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Differences between the morning half day, sunset half day sailing and the full day sailing tour ?

One of the most frequent questions we are asked by our clients is : Which is the best tour, the 4 hours morning tour, the 4 hours sunset tour in the afternoon or the full day tour which goes from 10 am to 6 pm and which includes lunch on a private beach ?

The answer to this question is quite simple, as it depends on each client’s expectations, tastes, time available and interest in a specific activity.

For help in answering this question, please read the following paragraphs.
First of all, all three tours include the same to some extent. In all cases, the tours always include open bar, light food (sandwiches, chips, dips, burritos, fresh fruit, Guacamole and ground beans, chicken skewers to cold salads. Each boat varies slightly in the menu but there is always food during the tours, from the half day tour to the full day tour.

Also, all tours include the open bar, which includes good quality national brand alcoholic beverages, including Vodka, Rum, Whiskey, Gin, Beer. Clearly there are also fruit juices, water and soft drinks.
As for the activities, they are also the same. All tours include snorkeling, and depending on the boat, but not the tour schedule, also paddle boards and in some cases sea kayaks.

So what is the difference?

Taking into account that there is a base where all tours include the same, there is a clear difference between the full day tour and the two half day tours, the morning and the afternoon.

The big difference on the one hand is clearly the schedule. Since the full day tour departs at 10 am and returns at 6 am, it is double the time, which means that the people on board have twice as much time to enjoy any of the attractions or destinations they want to visit during the tour, be it the pristine beaches, snorkeling, resting on board, sleeping on the beach or sunbathing on a remote beach.

The second difference is that the full day tour, in addition to everything that all tours include, also includes a BBQ style lunch on a remote beach. This is a delicious, complete and very hearty lunch, with meats, vegetables, tortillas, chicken and other items that are cooked on the grill.

A difference between the morning half-day tour and the afternoon tour

Between the two half-day tours, there are also two differences. The first difference is the schedule (some people don’t like to wake up early), and because of this, people who book the afternoon tour can watch the sunset from on board the boat.

Another difference may be that the morning tour usually enjoys a nicer and cooler climate, since as you move towards the midday sun, you are already returning to port. And the morning hours can usually be a little better for seeing marine wildlife, such as turtles, certain birds and so on.

Can I book a private sailing tour from our location in Guanacaste ?

Can I book a private sailing tour from our location in Guanacaste ?

Our company SAILING GUANACASTE operates private sailing tours on sailboats and sailing catamarans as well as motorboats and yachts since 2002.

Our area of operation starts in the Papagayo Peninsula, where hotels and resorts such as Four Seasons Papagayo, Andaz Papagayo, Exclusive Resorts, Pexs, Secrets Papagayo, El Mangroove, Planey Hollywood and other hotels are located.

Throughout the Papagayo area, we pick up directly at the hotel beach, unless the hotel is located in the hills, in which case, clients must walk down to the beach and be there at the agreed time. This transportation is not included but we can add it in case the hotel is not located in front of the beach or in the paya.

Additionally, we pick you up directly at the beach in the areas of Playa Panama, Playa Hermosa, El Coco, Ocotal, Bahia Pez Vela, Hotel Riu Palace and Riu Guanacaste.

On the coast of the Santa Cruz canton, we pick up directly on the beach in most cases, although another departure point is the Flamingo Marina, where clients who have a car can leave their cars parked.

Specifically we pick up at Las Catalinas, Playa Prieta, Playa Penca, Playa Potrero, Flamingo, Conchal, Brasilito, Playa Grabnde, Tamarindo and Playa Langosta.

Where we do not pick up ?

There are some areas where we do not pick up because the beach does not allow it. This is the case of JW Marriott Guanacaste and Hacienda Pinilla. In that case, clients must travel to either Playa Tamarindo or Playa Flamingo, specifically to the Flamingo marina.

We have had clients travel on their own from Liberia, Nosara, Samara to the meeting points in order to go out to sea and enjoy the trips we offer, which combine comfort (open bar, food, high quality boats) and the natural beauties of the most undeveloped and untouched parts of Guanacaste.

Our company, Sailing Guanacaste, operates the largest, best and most complete fleet of private boat charters in Guanacaste.

Booking a private charter in Guanacaste

The following tips are important:

• Please always indicate the number of people in the party
• Please always indicate the date you are interested in
• In case you already know which tour you are interested in ( Private morning sailing, sunset afternoon sailing or the full day sailing with BBQ lunch on a secluded beach )
• IMPORTANT: Please remember to book as soon as possible.

