Boat Tour of Damas Island, Manuel Antonio

4.1 (7 reviews)
Explore estuarine mangroves where unique conditions created by shifting sediment and saltwater attract diverse wildlife

Overview

Discover the Damas Island Estuary and its mangrove ecosystem on a boat trip! Your knowledgeable guide will point out flora and fauna as you cruise along the natural passageways created by the river's ebb and flow. Bird-watching is excellent here, and the fluctuating conditions of sediment and saltwater attract a wide range of sea animals. If you're lucky, you'll also spot reptiles, anteaters, and monkeys. Enjoy an included lunch at the end of the tour. Exact departure times depend on the tides.

Highlights

  • Boat around the Damas Island Estuary and its unique mangrove ecosystem
  • Spot a variety of birds, including herons, kingfishers, ospreys, and frigate birds
  • Look for monkeys in the trees and reptiles on the riverbanks

Know before you go

Duration
4 hours
Recommended for
All ages
Group
Group tour, 30 people or less
Food & Drink
Lunch Included. Lunch or Dinner is included, based on the time of the tour

What you'll do

The day begins with a pick-up from your accommodations (though the exact time depends on the tide). Transfer to the starting point of the boating excursion on the Damas Island Estuary.

Board the boat and listen as your expert guide talks about the unique mangrove ecosystem. You'll take off on the journey, gliding along waterways through one of Costa Rica's most important natural habitats.   You'll weave your way through the natural tunnels and passageways created by the river's ebb and flow, discovering this fascinating tidal world. The unique conditions created by the shifting sediment and saltwater in the mangroves attract various sea animals.

Your guide will point out birds, including herons, kingfishers, ospreys, and frigate birds, as well as reptiles, anteaters, and monkeys along the banks of the estuary.   Look down as you drift in the water, keeping an eye out for oysters, sponges, majestic stingrays, baby black-tipped sharks, and large schools of fish among the mangrove roots. Don't be surprised if curious white-faced capuchin monkeys hop on board—these charismatic animals love to explore!

Lunch or dinner is included and typically served after the boating trip.

Start times

  • Daily
    6:00 am

What's included

  • Transportation
  • Bilingual guides
  • Boat ride
  • Beverages
  • Meal
Please note departure times are based on the tide. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner is included with your activity based on the start time.

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Traveler reviews

7 total ratings, 4 with reviews
4.1
Feature ratings
Quality of Experience
4.2
Food
3.3
Guides, Drivers and Staff
4.2
Transport
4.3
Alison
Alison C.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 01, 2023
Loved our guide. Very nimble and entertaining, he climbed over the mandrake roots to point out the wildlife. It was very enjoyable. I think Tolkien must have seen the mandrake groves when he created the Ents. Read more

Loved our guide. Very nimble and entertaining, he climbed over the mandrake roots to point out the wildlife. It was very enjoyable. I think Tolkien must have seen the mandrake groves when he created the Ents.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Loni
Loni K.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Dec 06, 2022
this was other worldly. If you have not been in a Mangrove forest, it is so cool. We went late afternoon which was pretty nice for seeing birds, snakes, monkeys, etc. Even the bats at dusk were so cool to watch swooping close to the water Read more

this was other worldly. If you have not been in a Mangrove forest, it is so cool. We went late afternoon which was pretty nice for seeing birds, snakes, monkeys, etc. Even the bats at dusk were so cool to watch swooping close to the water

Quality of Experience
Food
We had dinner with our two tour guides after and it was a very nice simple delicious dinner.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We had George our van driver, our boat driver and two guides for the 4 of us. They were all great.
Transport
F
Frederick K.
Saint Michael, MN | Reviewed on Nov 30, 2022
Our two young new guides could not have been better! They knew their stuff. It was beautiful to do this boat tour rich before the sunset. Saw snakes, lots of birds, crabs, and monkeys! Read more

Our two young new guides could not have been better! They knew their stuff. It was beautiful to do this boat tour rich before the sunset. Saw snakes, lots of birds, crabs, and monkeys!

Quality of Experience
Food
The food was simple and delicious.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The boat and bus drivers were great.
C
chari p.
Asheville, NC | Reviewed on May 29, 2022
This is the only experience that we didn't like. It was not what we expected. We saw more of the amimals on the hike than on the boat tour. The breakfast was not good. The food was cold and seemed to be more of an afterthought. Read more

This is the only experience that we didn't like. It was not what we expected. We saw more of the amimals on the hike than on the boat tour. The breakfast was not good. The food was cold and seemed to be more of an afterthought.

Quality of Experience
Food
would like to have a made to order breakfast, our food was sitting on the table when we arrived and was not hot.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport

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Itineraries with Boat Tour of Damas Island