Gulf Of Papagayo Private Boat Tour

​We rented a private boat through Carlos and had a wonderful time. Carlos is the booking agent and he was super helpful—he gave us the best price right away without any haggling. His boat crew was also really good and took great care of us. We went fishing and actually caught some tuna and mahi mahi! We also did some snorkeling, and the crew cut up fresh fruit for us while we were out on the water. Overall just a really wonderful boat ride.

Carlos offered us a wonderful tour in a private boat we had a 10 year old with us and the staff was great with kids. A calm boat ride visiting a beautiful cave, then into coco playa for some shopping then Amazing snorkeling adventure! Our guide helped us spot multiple sea turtles and even an octopus! The guides were so friendly and knowledgeable I’d highly recommend a trip with this group

AMAZING TRIP!!! We do not have enough great things to say! We fished, snorkeled and went to see the natural cave. David, guide, went to the bottom and brought up a star fish, an octopus and lobster for us to hold. We saw sea turtles, devil rays, puffer fish and tons of other sea life! Captain William made us a nice snack-delicious!! The size of the boat was perfect for our family of 4-shade and sun. We highly recommend Costa Rica Expedition Tours!

Fantastic group of guys. Booked 3 excursion from Carlos on the beach and so glad we did. Highly recommend them.

This was amazing!! We snorkeled with sea turtles, visited coco beach, watched the sunset with dolphins jumping all around us. Unforgettable!

Carlos is fantastic! He allowed us to tailor a sunset cruise, making it almost private with only my travel companions. Since we weren’t interested in fishing, we were able to explore different beaches, caves, and he even took us shopping.

If you’re staying at Planet Hollywood Costa Rica, do yourself a favor and book an excursion with Carlos and his team at Costa Rica Expedition Tours — it was one of the highlights of our entire trip! We met Carlos right on the beach, and we are so glad we did. He set us up with a private boat ride over to Coco Beach, and from start to finish, the experience was incredible. The boat itself was great, but what really made the day special was our captain — he was absolutely amazing. Not only did he get us there safely, but he actually walked around town with us, showing us all the best local spots, which made the experience feel personal and authentic (not touristy at all). We spent time shopping, stopped at Coconuts Brewing for drinks, and enjoyed a fantastic lunch. Everything was relaxed, fun, and perfectly paced — exactly what you hope for on a vacation day. On top of all that, the price was extremely reasonable for such a personalized experience. It felt like a hidden gem compared to some of the more expensive, crowded excursions. We loved every minute and are so thankful we came across Carlos. If you’re looking for a fun, local, and memorable adventure — this is it. Highly recommend!If you want, I can also create a shorter version or a slightly more punchy headline-style review to help it stand out on TripAdvisor 👍

We had an amazing experience with Costa Rica Expedition Tours during our trip to Costa Rica! Our family of four (with kids 12 and 14) booked several excursions and every one was fantastic. We rented jet skis multiple days and had a blast exploring the coastline. The equipment was great and the staff was friendly, helpful, and made sure everyone felt comfortable. We also rented a private boat for a snorkeling trip, which was a highlight of our vacation. The guides took us to incredible spots where we saw sea turtles, an octopus, and so many beautiful fish — the kids were thrilled. The entire team was professional, welcoming, and clearly passionate about what they do. We highly recommend them for anyone looking for a fun and memorable adventure in Costa Rica!

Carlos was the most helpful and provided the best customer service! The tour was remarkable and delivered everything that was promised and some. I highly recommend this company for your tour/excursion needs

Our second private excursion with Costa Rica Expedition Tours was even better than the first—didn’t think that was possible! 🌊🐒 We visited Monkey Head Rock, explored sea caves, went snorkeling, and soaked in the beauty of the Pacific coastline. When we got back to the boat, our guides had fresh pineapple and watermelon waiting for us. 🍍🍉 Pura Vida! See Carlos, the best ever💙

