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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.

Come join us for the Six Senses Papagayo private sailing tour !!! If you are staying at the Six Senses Papagayo, in Guanacaste, you can book a private Sailing charter with our company. The tour includes direct beach landing for a comfortable and  convenient pick up from right on the beach without the need of land transport to a dock or pier.

The Six Senses Papagayo is located inside Bahia Culebra, in the heart of the Peninsula Papagayo region, world famous for hosting some of the best beach resorts and luxury beach hotels. The calm waters of the gulf and the fantastic scenery and beautiful beaches in the region create the perfect framework for an unforgettable beach vacation in Guanacaste.

Half Day sailing tour

The 4 hour half day morning sailing tour starts at 8 AM ( Might be flexible ) and returns by 12 md. The tour consists of meeting on the beach, departing to the open ocean and sailing along the coast. After around 2 hours, the tour will stop at a smartly chosen secluded location where the clients will enjoy snorkeling amid tropical coral fish, eels, rays and other wildlife species that live in the warm tropical waters of the North Pacific. The boat also carries paddle boards and kayaks ( please request in advance ). Time will be spend anchored for the enjoyment of exploring rocky pinnacles, small hidden beaches and quality time enjoying a swim in the ocean. All tours include limitless drinks ( Gin, beer, vodka, rum, whiskey ) as well as fruit juice, sodas, water. Snacks and food is included as well. Please remember you can indicate in advance what the preferred activity might be ( snorkeling, beach, sailing ) so we can design the tour accordingly.

Six Senses Sunset sailing tour

The sunset sailing tour is basically a replica of the 4 hour morning tour, with the only difference of timing and the fact that the sunset tour includes being able to see the majestic colors of the sunset from the boat while sailing back to the hotel.  The sunset sail tour is one of the preferred sailing trips for tourists at Six Senses, especially for a romantic coupe, a group of friends or those who do not wish to wake up that early.

Full Day Sailing

The full day sailing tour departs at  9 or 10  and returns by 6 PM. This full day adventure sailing expeditions is definitely the epitome of sailing trips. It will take you away for a whole day, and during the time you will enjoy of fantastic scenery, silence, blue skies, the caress of wind while sailing along the coast amid the blue Pacific ocean.

Activities included: Beach time, Snorkeling, Paddle boarding or kayaking.

You will also enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch on a secluded beach.