Full Day Tour to Tortuga Island from Jaco

Tropical paradise

My only complaint is the tour guide forgot to give us food and drink tickets which added a layer of stress to our experience. We were still able to get some food but missed out of the free drinks. Which I don't understand because he remembered us but said we still couldn't get any. I guess he thought we were trying to get extra tickets. Other than that, it was a great experience and a beautiful beach. The boat trip is long though. It was about a 14 hour excursion because the boat goes very slow and it takes about 2 hours to get to the island. But the boat ride was fun and the crew was very nice.

The staff was friendly....

The staff was friendly. They worked hard to make sure that everyone had a good time. Lunch was delicious!

Great

Timely service, friendly staff, and good food. The snorkeling was a bit crowded with other tours around the same rock, but no complaints here. You will love this.

Horrible

Called the day before to check on weather cancellation. No answer to the text or the phone calls. Got ahold of them the morning of and the person on the phone said everything was fine to go. We even showed her the forecast for the island. She did not care. SO we went. When we set sail on the boat they announced that we could not snorkel due to the weather but they gave us beer tickets. The six bear tickets we got did not even come close from the epic waste of time. Could not snorkle. Could not go into the water. I understand weather issues but when we called they should have told the truth. it was the worst customer service by the operator. she is a liar. Rained anbout 70% of the time and there was about 10 foot swells. We all had to sit inside for the boat ride. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND

Not a good experience with this company

All of our information was provided. They never came to pick us up. They sent a message through the site to confirm pick up the day before but I wasn't notified of any kind of message. I would have had to randomly look. However my confirmation said where to pick us up. When I called the vendor they were rude and blamed me for not confirming and I said I told you where when I purchased the tickets and got confirmation then. There was not a need to confirm again. At 6:20 I asked if he was coming and he said no.

MUST DO!

MUST DO! We stayed in Jaco, the agency was able to pick us up and were so profesional and quick to respond! The whole boat ride to and from the island is an experience with a DJ & a GREAT MC who will keep you entertained. Be ready to laugh and dance! The Island is beautiful you can’t lounge, swim, rent kayaks/paddle boards, shop at the gift shop or hang around the bar. It’s so beautiful would 10/10 recommend!

Great Experience!

A must if you are looking for an al day fun adventure! Food was great, crew was super attentive and friendly, and experience memorable! Such a great trip!

Fantastic detail oriented crew

Fantastic tour and team of professionals. Every detail was great. Rau, main guide was kind and funny. The team took drone videos which they shared with us of the whales we saw breaching and the banana boat ride. Edwardo was an excellent captain spotting the water wildlife, DJ Chapo was excellent, and his sax performance during lunch was extraordinary. All the supporting staff were friendly and helpful. Great day, even when the weather wasn’t perfect.

Fun in the sun

Good experience overall. The season you go in matters so much, I came in their “winter” season and the water was not clear like it was when I came during their summer season. Snorkeling was fun but again the water was not ver clear so not much was seen. Pick up was a nightmare we were never told the location to where we needed to arrive to and we were never confirmed until the night before if we would be picked up or not, I contacted them multiple times asking for information and the third party kept telling me they would reach out to them and get back but I wouldn’t hear anything back until late at night. Everything else was great, staff was amazing, drinks strong and good, service over all amazing.

Summer fun

The staff was amazing I really enjoyed myself and the DJ was so good him playing the horn at lunch was sooo good

Enjoy the views on the water

I had an amazing time, the staff is very friendly and helpful with making sure you are having a good time. The food was pretty good but wish they had a different breakfast option than what was provided. We did get to see many wildlife as we traveled like, whales, dolphins and a sea turtle which was pretty cool to see in their natural environment.

Super fun and funny!

An amazing experience super nice people The DJ plays great music and they have super funny and very educated people on board Great host and super clean

A long mediocre day

A long 2 hour bus ride from Jaco stopping once to pick up other guests then a long slow 2 hour boat ride to a small beach. The highlight was an ok snorkeling experience that you have to pay extra for. Everything is just ok, nothing stands out. I have been to many beautiful islands and beaches around the world, this one is a 3 out of 10. The food is 4 out of 10 because of the vegetarian option. The crew are not super friendly, I tried to get a band aid for a cut, the crew member told me he had a first aid kit but I never received a band aid. Unless you want a long mediocre day with not much going on I would avoid this one

What an excursion!!!

