Private Tour
Gulf of Papagayo Private Boat Tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Discover the best of the Gulf of Papagayo on this unforgettable 4-hour boat tour, combining wildlife spotting, light fishing, snorkeling, and relaxing beach time.
As we cruise along the coastline, you will enjoy panoramic views of islands and white-sand beaches while keeping an eye out for dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays, and—during the season—humpback whales.
We will visit the famous volcanic caves !!
Fishing Experience
During the tour, the crew will place fishing lines in the water for bottom fishing, where you may catch red snapper, grouper, and other local species.
Beach & Snorkeling
We will stop at a beautiful beach where you can swim, relax, and snorkel. While snorkeling, the guide will point out marine life such as parrotfish, wrasse, pufferfish and many other species.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Playa Nacascolo
We will visit the famous monkey head island
Playas del Coco
We will make a quick stop in coco town , so you can shop from the local people
What‘s Included
Fishing for fun
Cooler with beers and sodas
Snorkeling equipment
Tips
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Gulf of Papagayo Private Boat Tour
Pickup included
Reviews
12 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great custom boat tour
OtherSideof45,Mar 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Carlos is fantastic! He allowed us to tailor a sunset cruise, making it almost private with only my travel companions. Since we weren’t interested in fishing, we were able to explore different beaches, caves, and he even took us shopping.
We booked for a second year in a row!
L9786NXkatieb,Mar 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing experience with Costa Rica Expedition Tours during our trip to Costa Rica! Our family of four (with kids 12 and 14) booked several excursions and every one was fantastic. We rented jet skis multiple days and had a blast exploring the coastline. The equipment was great and the staff was friendly, helpful, and made sure everyone felt comfortable. We also rented a private boat for a snorkeling trip, which was a highlight of our vacation. The guides took us to incredible spots where we saw sea turtles, an octopus, and so many beautiful fish — the kids were thrilled. The entire team was professional, welcoming, and clearly passionate about what they do. We highly recommend them for anyone looking for a fun and memorable adventure in Costa Rica!
Snorkeling adventure
D5791NVseanh,Mar 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Carlos was the most helpful and provided the best customer service! The tour was remarkable and delivered everything that was promised and some. I highly recommend this company for your tour/excursion needs
Wonderful event!
Go567571,Mar 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our second private excursion with Costa Rica Expedition Tours was even better than the first—didn’t think that was possible! 🌊🐒 We visited Monkey Head Rock, explored sea caves, went snorkeling, and soaked in the beauty of the Pacific coastline. When we got back to the boat, our guides had fresh pineapple and watermelon waiting for us. 🍍🍉 Pura Vida! See Carlos, the best ever💙
Excellent Adventures! 5 Star Review! Worth Every Penny!
ryanlP4020KC,Mar 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My girlfriend and I traveled to Costa Rica for a friends wedding destination. During our stay, we booked a few tours directly with Carlos at our resort. Carlos was exceptional to work with from start to finish in regards to setting up all of our trips and expeditions. We went on three in total: 1 - Waterfalls, Rainforest, and Volcano. 2 - Taxi / trip to Coco Beach 3 - Coastal boat tour. The trips were handled extremely smooth. Simply discuss with Carlos our interests for the day, he would make a couple of phone calls, and before you know it someone was ready to come pick us up to start the expedition. Trip #1 - Alex was our tour guide for this expedition. Alex was extremely fun, generous, kind, and very, very informative on Costa Rica's history. He was able to provide an encyclopedia worth of information about everything we were seeing, doing, and what was to come. Alex's excitement and enthusiasm throughout the expedition really showed how much he loved & cared about what he does and the beautiful country he lives in. From beginning to end, Alex felt like a close friend that made each trip we went on very fun and interactive. We were extremely happy to have had Alex be our tour guide for this trip. We got to see a lot of what Costa Rica has to offer in this trip package. A little of everything. Thanks for a great time, Alex! Trip #2 - Taxi ride to Coco Beach. Carlos set up our ride to and from the resort and coco beach. Our driver, Eli, was also fantastic! He had a great sense of humor, and very punctual on the clock! We had dinner plans in town and had arranged a rough window of time to be picked up. Turns out, he was waiting on us! As we were out and about at dinner reservations with friends, Eli was patiently waiting for us to finish up and bring us back safely to our resort. His patience and friendliness made the round trip exceptionally smooth and a great ride! Thanks, Eli! Trip #3 - Costal boat tour guide. Our last day in Costa Rica, we went to Carlos, and without any issues or concerns, we had the trip set up and booked within minutes. Carlos is the man that makes it happen! Carlos called Diego and his Captain (blanking on the Captains name. Apologies, but he was outstanding as well.) Once on the boat with Diego and Captain, we had so much fun! They took us all over the coast, got amazing pictures, and had so much fun! We even got lucky enough to have a Whale Shark swim right up to us, under our boat, start eating and feeding around us. It was a once in a lifetime experience that we got so lucky and fortunate to be there for! We were so happy to be with Diego and his Captain for that experience. That moment will live with us forever! Thanks, Diego & Captain! Costa Rica Expedition Tours was fantastic to work with. Carlos truly was an amazing guy to set everything up with such ease. It really made each trip we went on stress free and to be able to live in the moment and truly experience each expedition for what it offered. Thank you everyone mentioned for making our trip be exceptional. We hope to see you guys in the future. Thanks again for everything. Pura Vida!
