There are several islands in Costa Rica. Some are historically important, like Isla San Lucas, some are perfect for scuba diving, like Isla del Coco, and some islands are relatively close to the mainland, like Isla Tortuga. The reality is that they all have a lot of beauty, and they are worth a visit.
I’ve wanted to visit Isla Tortuga for the first time for a while now, but there was always an impediment for some reason. But not this time! There was a friend of a good friend of mine visiting Costa Rica, and she wanted to go to a beach. We had only one day, so we didn’t have a lot of options. Guanacaste and Limón were off the table because of the distance.
Tours to Isla Tortuga
We thought about visiting Punta Leona, Jacó, and even Manuel Antonio. All of them were fine options, but after a friend reminded me of some local tours some small companies offer every weekend, I went to look at their calendars.
There are a lot of these “family” companies that offer one-day tours during the weekends. These companies are perfect for solo travelers and backpackers who want to move around from San José and meet new people. Here are some that I know they offer this kind of tours:
- Hiking Costa Rica: They offer only hikes-related tours, but I have friends who went with them, and I only heard good comments about them. They offer monthly tours to Pico Blanco (Escazú) and hikes to Irazú or Turrialba volcanoes. They have a catalog on Whatsapp where you can find all the trip information.
- Hiking Tiquicia: This company started offering only hiking experiences, but in the latest months, they started offering tours to places like Tortuguero or Río Celeste. Tours that don’t include a hike necessary.
- Sitios Ticos: This is one of the companies that have been in this market for the longest time. They offer tours to Guanacaste, Monteverde, Limón, and much more. They also offer the tour to Isla Tortuga.
- Costa Tours: They also offer a variety of tours around Costa Rica. Hiking and non-hiking tours. This is the company that took us to Isla Tortuga on this occasion.
Departing to the island
Once we paid for the tour (around $60 per person), our friends from Costa Tours sent us all the information we needed to meet the tour guide on Sunday. We were picked up in San José’s Cathedral. There was also the option of Heredia, Alajuela, and Puntarenas. The tour started at 5:00 am. By 7:00 am, we were having breakfast (included in the total fee) in Puntarenas.
Around 8:00 am, the group split in two. Half were going to Isla San Lucas, while the other half was going to Isla Tortuga. We boarded a boat with a capacity of around 20 people and departed to Isla Tortuga. It takes between 40 minutes and 1 hour to get to Isla Tortuga. You can see turtles, dolphins, and even whales during the ride. Unforutenly we could not see anything on our way to the island, but on our way back, our luck changed!
Once we arrived at Isla Tortuga, the tour guide asked which of us wanted to go snorkeling. We were not in the mood for that, so we stayed chilling at the beach. On the beach, we received some fresh fruit from the tour guide, and we rented a couple of chairs and an umbrella (even though the sun was not showing up still).
Facilities on the island
Isla Tortuga is not a big island, you can see most parts of the island in just minutes, but there is something special about it. Even though it was cloudy the day we went, we never got bored while being there.
There are some small shacks where you can order drinks and food (expect high prices), a couple of portable bathrooms (they charge a fee), a volleyball court, and chairs/umbrellas you can rent to spend the day.
Our day on Isla Tortuga
We spent most of the day just chilling at the beach, swimming several times. In the middle of the day, the people that went snorkeling came back, and the tour guide offered us lunch. The lunch was the typical costarican casado. We received a really good service from the tour guide; during the afternoon, we also got some pastries and coffee, and around 3 pm, after an exhausting day chilling at the beach, we went back to Puntarenas.
On our way back, we saw some dolphins swimming beside our boat. I asked the tour guide about them, and there’s always a good chance to see dolphins in that zone.
Once we got back to Puntarenas, we showered and changed clothes. We also had some spare time to walk around Puntarenas and get to know the town. I recommend buying a ceviche or bigoron if you are hungry. I recommend getting Puntarenas’ famous Churchill if you have a sweet tooth. (Expect high worthy calories)
Isla Tortuga Summary:
- Location: Isla Tortuga
- Nearby Islands: Isla San Lucas
- Access: Boat tour
- Nearby Facilities: Small restaurant and bathrooms
- Sand Color: White
- Waves (1/5):
- Hidden Gem Score (2/5):
