Tortuga Island Costa Rica
45
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Emerald Waterways (10 Cruises)
Lindblad Expeditions (11 Cruises)
National Geographic Quest
11 Cruises
Frequently Asked Questions
In the Gulf of Nicoya, off Costa Rica's west coast, facing the southeastern tip of the peninsula of the same name. The islet is uninhabited, with no hotel or village, and open to day visitors only.
By tender, straight onto the shore, barefoot. The anchorage is in the sheltered waters of the gulf, where the Pacific swell arrives tamed, and the crossing from the ship already gives a taste of the setting.
A crescent of pale sand stretching several hundred metres, shaded by palm fronds, with water shifting from turquoise to jade green. It stays calm and shallow near the shore, reassuring for occasional swimmers and families alike.
It depends on the line: loungers, tables and refreshments are usually set up ashore, and barbecues are sometimes prepared under the trees. Do not count on shops: the islet is uninhabited and everything arrives by boat.
Kayaks, pedal boats and volleyball for the more active. Others will find a leaning trunk for a backrest and the steady sound of the surf: this is a call where doing nothing is a perfectly valid option.
At the rocky points closing the bay, where most of the underwater life gathers: angelfish, shoals of sergeant majors, rays resting on the bottom and sometimes a passing turtle.
Early. Morning light passes through the surface almost unhindered, and the shoals hold close to the rocks then. Visibility is often excellent in the dry season.
A trail heads into the dry forest and climbs to a lookout above the anchorage. The ascent calls for decent sandals and a water bottle, but the reward comes quickly: the gulf unrolls its milky waters, dotted with islands, to the mountains of the Nicoya peninsula.
Hermit crabs by the dozen, iguanas motionless on warm rocks, and the dry tropical forest climbing the heights. From the beach you can also see the neighbouring islets of the Negritos biological reserve and pelicans diving offshore.
December to April, the dry season: calmer seas for tenders and underwater visibility at its best. From May to November, late-day showers often cloud the water near the rocks.