The crew was absolutely fabulous. Very attentive, nice and they did it all!! The DJ was 🔥🔥🔥 during the boat ride and even played saxophone on the beach during lunch. We snorkeled and one of the crew members found a starfish for us and dove down to point it out. I loved this excursion very much. They made sure our tour was fun & memorable. Recommend this for anyone traveling to Costa Rica!!

STOP LOOKING.

This tour was my girlfriend’s favorite day in CR. Isla Tortuga is one the most Beautiful islands. The place is gorgeous.

A must do!

This was an entire day event! I thought we would only be on the beach for a couple of hours, but we were there until 3pm! We were able to go snorkeling, where we saw so many tropical fish swimming around us! For the banana boat ride, we had a choice, soft and touristic or fun with getting thrown off! Which would you choose? The boat ride to and from was interesting. The onboard entertainment was engaging! The food was delicious, and I had doubts…sorry to admit! Over all, it was so worth every penny and probably more!

It was a great day trip...

It was a great day trip from Jaco. All the staff were respectful and proactive. We live the Host Antonio, he made the day really fun.

Incredible Day!

I don't know about the other reviews - my day was just about perfect. Great driver. Captain was outstanding. Crew was on top of everything, very professional, and very courteous. They brought fruit, banana bread, rum punch, drinks, and coffee around. Everything was great! Our tour guide Mary was just the best. It was a fantastic day!

Beautiful experience

My daughter and I had the best time on Bay Island Cruise ! The staff were very attentive making sure we all were okay if we need anything ! Did an amazing job at translating in both Spanish and English and being we were the only ones on the tour that spoke only English the tour guide (I wish I remembered his name ) took the time out to come to us personally and translate in English . Food was great ! Just make sure you come prepared for a full day in the sun ! It was hot with little shelter from the sun by no fault of the company … it’s an island , a beautiful if’s land ! We snorkeled and saw so many beautiful fish and the banana boat ride was fun ! Book with them for your next trip ! Also, great DJ and music to get you ready for the island adventure.

SCAMMERS!

Do not book this excursion they are scammers!! They never came to pick us up after confirming with me three times! We spent a total of almost $1000 just for them to scam us. After never arriving they are completely ignoring me and don’t want to give me a refund. DO NOT BOOK!!!!!!

Tortuga review

Bus picked us up right on time. The boat was big and comfortable and friendly staff. The breakfast was terrible (dry sandwich with a slice of meat). Bring your own breakfast. Rest was great, fresh fruit was a delight. It was extremely hot for the first week in April. Beach sand burned our feet and heat was intense. Snorkeling was good and lunch was good.

The tour was amazing the...

The tour was amazing the staff is very attentive and the island is breathtaking would high recommend

They can’t all be winners

We drove an hour and half from Jacó to Puntarenas to get on the tour. My wife and I had used a different tour out of Jaco a couple years ago and had a fantastic time but that tour company was sold out for the day we wanted to go so I was willing to drive an hour and half to go again so our son would get to experience the everything too. When I looked at the map I figured it would be a quick boat ride from puntarenas. I was mistaken, it was a 2 hour ride which was longer then it took to boat from Jaco which is much farther on the water. So you will waste 4 hrs of the day boating back and forth. The main reason we went was to snorkel since there isn’t much available for snorkeling around Jaco and we wanted our son to try snorkeling the first time. He was super excited to go. We got about 20 minutes from the island and was told the waves are too big and current is too strong for snorkeling but we would get a couple drink tickets instead since we already paid for it. So instead of snorkeling we got more flat soda that we didn’t want and we don’t drink alcohol so we ended up just having cups of water after we found the soda completely flat. The bigger problem came when we got on the island finally and we see boat after boat going out with other tours to go snorkeling. I asked the staff what’s going on and in her rude way she just repeated the same story and walked away. We paid for the banana boat to and the same staffer told us we could go anytime so we said ok let’s go right now we have nothing else for my son to do since snorkeling was canceled. She said ok she would get it set up and come back. An hour later we were still sitting there waiting. We ended up paying more money for the “eco tour” to kill time. We finally came back and asked the girl again about the banana boat and was told we could do it in another hour after they have lunch. So 3 hours after she told us we could go we finally got to go on the banana boat for 15 minutes. That was it for $125 per person. Also we were told we were leaving at 3pm so at 2pm we started walking over to the corner of the island to take some pictures. As soon as we got up and started walking the same rude staffer came over and started telling everyone they needed to get on the boat immediately because we were leaving. I said to my wife what the hell would have happened if we walked away one min before to take pictures we would miss the boat?? We had such a great time with all the tours all week in Costa Rica except for this one. As I told my son, they can’t all be winners and this is one that falls into that category.

