Tortuga Islands Snorkeling Boat Tour
Facts
- Hours : 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Location : leaves from Curu National Wildlife Refuge
- Price : $42 per person; $16 park entrance; Tours departing from other locations $99 per person
- Note : Snorkel gear, snacks, water provided
Bask in the sun and sea breeze as your fiberglass boat romps through the Pacific waters, navigating away from the coconut-covered coastline of the Curu National Wildlife Refuge toward the silhouettes of the famous Tortuga Islands.
read more closeRiding by Alcatraz
En route with a local bilingual guide, trusty boat captain, and about 15 other people, you'll sail the open ocean — destined for Poseidon's tropical playgrounds 2.5 miles away. Pass under the sedimentary "Rainbow Rock" arch providing an exotic passageway to coveted views you see in travel magazines before reaching the center of the Tortuga Islands.
Snorkeling in Morteros
With the boat anchored next to Morteros, the smallest of the three Tortuga Islands, don snorkeling gear and plunge into the warm water. Snorkeling around the Tortuga Islands you'll find similar marine creatures as you would in the South Pacific and Australia, namely blue tangs like Dory from "Finding Nemo."
Within seconds of peering down at the ocean's purple-tinted reef, you may see jewel moray eels sliding between rocky canyons, along with any number of grouper, parrotfish, sergeant majors, starfish, or queen angelfish.
Sunbathing in Tolinga
Climb a ladder back onto the boat, ready to move toward an exclusive side of Tolinga Island, where only you and your guides are allowed to picnic on the beach. Snack on pineapple, watermelon and coconut before leaving the shade of palm trees to swim in the shallow waters of Tolinga, lay out in the sunshine, and spend the rest of your free-hour delighting in secluded beauty.
Cruise back to Curu Wildlife Refuge in a different route, passing the whipped cream sands of Playa Quesera. Walk across the lukewarm waters to end the tour on Playa Curu.
About Tortuga Islands
Just over 2.5 miles offshore from Curu, the Tortuga Islands (often referred to as just one island) are actually three different entities:
Alcatraz: the turtle-shaped sedimentary rock formation that gave the islands their colloquial name
Tolinga: split into two parts
Main tourist destination featuring a gift shop, beach umbrellas and Wi-Fi;Â
Private beach with palm trees shading the perimeter around its mountainside, soft sand and swimmable waves
Morteros: a protruding rock formation shaped like a bullet, where boats anchor for snorkeling and diving
Departure & Return
- Departure point : Tour departs from all major hotels in Malpais, Santa Teresa, Montezuma and Cabuya
- Departure time : Hotel pickup is between 20 and 50 minutes before tour start time depending on hotel location.
- Return details : Tour returns to original departure point between three and four hours after tour start time