Tortuga Island Tour Costa Rica – Our Day Trip with Zuma Tours

Last updated on November 4th, 2024 at 09:04 pm

Discovering Paradise: A Day on Tortuga Island, Costa Rica

Tortuga Island in Costa Rica, also known as Isla Tortuga, is situated in the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific Coast. Its name comes not from the fact that it has turtles on there (sadly it doesn’t) but due to its shape. Hard to see from the ground or the water, but apparently from above it looks like a giant turtle!

The Tortuga Island tour is a popular one and there are a number of tour operators who will take you there. We chose to go with a company local to where we were staying in Montezuma called Zuma Tours. Here you can read all about our Tortuga Island Tour in Costa Rica.

Getting To Tortuga Island

You don’t have to be based in Montezuma to take a day trip to Tortuga Island. You can book an Isla Tortuga tour from Jacó, Puntarenas, Manual Antonio and even San Jose.

Zuma Tours will pick you up if you’re staying in one of the beach towns nearby, such as Santa Teresa. If you have a rental car or are staying nearby, you can head straight to their office at 8.30 am and park your car outside (they have CCTV, so your car can be safely left there all day if it’s close to the office). You’ll be sent round to the back of the office to wait on the beach.

When we went, the group was quite large so our names were called out and we went into one of two groups. One group went on a small boat, and the other (which included us) went on the larger one.

The boat trip takes around 45 minutes from Montezuma to Tortuga Island. The boat is pretty fast and it can be a little choppy at times, but it’s good fun and our kids enjoyed it. You’ll all be given lifevests which are compulsory to wear when the boat is moving, but optional when you’re snorkelling.

Along the way, the guides stopped to look at a couple of the sights, including El Chorro Waterfall. El Chorro is one of only seven waterfalls in the world that fall directly into the sea. If you want to visit it on foot, head to Playa Cocalitos, part of Romelia Refuge, five miles (8 km) north of town. 

You might also stop if the boat guides spot dolphins or whales in the waters. Sadly, we didn’t get to see any on our Tortuga Island tour. Whale season in Costa Rica is January and February, and August and September so keep that in mind.

Tortuga Island Costa Rica Snorkelling

You’ll have two snorkelling stops on your Isla Tortuga tour with Zuma Tours. Our boat dropped the chef and food for lunch off at the island, then went on to two spots not too far away. If you don’t want to snorkel, you have the option to leave the boat and wait on the island when they drop the chef and food off.

Zuma Tours has enough snorkels and fins for everyone. They have smaller snorkels, fins and life vests for children. They also have water aids (noodles) for children or less confident swimmers to use in the water.

We were a little disappointed by the snorkelling, particularly at the first spot as the water wasn’t very clear. We were told that, because it had been a bit windier than usual over the past few days, this had led to the water being cloudier and the marine life not so visible.

I did see angel fish and parrot fish, alongside other fish I wouldn’t be able to name. Someone in our group also spotted a very small shark. I believe you may also be able to spot porcupinefish, moray eels, needlefish and Spotted Eagle Rays. The reef here is volcanic rock – so if you’re expecting anything overly colourful or pretty, you might be disappointed.

Despite it not being as clear as I would have liked, or the reef as colourful, I have to say we did see plenty of fish which was great.

I was keen for the kids to enjoy the snorkelling and see as many fish as they could. However, my daughter was wary as some of the fish were quite large, and my son experienced a (short-lived and not too bad) jellyfish sting soon after he got in the water. A shame.

Time on Tortuga Island Costa Rica

As you sail nearer Tortuga Island, you’re bound to let out a couple of internal ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ as you see its perfect white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and lush jungle beyond.

Your boat will typically stop on the island for around two hours and the majority of this time will be for you to enjoy as you see fit. First, though, is lunch. You’ll be directed to an area with a canopy covering and plenty of seating not far from where you’ll disembark.

When you book your Tortuga Island tour, you’ll be asked to choose one of three options for lunch: chicken, fish or vegetables. We didn’t go for the veggie option, but it looked like it was aubergine and courgette. It’s served with rice and plantain and you’ll get pineapple and watermelon for dessert, plus drinks.