Average

It's definitely a party boat. A lot of music and dancing. The host was on the mic the whole time so we didn't get a chance to just enjoy the music and scenery. The food and drinks were delicious. The snorkeling would have been better if they had better equipment. Everyone had trouble with their snorkel gear. Most of the staff were extremely helpful. Some of the staff were more worried about themselves having a good time instead of their guests. Overall it was a fun experience but I would try a different company next time or just stay at the hotel and hang on the beach.

No show for 6:00 am pick up

Disappointed. After waiting for 30min at 6:00am in the morning the tour never picked us up from Croc’s Hotel. A waste of time and preparation. I got texts and email confirmations on the app saying I was confirmed yet nobody showed up. Next time I will do all my reservations for a tour using the Concierge at the Croc’s Hotel.

Low quality tour. Will not recommend

Snorkeling was very poor. Nothing to see. Server was so high he got confused handing out cutlery. On the drive there a customer was upset with driver for being late even though he wasn’t. The argument was not controlled by the driver instead he continued to banter back and forth with her. I felt that was very unprofessional by the driver. Not with $200 for a tour like that.

Great day on the water and a beautiful beach

We enjoyed the boat ride, snorkeling, and lounging on the beach (there’s were lots of chairs in the shade to tone down the heat too). We got some great fruit and other snacks like banana bread during the boat ride, and the lunch was really good!

all day fun in the sun

our family of 5 with teens and young adults loved this trip. the boat leaves near terminal de ferris around 8:30am but depending on where you are in the country, we were picked up 6am in Jaco and returned 7pm (long fun day). the staff is excellent and the DJ got all the people dancing. we snorkeled then arrived on Tortuga for a fun afternoon. lunch was surprisingly excellent and the rum punch flowed like water. The staff really goes out of their way to make sure you have a good time. loved it.

Great family activity

We were fairly pleased with this tour! There were both pros and cons. The pros were: The staff was amazing caring and friendly, they provided entertainment including singing and dancing and had a great DJ, they provided breakfast on the boat and an amazing lunch on the beach, as well as unlimited rum punch and served fresh fruit on the boat a few times. The cons: The main feature we were excited about was snorkeling but the water conditions were apparently not good so we weren't able to go, although we saw a couple of other groups go, we were told we would see turtles and dolphins but we didn't. There were definitely more pros than cons though!

Pretty good but a long day

Overall not too bad but not worth the drive up from Jaco. It was a long day and 1.5 hours on a bus both ways was tiring - we were picked up at 6am and returned at 8:30 PM. Staff were good, location is nice but crowded. Lunch at the beach was very good, snorkeling average. Boat was a bit crowded but manageable and people seemed to be having fun.

Exceeded my expectations!

The boat ride and the island were fantastic but what really made the trip was the staff! Absolutely fantastic service and they made everyone feel safe and free to relax and enjoy the day.

This tour is awesome!

The staff/crew are the reason to take THIS tour! Cheerful, helpful, relaxed, kind, organized and fun! They ensure you will not miss any activity offered - all without feeling herded or that they are just going through the motions. You will positively know that they want you to have a great day and know how to safely deliver. Extra perks that need to be mentioned - this tour boat has changing rooms, fresh water rinse off showers for the ride back to port and plenty room to move around, both outside and inside the air conditioned main cabin.

