Manuel Antonio Night Mangrove Safari: Boat Tour Wildlife

Nocturnal animals emerge when the sun sets in the mangroves.

A night mangrove boat tour in Manuel Antonio takes you through protected forest channels by boat with a captain, searching for crocodiles, boas, bats, anteaters, sloths and other wildlife that becomes active after dark. The tour runs three hours and includes dinner, an air-conditioned vehicle for pickup, and a guide who speaks English or Spanish. All areas are wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

Night Mangrove Safari and Wildlife Viewing

• Board fully equipped mangrove boat
• Explore mangrove channels at night
• Observe crocodiles, boas, bats, and more
• Enjoy close wildlife encounters safely

The Experience

The boat is fully equipped and you stay aboard the entire time—no walking required. Your captain navigates the mangrove channels at night, when roughly 70% of the forest's wildlife emerges. You'll search for crocodiles, turtles, boas, lizards, bats, birds, crabs, raccoons, anteaters and more. The mangrove forest itself covers thousands of acres of protected land and is one of the world's most vital ecosystems, home to birds, reptiles, mammals and insects that rarely appear during daylight hours.

An air-conditioned vehicle picks you up from your hotel and brings you to the boat. Once on the water, your guide points out animals as they appear in the darkness, explaining what you're seeing and why these species are nocturnal. The tour lasts three hours and includes dinner, so you're fed and transported without arranging a separate meal.

What’s included

• Fully equipped boat with captain.
• three-hour tour through mangrove channels.
• dinner.
• air-conditioned hotel pickup and return.
• guide in English or Spanish.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transport

Operated by Costa Rica Jade Tours

Is this one for you?Your evening unfolds on the water where a captain navigates the mangrove channels while you spot crocodiles, bats, and nocturnal wildlife that never emerge by day—dinner included so you experience the full night ecosystem without arranging transport.

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Top questions

What animals will I actually see on the night mangrove boat tour?

The tour searches for crocodiles, turtles, boas, lizards, bats, birds, crabs, raccoons, anteaters and sloths. About 70% of the mangrove forest's wildlife is nocturnal, meaning these animals are most active at night when the tour operates.

Do I have to walk during the mangrove night tour?

No walking is required on this tour. You stay on the fully equipped boat the entire time while the captain navigates the mangrove channels.

How long does the night mangrove safari take?

The tour runs three hours from start to finish, including the boat ride through the mangroves and dinner.

Is the mangrove night tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and the air-conditioned vehicle that picks you up from your hotel is also wheelchair accessible. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible.

What languages does the guide speak?

Your guide speaks English or Spanish, depending on the tour departure you book.