Tortuga Island Sunset & Bioluminescence Tour Santa Teresa

Tortuga Island at dusk: when the water starts to glow

You board an air-conditioned boat at 4pm and ride 45 minutes out to Tortuga Island, where you snorkel with provided gear and eat fresh-cooked fish tacos as the sun sets. After dark, the ocean comes alive with bioluminescence (glowing organisms that light up when disturbed), and you watch from the boat as the water pulses with blue-green light. The whole trip takes 7 hours and includes two beers, filtered water, and a guide who knows the marine ecosystem. You're back by 11pm.

Step-by-step itinerary

Boat ride and sunset bioluminescence

• Take 45-minute boat ride to Tortuga Island
• Observe dolphins, manta rays, turtles, whales
• Enjoy late afternoon tour on Isla Tortuga
• Watch sunset at Tambor Bay, Playa Vivos
• Experience bioluminescence phenomenon at night

The experience

There's something about the idea of watching the ocean light up on its own that makes you want to go. You're curious, a little skeptical maybe, but curious enough to book. The Tortuga Island sunset and bioluminescence tour from Santa Teresa answers that pull. It's a 7-hour evening trip that leaves around 4pm, when most of the day boats have already turned back and the island feels quieter. The 45-minute boat ride out follows the Nicoya Peninsula coast, and the water is often full of dolphins or manta rays, though you never know what you'll see. What you do know is that the boat is air-conditioned, the ride is smooth, and you're heading somewhere specific.

Once you reach Tortuga Island, you have time to snorkel if you want: mask, fins and snorkel are all provided. The guide knows the reef and the marine life, and will point out what's actually down there instead of just letting you guess. Around the time the light starts to change, the crew cooks fresh fish tacos right there, along with plantain chips and fruit. You get two beers per person, filtered water in reusable bottles, and the kind of meal that tastes better because you're sitting on a boat watching the sky turn orange. The sunset itself happens over Tambor Bay at Playa Vivos, and it's the kind of thing that photographs badly but stays with you.

After dark is when the bioluminescence starts. The water glows when it moves, when the boat cuts through it, when you trail your hand over the side, when fish dart underneath. It's not a light show in the theatrical sense. It's quieter than that, almost like the ocean is breathing. Your guide explains what's actually happening (it's dinoflagellates, tiny organisms that produce light when disturbed), which somehow makes it more interesting, not less. The boat heads back to Santa Teresa around 11pm, and you're tired in that good way, the kind where you sleep deeply and wake up still thinking about the water glowing in the dark.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle pickup from your Santa Teresa hotel.
• 45-minute boat ride to Tortuga Island with views of the Nicoya Peninsula coast.
• snorkel mask, fins and snorkel gear.
• time to snorkel at Tortuga Island.
• fresh-cooked fish tacos with chicken or veggie options, plantain chips and fresh fruit.
• two beers per person.
• filtered water in reusable bottles.
• expert guide with knowledge of local marine ecology.
• sunset viewing at Tambor Bay.
• bioluminescence display on the return journey.
• return to Santa Teresa around 11pm.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 12:45

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Senior (71 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Zuma Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see something genuinely unusual, bioluminescent water, without spending the whole night arranging transport, timing the sunset yourself, or figuring out where to eat. The 7-hour window and fixed schedule handle all three, and the boat leaves late enough that you're not rushing your afternoon in Santa Teresa.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the tour leave and when do you get back?

Departure is around 4pm. The boat returns to Santa Teresa around 11pm. Total duration is 7 hours.

Is snorkeling equipment included?

Yes. Mask, fins and snorkel are provided. You can snorkel at Tortuga Island before the sunset.

What's included to eat and drink?

Fresh fish tacos (with chicken or veggie options), plantain chips, fruit, two beers per person, and filtered water in reusable bottles.

Will we definitely see dolphins or whales?

The boat ride often passes dolphins, manta rays, and sea turtles. Humpback and pilot whales are possible but not guaranteed. Marine life sightings depend on the day.

How long is the boat ride to Tortuga Island?

The ride out takes 45 minutes along the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. An air-conditioned vehicle picks you up from your hotel in Santa Teresa.

Can pregnant travelers go on this tour?

This tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available.

Do I need to be fit or athletic?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of the time is spent on the boat or in calm water.

What is bioluminescence and will I really see it?

Bioluminescence is light produced by tiny organisms in the water called dinoflagellates. They glow when disturbed: by the boat, by movement, by fish. You'll see it in the water after dark, though the intensity varies by night and location.