Over Half the Day Spent Traveling to the Island

This trip was 13 hours with almost 8 hours of travel and the remainder on the island. My husband and I stayed in Playa Hermosa, so being the furthest south, we were picked up early, and it took almost 2 hours to pick up everyone in the Jaco area and then go north quite a bit to the marina. The bus was comfortable with AC and decent seats. Once we got to the marina, it took about 30 minutes to board everyone. The boat ride over took 2 hours. You can choose to sit out in the sun or inside the cabin in the shade. We chose the latter to minimize our sun exposure for the day. They do have some AC units, but guests opened some of the sliding windows. Thankfully, there was a nice breeze that day, (New Year's Eve), so we were not uncomfortable in that regard. As we walked in, we were handed a ham and cheese sandwich on small white bread and an brownish-orange drink. I'm not sure if this was the rum they were talking about because it didn't taste like anything I've ever had. I believe it was mostly water. There were many tables with benches on each side that could fit up to five or six people on each side. These had no cushions, which would be easier to maintain. My husband and I got stuck against the wall, so we had to ask people to get up to let us out a few times to use the bathroom or get one of the free included non-alcoholic drinks. About an hour later, they passed out a cup of cerviche. One of the few crew members who spoke English mentioned a few of the islands we passed and gave us some directions in Spanish and in English. I fell asleep for part of the ride to make it pass faster. I could hear one of the crew members who was the entertainment upstairs getting people to chant with him to the music that was loud for those who were outside. There was always music going, but inside it wasn't as loud. My husband and I aren't drinkers, so we weren't spending extra money on alcoholic beverages like some were. We watched faster boats pass us as we slowly chugged along. I had really wanted to go on a trip with a faster boat, but that had a minimum of four to register. When we arrived to the island, those who were asked if they wanted to snorkel stayed on the boat while others went on the island. I wasn't asked if I wanted to snorkel, so when I mentioned this, I was told they would have a second group an hour later, so I could sign up on the island for this. Once we got off, they took the snorkelers on the boat a ways away from the shore to snorkel. I rented a plywood locker from a woman in the souvenir shop for $4 with an additional $5 deposit to store my phone and wallet when my husband and I snorkeled later. In the meantime, we sat on beach lounging chairs in the shade of a tree while others were under umbrellas. We could have signed up for a banana boat, but that did not interest us. An hour later, the boat returned to shore to pick up the next group. I had never snorkeled before, but my husband and I had watched a video on how to do it. We were given some minimal directions on how to put on the mask and were given fins and the option to wear a floating life jacket for those who didn't know how to swim or just a flat vest, and we took the latter. My husband had no problems snorkeling, but it took me a while to get used to breathing through the tube only underwater. We saw a few pretty fish and sea urchins, but almost nothing at all in the very small area we were in. When we returned, lunch was served at noon (two hours in), which included a green salad and potato salad, rice, mixed vegetables, fish, and chicken with iced tea. I didn't really eat dinner that night after such a big lunch. After lunch, we enjoyed the beach and the breeze from the ocean coming in and watched some of the guests and staff play beach volleyball until about 2:30 and then were lined up and boarded the boat by 3:00 to return. On the way back, we had a family of four with a small sleeping child at the end of our booth, so we didn't want to bother them to get up. The elderly couples across from us got cold, even with jackets on, so they turned off the AC, which we wished they hadn't done. About an hour in, they handed out a small brown bag with some type of quick bread (date?) to everyone. When we unloaded at the dock an hour later, multiple tour buses were there, so we had to find our bus driver. We should have noted the bus number or driver's name. We lucked out and found the right one pretty fast. On the drive back, at one stop in Jaco, we waited for several people to get off another bus and join ours and then let them off at their hotel, which lengthened our return. Tortuga Island is a beautiful island, and we didn't have anything else planned for that day, so we enjoyed the time we had there. Since we didn't rent a car for our trip, we had to make the best of the situation. If you don't mind being in the direct sun all day, you might prefer the view from the top of the boat, the loud music, and the alcoholic beverages to make the boat ride more enjoyable. I knew from other reviews to expect much of this, but I didn't see a better fit option for what we wanted offered for just two people through Viator from the Jaco area. I'm still glad we went.

Wonderful activity!

This was a wonderful trip. My son and I really enjoyed ourselves on this activity. Pros: 1. The snorkling was great! The staff ensured that we saw a lot of sea life. They also made sure that everyone was completely safe, even the weaker swimmers in the group. From what I saw they kept a close one them. 2. The staff was very engaging and worked hard to make sure we had a lot of fun. 3. The staff made sure that each person took advantage of all of activities included in the package. 4. Lunch was great! 5. My son had the best time and told me that it was one of, if not the, best activity we have done in Costa Rica. Cons: 1. Boat ride is long. It takes a while to get to paradise. 2. The breakfast was a sandwich. This could be upgraded to something a little more "breakfast". Overall, I would recommend the trip and would consider it again if we ever returned to Costa Rica.