Adults might want to try Coco Loco – a yummy rum, coconut water and coconut cream cocktail served in a coconut.

Once you’ve finished lunch, you’ll be free to spend the remainder of your time as you’d like. Sunbathing and swimming are obviously options but there are also several activities on offer on Tortuga Island (see below).

Our boat left Tortuga Island around 3 pm (we were asked to be ready and waiting 10 minutes beforehand) and we were back in Montezuma by 4 pm. This is perfect timing if you’re interested in walking along Playa Grande beach in Montezuma to see turtle conservation in action.

Read more about this in my From Montezuma to Santa Teresa: Two of the Best Beach Towns in Costa Rica post.

Activities on Tortuga Island

Snorkelling and Scuba Diving:

If you want to, you can carry on snorkelling closer to the shore on Isla Tortuga. Just ask your tour guide if you can borrow a snorkel from the boat. Zuma Tours also offers a scuba diving option, so if you prefer diving to snorkelling then you can go for that instead.

There are three shipwrecks nearby which are popular with divers: the 30-meter Caroline Star, the 25-meter Coronel Alfonso Monge, and the 28-meter Coast Guard ship, Franklin Chang Diaz.

Beach Volleyball:

If you love sport and want a more active pursuit than sunbathing on the beach, beach volleyball on Tortuga Island might be the way to go. We saw two different games going on. Nets are already in the sand and playing is at no extra cost.

Kayaking:

You can rent a kayak while you’re on Tortuga Island, which is a really fun way of spending your free time there. If you are in Costa Rica with kids, the double kayaks available might be your best bet. Banana Boats and jet skis are also available.

Hiking:

Tortuga Island is small, but there is a bit more to it than just the beach and the water. You can pay extra to do an accompanied nature and wildlife hike into the interior of the island. Tickets can be booked once you’re on the island. There are 17 trails to hike and the longest one takes around 45 minutes.

Wildlife Encounters on Tortuga Island: The Pigs

Other than the dolphins, whales and fish you might see while on the boat and in the water, the most likely wildlife encounters you’ll have when on Tortuga Island are with the wild pigs (peccaries) there.

A word of caution: don’t go too near them as they can often react when they feel threatened. We were warned about the wild pigs by our tour guides as well. One member of our tour group did actually get bitten by one of the wild pigs when she tried to push it away when it came for her food. Be careful.

Tips for Visitors When Booking a Tortuga Island Costa Rica Tour

• Bring reef-friendly suncream, a hat and a rash vest for kids (your back can get surprisingly sunburnt when you’re snorkelling.
• Take some cash with you. You need to pay to use the toilets on Tortuga Island and you’ll need to exchange cash (around $1) for a token in the souvenir shop. Plus it’s always good to have cash on you for tips.
• Take a go-pro if you think you might want to try and take some pics underwater. Binoculars if you’re going on the nature walk are also a great idea.
• Don’t expect peace and quiet. An Isla Tortuga tour can be quite busy and there are usually a number of boats which stop at the same points for snorkelling and at the island.
• Visit during the dry season (between December and May). Not only will the weather be better, but so will the snorkelling.

So What Did We Think of our Tortuga Island Costa Rica Tour?

Tortuga Island is a fantastic day trip from many departure points in Costa Rica and I would definitely consider adding it to your Costa Rica bucket list! I would recommend bearing in mind that boats and the island can be busy.

This is not a deserted island where there’ll be just you, the wildlife and the palms swaying. However, I thought our Zuma Tours Isla Tortuga tour was very well organised and a lot of fun.

We didn’t have the best of luck with snorkelling on the day we went, due to the cloudy water, but we still saw plenty of fish. Lunch (and the coco locos) were really good, and there are lots of options for things to do on Tortuga Island. You can be as active or as sedentary as you like.

For our full 3 week family itinerary, take a look at : The Ultimate 3 Week Costa Rica Itinerary for Families

For the review of our Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour, head to: Bioluminescence Costa Rica Kayaking Tour

And for advice on getting the Puntarenas Ferry, check out: The Costa Rica Ferry: Paquera to Puntarenas

✅ Book your Tortuga Island Tour Costa Rica HERE