moving further down the river. Excellent knowledge base and very informative re animals, birds, plants. We learned a lot. Would do again. Dinner was fine, not as good of a soda as we are at elsewhere but decent local food.
Enjoyed the few minutes sitting in the dark.
No handling of animals and ethical tour.
Laurie_S, Dec 2025
Nice relaxing boat ride, lots of great information and animal sightings. Both the guide and driver went above and beyond to find us night critters
Haviland_F, Dec 2025
Saw a boa constrictor, frogs, & a few birds. Buffet dinner at local restaurant. Was peaceful to listen to jungle sounds on the water in the dark for a few minutes.
Daniel_V, Nov 2025
Not only do you get the opportunity to see some really cool wildlife, but a fun boat ride as well. Our guide was able to spot creatures that I would have never noticed on my own if I were anchored in the mangroves all night.
Caren_C, Aug 2025
Eli was the greatest tour guide ever! When I asked him if we would see any stick birds, he said that would be very unusual but he spent a great deal of time hunting for one and Wala success! My trip has been blessed. He also found a Jesus Christ lizard that walks on water and that was also on my list of things to find in Costa Rica. I will forever be grateful for his determination and kindness throughout the trip.
Deidra_W, Aug 2025
Staff was friendly, knowledgeable and kind. Nice tour with delicious dinner after. Would recommend to others.
Dianne_S, Aug 2025
I want my $325 back!! The tour was advertised as 3 hours but we didn’t even spend one hour on the actual boat!! . We saw 1 snake, 2 birds and a crocodile. Total let down ! It was raining and the boat driver was racing through the water, not slowing down when guests were trying to see things and ask question. He just wanted to get to get back clearly. The guide was so sweet but the tour absolutely sucked. Then the “dinner” we went to a soda where you could pick 1 protein and 2 sides cafeteria style. It was at the end of the night so there were slim pickings under warm lights. No fruits, no vegetables. So not worth the extra. Then meanwhile, the guide and driver are eating fresh cheeseburgers not available to the tour guests from the same restaurant. So $80 per person plus of course everyone wants a tip on top of that. Please be truthful in your advertising. That’s a lot of money down the drain :( skip this one people
marcos_r, Jun 2025
Definitely a cool experience to do in the evening, since there isn’t much activity in the area at night. Guides were excellent and spotted many animals on the ride. The soda they took us to after was very delicious. Definitely recommend.
Amanda_R, Jun 2025
Such a fun trip! Eli was great and very knowledgeable and dinner was good. Would definitely recommend!
Miranda_T, May 2025
We ended up with a very small group on our tour - just the two of us and one other person. Nevertheless, we got the full experience. The guide had great communication and did a good job of helping us spot wildlife. The boat ride was fun and we saw several snakes, bats, birds, and mammals. The food provided was from a local restaurant in Quepos. Compared to some of the dishes we had here, it was just okay, but good portions and satisfying overall.
Ellis_M, May 2025
This was a good tour where we got to see a number of cool animals! Our guide was friendly and helpful, the only slight downside was that they were trying to talk through so many facts (which were all interesting) however it meant that we missed out on a few animals that we had tried pointing out. Afterwards we split up from the rest of the group to eat, the food we had was good/ okay. Overall a good tour
meghangroeschel, Apr 2025
This was the perfect change of pace for our family. My kiddos were getting tired of the other tours which involved hiking and daytime heat. This was relaxing and everyone had a great time. The breeze felt good and the guides were excellent especially with the kids! Would recommend to anyone!
jennifer_s, Apr 2025
It was great! Saw tons of wildlife. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor.
From $79.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio
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