Amazing excursion.
931ianl,Feb 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Carlos was fantastic. He organized an afternoon private boat trip for snorkeling, cave walking, fishing and, of course, the Costa Rican sunset. Highly recommend!
Fishing Papagayos
W1073RXaarons,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We killed it on the water! Great day of fishing! Thank you Carlos!!!
Highly recommended boat tour - snorkeling/cave walks/fishing experience for families
btE9739FS,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an absolutely fantastic experience with Costa Rica Expedition Tours! Traveling with three kids can sometimes be a challenge, but this private boat, snorkeling, and cave walk tour was perfect for our whole family from start to finish. Our personal tour guide and boat captain were both incredible — warm, attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely friendly. They made the entire experience feel relaxed and special, not rushed or crowded. The boat was spotless, and they thoughtfully provided snacks and drinks, which was such a nice touch, especially when traveling with kids. What really stood out was how much effort they put into showing us the wildlife and natural beauty of the area. They pointed out birds, fish, and other marine life we never would have noticed on our own, and they shared interesting facts that made the experience even more meaningful. One of the highlights for our kids was when the guide actually dove down and carefully brought up a living starfish for them to see up close before returning it safely to the water. That moment absolutely made their day. The snorkeling was amazing — we saw beautiful fish and even sea turtles, which felt magical. Our kids were beyond excited and haven’t stopped talking about it. We also came away with incredible photos that we’ll treasure forever. The timing of the tour was just right — long enough to fully enjoy everything without feeling tired or overwhelmed. This was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Costa Rica, and we would highly recommend Costa Rica Expedition Tours to any family looking for a fun, memorable, and well-run adventure. Sonny and Angelo were so kind and made a perfect experience for our family! Thank you for such a wonderful experience!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Absolute Highlight of Our Costa Rica Trip!
samanthawR8118HS,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Absolute Highlight of Our Costa Rica Trip! If you are staying at Planet Hollywood, do yourself a favor: skip the overpriced, crowded hotel tours and head down to the beach to find Carlos. On Wednesday, February 4th, 2026, we booked a private 4-hour boat tour through Carlos, and it was the best decision of our entire vacation. After a previous "nightmare" excursion with another company involving an over-packed van, this was a total breath of fresh air. The Power of a Private Tour The flexibility was what made this truly enriching. Unlike the hotel tours that cram as many people as possible onto a boat for profit, this was tailored entirely to us: You are in charge: If we wanted to spend longer at one spot, we did. If we wanted to skip something, no problem. No Crowds: We weren't cramped with strangers; it was just us and another couple we invited (whom Carlos only charged an extra $50 for!). Convenience: We left directly from the beach in front of our hotel. Pricing That Can’t Be Beat The hotel was offering similar tours for $400 per couple. Carlos gave us a private boat for $350, and with our friends joining, it only cost us $200 per couple. An absolute steal for a private experience! Wildlife & Insider Access We saw schools of tuna and dolphins, but the "gold medal" moment was a mom and baby whale swimming so close to the boat we could almost touch them! We got incredible videos. Our guide, Miguel, was outstanding. He shared fascinating history about life in Costa Rica and pointed out celebrity homes on the hills, including Michael Jordan, Chuck Norris, and the Kardashians. Even though the water wasn't clear for snorkeling, he still jumped in with us for a refreshing swim and took us to a lookout point with a breathtaking view. What’s Included: Exploring: Sea caves and "Monkey Face" Island Rock. The Beach: A stop at a stunning white sand beach. Refreshments: Cold drinks on board (and an offer to cook any fish we caught!). The Bottom Line: We had the best time of our lives and feel so blessed to have found Carlos. He is kind, helpful, and truly doing a great job. I have no words for how much better this was than the "big business" tours. Go find Carlos on the beach—you won’t regret it!
The best day in Costa Rica!
jennabT8055CR,Feb 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Carlos was absolutely fantastic to work with! From the start, he was incredibly honest about the weather and strong winds, making sure we understood the conditions so we could have the best possible experience. Thanks to his guidance, we went out on a great day with barely any wind and had the most amazing time. The captain and tour guide he arranged were outstanding. They were wonderful with the kids, very informative, and made the whole trip fun and interactive for everyone. After such an incredible first trip, we were ready to go out again! Carlos easily could have booked us a second time, but instead he advised against it because the winds were picking up and he felt the kids would likely get sick. That level of honesty and care really stood out — he truly puts his clients’ experience first. 10/10 — honest, reliable, and friendly. We would absolutely book with him again!
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Operated by Costa Rica Expedition Tours