Isla Tortuga boat trip

From the Tambor side of the Gulf of Nicoya, Isla Tortuga is close. It is really two small islands, Alcatraz and Tolinga, lying off the Curú wildlife refuge, with white sand beaches and forest behind. That short crossing is what makes a half day enough.

Trips vary: some are mostly snorkelling around the islands, others are beach time with lunch on the sand, and full-day versions combine both. Divers go out of Tambor Bay to the islands too. Check where your boat leaves from, because departures are spread along the coast and some are awkward to reach without a car.