What is the best boat tour near Manuel Antonio?

The Damas Island mangrove boat tour, about 20 minutes north of Quepos. It is the only trip in the area that puts you inside a mangrove estuary at eye level with the animals, and it runs in two versions:

What do you actually see in the Damas mangroves?

American crocodiles, white-faced capuchin monkeys that come to the water’s edge, silky anteaters, boa constrictors coiled in the branches, bats sleeping on tree trunks, herons, kingfishers and roseate spoonbills. The mangrove tunnels are narrow enough that the boat passes within a few meters of the branches, which is why the photographs from this trip beat the ones from the park trail.

How is the night tour different?

Completely different animals. The 5:00 PM departure catches the shift change: day birds settling, and then crocodiles’ eyes in the spotlight, sleeping birds you can approach, bats hunting over the water, and the insect life the daytime trip never shows you. At $70 per person it is the better trip for anyone who has already done a daytime boat ride anywhere in Costa Rica.

Is the mangrove tour good for families and non-hikers?

It is the best option we run for either. You sit in a covered boat the whole time — no trail, no heat, no climbing — and children see more animals more easily than they do on the park walk. It is also the trip that works when it rains.

Is this a kayak tour or a motorboat tour?

A motorboat with a roof and a naturalist guide on board. That matters for wildlife: the guide can hold position beside a sleeping boa or a crocodile while everyone gets the scope on it, which a paddling group cannot do.

How does it compare to the national park tour?

Different ecosystem, different animal list, and it does not replace the park. Most guests who have two days here do the Manuel Antonio National Park tour at $30 per person on the first morning and the mangroves on the second. Full comparison of everything we run and what it costs is in the 2026 Manuel Antonio tour price guide.

What should I bring on the boat?

Insect repellent — mangroves mean mosquitoes, especially near dusk — a light long-sleeve layer for the night trip, water, and a way to keep your camera dry. Binoculars help but the guide’s scope does the heavy work. New to the area? Start with the Manuel Antonio first-timer’s guide.

Guided by Jason Solano Zamora, ICT-certified naturalist guide and founder of Costa Rica Wakoo Tours.