My girlfriend and I traveled to Costa Rica for a friends wedding destination. During our stay, we booked a few tours directly with Carlos at our resort. Carlos was exceptional to work with from start to finish in regards to setting up all of our trips and expeditions. We went on three in total: 1 - Waterfalls, Rainforest, and Volcano. 2 - Taxi / trip to Coco Beach 3 - Coastal boat tour. The trips were handled extremely smooth. Simply discuss with Carlos our interests for the day, he would make a couple of phone calls, and before you know it someone was ready to come pick us up to start the expedition. Trip #1 - Alex was our tour guide for this expedition. Alex was extremely fun, generous, kind, and very, very informative on Costa Rica's history. He was able to provide an encyclopedia worth of information about everything we were seeing, doing, and what was to come. Alex's excitement and enthusiasm throughout the expedition really showed how much he loved & cared about what he does and the beautiful country he lives in. From beginning to end, Alex felt like a close friend that made each trip we went on very fun and interactive. We were extremely happy to have had Alex be our tour guide for this trip. We got to see a lot of what Costa Rica has to offer in this trip package. A little of everything. Thanks for a great time, Alex! Trip #2 - Taxi ride to Coco Beach. Carlos set up our ride to and from the resort and coco beach. Our driver, Eli, was also fantastic! He had a great sense of humor, and very punctual on the clock! We had dinner plans in town and had arranged a rough window of time to be picked up. Turns out, he was waiting on us! As we were out and about at dinner reservations with friends, Eli was patiently waiting for us to finish up and bring us back safely to our resort. His patience and friendliness made the round trip exceptionally smooth and a great ride! Thanks, Eli! Trip #3 - Costal boat tour guide. Our last day in Costa Rica, we went to Carlos, and without any issues or concerns, we had the trip set up and booked within minutes. Carlos is the man that makes it happen! Carlos called Diego and his Captain (blanking on the Captains name. Apologies, but he was outstanding as well.) Once on the boat with Diego and Captain, we had so much fun! They took us all over the coast, got amazing pictures, and had so much fun! We even got lucky enough to have a Whale Shark swim right up to us, under our boat, start eating and feeding around us. It was a once in a lifetime experience that we got so lucky and fortunate to be there for! We were so happy to be with Diego and his Captain for that experience. That moment will live with us forever! Thanks, Diego & Captain! Costa Rica Expedition Tours was fantastic to work with. Carlos truly was an amazing guy to set everything up with such ease. It really made each trip we went on stress free and to be able to live in the moment and truly experience each expedition for what it offered. Thank you everyone mentioned for making our trip be exceptional. We hope to see you guys in the future. Thanks again for everything. Pura Vida!

Carlos was fantastic. He organized an afternoon private boat trip for snorkeling, cave walking, fishing and, of course, the Costa Rican sunset. Highly recommend!

We killed it on the water! Great day of fishing! Thank you Carlos!!!

