Boating, Sportfishing in Manuel Antonio / Quepos, Costa Rica

Kayaking Costa Rica

You can do it all in this area of Costa Rica: river rafting, sea kayaking, mangrove tours, guided hikes, sportfishing, dolphins and sunset cruises and more.

Iguana Tours (tel. 777-12620 is the most established and dependable tour operator in the area; it offers river rafting, sea kayaking, mangrove tours, and guided hikes. These folks have an office on the main road, just as you begin to head out of Quepos toward Manuel Antonio. One of its offerings, among my favorite tours in the area, is a mangrove estuary tour of Damas Island with Jorge Cruz. These trips generally include lunch, a stop on Damas Island, and roughly 3 to 4 hours of cruising the waterways. You'll see loads of wildlife. The cost is $60.
 
Several rafting companies in Quepos ply the same rivers. Among them are Iguana Tours , H2O Adventures (tel. 777-4092) and Amigos del Río (tel. 777-0082). All offer full-day rafting trips for around $85 to $100. Large multiperson rafts are used during the rainy season, and single-person "duckies" are broken out when the water levels drop. All of the above companies also offer half-day rafting adventures and sea-kayaking trips for around $65.
 
Among the other boating options available around Quepos/Manuel Antonio are excursions in search of dolphins and sunset cruises. In addition to Iguana Tours , Sunset Sails (tel. 777-1304) and Planet Dolphin (tel./fax 777-1467) offer these tours for between $40 and $65 per person. Most of the tours include a snorkel break and, if lucky, dolphin sightings. Jungle Coast Jets (tel. 777-1706) offers 2-hour jet-ski tours for $99 per person. This tour plies the same waters and includes some snorkeling and the possibility of a dolphin encounter.
 
Quepos is one of Costa Rica's billfish centers, and sailfish, marlin, and tuna are all common in these waters. In the past year or so, fresh and brackish water fishing in the mangroves and estuaries has also become popular. If you're into sportfishing, try hooking up with Blue Fin Sportfishing (tel. 777-1676), Blue Water (tel. 800/807-1585 in the U.S. and Canada or 777-4841), High Tec Sportfishing (tel. 777-3465), or Poseidon Adventures (tel. 777-0935). A full day of fishing should cost between $450 and $1,600, depending on the size of the boat, distance traveled, tackle provided, and amenities. There's a lot of competition here, so it pays to shop around.