Surreal experience

We loved the boat ride to Isla Tortuga. The beach was incredible, the lunch was amazing and the customer service was excellent. Everyone was so friendly. If you get the snorkeling included it is a must and the boat ride back was so much fun lots of music and entertainment and most of all the sunset was breathtaking. We loved and enjoyed our day.

Fun Day Trip

Lunch was delicious! The teens enjoyed the banana boat ride. Island itself was not what I was expecting but we still enjoyed out day.

Great trip! - MAKE SURE YOU STAY IN PUNTANERAS NEAR THE MARINA

The island, food, stay, etc. were all great and I thought they did a nice job. The one thing I did NOT appreciate about the listing is that it's VERY vague about the timeline for the day. Meaning if you're coming from San Jose or Jaco, or mostly anywhere other than Puntaneras (where the marina is), expect a 2 hour drive to the marina and another 2 hours on the boat to the island - so about 4 hours there and another 4 hours back. Still worth it for the view and experience on the island but definitely something to be aware of.

Best Day Trip Ever! 🏝

We enjoyed our tour today. Our driver Allen was on time, friendly, and very knowledgeable about the areas. The boat ride was great. It was very relaxing. My wife and I truly enjoyed the music, rum punch, and Cocktails. The saxophone player on the beach was a plus! Beautiful water & white sand all around. I would give it 10 🌟 's if I could. Definitely a must do in BEAUTIFUL Costa Rica. 🇨🇷

Cruise to paradise

This was a superb boat trip to a most beautiful location . On board we were well looked after with regular snacks and drinks as well as an onboard dj playing a great mix. We were well informed throughout and made welcome throughout the day. Brilliant trip

Not that great

The transfer bus was nice and comfortable. The boat was crowded and dirty. There were not enough chairs on the beach for my family to sit together. The snorkeling was not worth it.

Great way to spend a day

I had the best day! The English speaking crew members were kind and responsible. They kept us safe while snorkeling and made sure we are having fun

Isla Tortuga

Boat ride was great and the crew was amazing and very hospitable. The transportation was smooth and prompt. Would definitely do this activity again.

Long boat rice, nice staff, good beach

The beach itself was nice A lot of people at the same time The boat ride took two hours The staff was nice The food at Tortuga Island was okay The snorkeling was okay

Great experience!

Every one of the crew members were extremely kind. Everything went smoothly from snorkeling to banana boat ride, the lunch was really tasty! It was a beautiful day!

Bad experience overall

Snorkeling was great. Unfortunately unorganized and not English speaking made it something to skip. Nice island better off with a different tour. Others were much better organized.

The Snorkeling was great....

The Snorkeling was great. Enjoyed how relaxing the day was, and how attentive the staff was to our needs and requests.

So much fun!

We had a group of 12 ranging in age from 12 - 53 and had a wonderful time. The staff was super friendly and helpful and even reserved 12 seats on the beach with umbrellas for our group when we returned from the snorkeling portion. They also had everyone sing me happy birthday and gave me a free birthday drink. The banana boat ride was also amazing. Can't say enough good things about the workers on this trip.

It was ok

The boat was extremely overpacked. There were people standing and some sitting on coolers. There were many of us with different packages. The food was ok. It was not a buffet- it was a lunch line. One of each fish and chicken or one piece total. Rum was free but anything else started at $8 (they don’t mention this at all until the end-they just bring you drinks like it’s a treat). Some of the scuba equipment is questionable and they don’t go over it with you at all. It wasn’t a horrible trip but was definitely questionable for the cost

Great experience!

If you’re looking for a relaxing beach day/ boat trip this is a great experience. The boat ride to the island is about 90min. You have the opportunity to go snorkeling and ride a banana boat. You are offered a variety of drinks and snacks throughout the whole day and lunch was a great meal! The shuttle from and to your hotel is very convenient.

Oh my God no!

Cattle herd screaming kids, 2 hours from a Jaco 7 pickups. Boat ride hot as ——-, not enough seats, beach you’re herded like cattle into specific spot, then buffet, but your fed by locals, portions like you’re in a mental health hospital. You sit in sun until 4pm, then herded on boat, but you have to get in line like getting led to slaughter, after the bus f driver drops off his buddy’s which shouldn’t be on bud, we head to Jaco 2 hours 9:30 pm I’m exhausted and starving.