We had an absolutely fantastic experience with Costa Rica Expedition Tours! Traveling with three kids can sometimes be a challenge, but this private boat, snorkeling, and cave walk tour was perfect for our whole family from start to finish. Our personal tour guide and boat captain were both incredible — warm, attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely friendly. They made the entire experience feel relaxed and special, not rushed or crowded. The boat was spotless, and they thoughtfully provided snacks and drinks, which was such a nice touch, especially when traveling with kids. What really stood out was how much effort they put into showing us the wildlife and natural beauty of the area. They pointed out birds, fish, and other marine life we never would have noticed on our own, and they shared interesting facts that made the experience even more meaningful. One of the highlights for our kids was when the guide actually dove down and carefully brought up a living starfish for them to see up close before returning it safely to the water. That moment absolutely made their day. The snorkeling was amazing — we saw beautiful fish and even sea turtles, which felt magical. Our kids were beyond excited and haven’t stopped talking about it. We also came away with incredible photos that we’ll treasure forever. The timing of the tour was just right — long enough to fully enjoy everything without feeling tired or overwhelmed. This was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Costa Rica, and we would highly recommend Costa Rica Expedition Tours to any family looking for a fun, memorable, and well-run adventure. Sonny and Angelo were so kind and made a perfect experience for our family! Thank you for such a wonderful experience!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Absolute Highlight of Our Costa Rica Trip! If you are staying at Planet Hollywood, do yourself a favor: skip the overpriced, crowded hotel tours and head down to the beach to find Carlos. On Wednesday, February 4th, 2026, we booked a private 4-hour boat tour through Carlos, and it was the best decision of our entire vacation. After a previous "nightmare" excursion with another company involving an over-packed van, this was a total breath of fresh air. The Power of a Private Tour The flexibility was what made this truly enriching. Unlike the hotel tours that cram as many people as possible onto a boat for profit, this was tailored entirely to us: You are in charge: If we wanted to spend longer at one spot, we did. If we wanted to skip something, no problem. No Crowds: We weren't cramped with strangers; it was just us and another couple we invited (whom Carlos only charged an extra $50 for!). Convenience: We left directly from the beach in front of our hotel. Pricing That Can’t Be Beat The hotel was offering similar tours for $400 per couple. Carlos gave us a private boat for $350, and with our friends joining, it only cost us $200 per couple. An absolute steal for a private experience! Wildlife & Insider Access We saw schools of tuna and dolphins, but the "gold medal" moment was a mom and baby whale swimming so close to the boat we could almost touch them! We got incredible videos. Our guide, Miguel, was outstanding. He shared fascinating history about life in Costa Rica and pointed out celebrity homes on the hills, including Michael Jordan, Chuck Norris, and the Kardashians. Even though the water wasn't clear for snorkeling, he still jumped in with us for a refreshing swim and took us to a lookout point with a breathtaking view. What’s Included: Exploring: Sea caves and "Monkey Face" Island Rock. The Beach: A stop at a stunning white sand beach. Refreshments: Cold drinks on board (and an offer to cook any fish we caught!). The Bottom Line: We had the best time of our lives and feel so blessed to have found Carlos. He is kind, helpful, and truly doing a great job. I have no words for how much better this was than the "big business" tours. Go find Carlos on the beach—you won’t regret it!

Carlos was absolutely fantastic to work with! From the start, he was incredibly honest about the weather and strong winds, making sure we understood the conditions so we could have the best possible experience. Thanks to his guidance, we went out on a great day with barely any wind and had the most amazing time. The captain and tour guide he arranged were outstanding. They were wonderful with the kids, very informative, and made the whole trip fun and interactive for everyone. After such an incredible first trip, we were ready to go out again! Carlos easily could have booked us a second time, but instead he advised against it because the winds were picking up and he felt the kids would likely get sick. That level of honesty and care really stood out — he truly puts his clients’ experience first. 10/10 — honest, reliable, and friendly. We would absolutely book with him again!

Carlos was awesome!!! He organized 3 custom private tours for our family and friends so we all were able to do and see the things we wanted and more. Very affordable and way more “bang for the buck” with all the things we were able to see and do. The guides for each of our excursions were very friendly hospitable and full of all sorts of “tidbits” and information to introduce us to the land of Costa Rica and how everything works. If there was something special to see, our personal guides would detour. Marco “made our dreams come true” on our boat cave and snorkel tour by spotting and taking us to see humpback whales. A special mention for our driver and guide Pablo on our all day island tour with waterfalls,mud baths and hot springs and sloth hunting in the rainforest …he was a “fellow birder”! Pablo spotted a tree full of toucans, pulled over quickly so we could get some great photos and videos. Our traditional Costa Rican lunch stop was hands down the most delicious meal we had during our trip. Highly recommend this company for all your plans when visiting Costa Rica!!

We stayed at Planet Hollywood. With so many options of tours and uncertainty we hooked up with Carlos . He explained all very well and got us our tours we wanted for a great price. We were a party of 8 and had private tours . Exceptional service . Great time . Guides were amazing and went above and beyond . I would highly recommend and would book again