It has happened quite a few times, that clients correspond or communicate with us, but instead of pre booking the tour, or booking the charter, they sometimes wait until up to 3 days before the desired tour date, which in return sometimes leads to the boat not being available anymore.

So once you are sure which tour and which boat you are interested in ( Remember! the boats have different prices and different features ) we recoomend you book the tour.

The areas we serve include the following:

Guanacaste Boat Charters available for: Four Seasons Papagayo, Andaz Papagayo, Casa Conde del Mar, Playa Panama, El Mangroove, Secrets Papagayo, Occidental Papagayo, Playa Hermosa, El Coco, Ocotal, Riu, Potrero, Flamingo, Conchal, Las Catalinas, JW Marriott, Hacienda Pinilla.

In most cases, when the resorts are located near the ocean or even beachfront, and the beach permits the landing, we do pick clients up from right on the beach, which is of great advantage.

In case of clients staying in hotels, resorts or vacation rentals atop the hills or a bit away from the beach, we require them to meet us the beach ( We always indicate exactly where, when and how ).

We establish a WHATSAPP group two days before the tour for the client to be able to contact us in case of any last minute questions, even as close to the departure time as a few minutes.

Dolphin and Whale Watching tours in Guanacaste and Papagayo

The province of Guanacaste, and in general the entire Pacific Ocean coast of Costa Rica is an ideal area for whale watching.

Whale watching tours and dolphin tours depart from Guanacaste and Papagayo

• Four Seasons Papagayo
• Andaz Papapgayo
• El Mangroove
• Secrets Papagayo
• Playa Hermosa
• El Coco
• Ocotal
• Riu
• Tamarindo
• Flamingo
• Potrero
• Conchal
• Hacienda Pinilla
• JW Marriott  
• and other Hotels in Guanacaste )

The humpback whales stand out for their large size, the number of groups in which they travel and the fantastic pirouettes they perform during their stay in the Pacific coast.

When to see whales in Guanacaste

Between July and October, humpback whales come to the warm waters of Costa Rica from the southern hemisphere, especially the cold waters of the Antarctic, southern Chile and the Humboldt Current.

The main reason for the whales to travel to the warm waters of Costa Rica is to give birth to their calves and also to raise them during the first months.

From December to March the same thing happens again, but this time it is the humpback whales that come from the northern hemisphere, specifically the Arctic, the Canadian stuff and the states of Washington and Oregon in the United States.

If you’re lucky, you might be able to hear the whales’ love songs, or see the huge whales leap out of the water like a torpedo, or pop their huge, powerful tails into the water. It is an unforgettable scene without a doubt.

Whale Species in Guanacaste

The most common species to see during the key months are humpback whales, however, there are also other species, such as pilot whales, false killer whales and orcas.

Whale watching and dolphin tours

Another species, which does reside permanently in the waters of Papagayo and Guanacaste is the Bottle-beaked dolphin, as well as other species. These fun and sociable animals often accompany the sailboats and boats during the tours, swimming swiftly in the front of the boat or sailboat.
Ask us about the best time and the best catamaran or sailboat tour to see these magnificent marine mammals. Our private tours take you to the most extraordinary areas to have the maximum contact with the flora and fauna of Guanacaste and Papagayo.

Papagayo Marina in Guanacaste Costa Rica

The Papagayo Marina is located within the Gulf of Papagayo, specifically in the northern part of Culebra Bay, which is bordered by the Papagayo Peninsula.

Marina Papagayo is currently the largest marina in northern Guanacaste, and along with the Pez Vela Marina in Quepos, the Los Sueños Marina near Jaco and the Flamingo Marina, it is one of the largest marinas in the North Pacific.

It has different services, such as stores, gasoline and diesel supply, restaurants and bars, and certainly, it is a favorite place for many to park their boats, yachts and sailing catamarans for the tranquility of its waters on the one hand, as well as the proximity to the various hotel companies, resorts and luxury homes that are throughout Papagayo.

Proximity to Daniel Oduber Airport

Another advantage of the Marina Papagayo is its proximity to the Daniel Oduber airport, which is located only 30 minutes away from Papagayo. Currently, the airport is the second largest airport in the country and the only one of two that offers transcontinental flights, with constant arrivals from the USA and CANADA as well as several European countries.

La Marina offers 180 berths for boats up to 250 feet LOA, with both single & 3-phase electrical service, grey & black water disposal and wireless broadband. All berths are complimented by a range of services, from mooring assistance, 24/7 monitoring, yacht assistance, on-site provisioning, fuel bunkering and a knowledgeable concierge service.

Office hours and contact:

Address: Guanacaste Province
Hours: 8 AM ⋅ 8PM
Phone: 2690 3623

The most beautiful beaches in the Guanacaste Conservation Area

Besides their unique scenic beauty, the beaches of the protected area are completely undeveloped, which adds to their fascination.

 The beaches of Bahia Santa Elena, Playa Blanca and Bahia Junquillal

The Guanacaste Reserve is home to a number of endangered species of tropical dry forest and also has paradisiacal beaches. In addition to their unique scenic beauty, the beaches of the reserve are completely undeveloped, which adds to their fascination.

The Guanacaste Conservation Area (ACG)

The AGC (Spanish acronym for Área de Conservación Guanacaste) stands for Guanacaste Protected Area and covers 13% of the province of the same name and a lion’s share of the northwest of Costa Rica. The protected area includes the 42,000 hectare marine area “Sector Marino” as well as the Santa Rosa National Park with the sectors Murciélago, Santa Rosa, Junquillal, Playa Naranjo and the Rincón de la Vieja National Park with the sectors Pailas and Santa Maria, as well as the forest station Los Horizontes.  AGC hosts 335,000 species, representing 2.6% of the world’s biodiversity.

In other words, the ACG protects more terrestrial animal and plant species than are found in Mexico, the United States, and Canada combined. In 1999, the protected area was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. After its creation in 1986, it then included Santa Rosa National Park (established in 1971) as its base.

ACG’s goal was to protect and preserve the entire dry forest area and the ecosystems of the neighboring cloud forest, rainforest and marine area (coastal strip). Today, the prohibition of construction by the civilian population and a strict ban on deforestation are still valid as conditions.

The guiding principle of the Protected Area of Guanacaste (ACG) was the successive purchase of private lands bordering the Santa Rosa National Park, between the Interamericana Highway and the Orosi and Cacao Volcanoes. This vast area has sufficient forest cover to ensure the restoration, survival and conservation of dry forest organisms.

The quiet Bahia Santa Elena bay

Santa Elena Bay is located in the Murciélago sector of Santa Rosa National Park and is accessible from the municipality of Cuajiniquil either by boat or (if road conditions permit) by land. It takes about 45 minutes to get there by boat.

The bay is located halfway between Cuajiniquil and the extreme tip of the Santa Elena Peninsula.

The sea with corals and pointed rock formations is particularly clear and calm and offers first class conditions for snorkeling.

Due to the prohibition of fishing in the protected area, rare fish species such as the colorful coral fish, eels and stingrays are found here.

The outback of Bahia Santa Elena offers a series of unexplored hills, valleys and dry forests, as well as mangroves in the south and west, where the bay turns into the sector of Playa Naranjo.

Santa Elena is undoubtedly one of the wildest, most remote and interesting areas in the country.

One of the most incredible sites within the Santa Elena Bay is Playa Sortija, the most enchanting white sand beach. Surrounded by nothing but blue ocean and endless mountains and tropical dry forest, this incredible crystalline and calm water beach is home to Eagle Rays, Nurse Sharks and simple a panorama beyond belief.

The fairy tale beach Playa Blanca

If you continue by boat from Bahia Santa Elena in a westerly direction, the path leads past a cliff of the peninsula directly to Playa Blanca.

The beach is surrounded by mountains up to 850 meters high and the hinterland includes thousands of hectares of tropical dry forest, where among other things many wild animals like jaguars live.The beach itself is a 3km long fine sandy beach with a tropical backdrop.

Playa Blanca is also suitable for swimming and snorkeling. Here you will find sea turtles, manta rays and all the other marine species typical of the Pacific waters of Costa Rica.

The charming bay of Junquillal

In the north of the Santa Elena Peninsula, in the Murciélago sector, between Cuajiniquil and El Jobo, there is a small wildlife refuge called “Bahia Junquillal”.

The bay can be reached by car by taking a shortcut north between the village of Cuajiniquil and El Jobo.

There is an entrance fee to Junquillal, and trails lead through the rainforest of the refuge.

The beautiful beach is characterized by a calm sea and its endless expanse and without civilization, and is particularly suitable for families and camping.