Half-day Snorkeling Experience In Tamarindo

Tamarindo Diving was phenomenal from beginning to end! The instructors and captain aren’t just highly skilled professionals—they’re genuinely wonderful people who immediately make you feel comfortable, safe and completely at ease. The entire experience was exciting, fun and wild in the absolute best way! Their energy and enthusiasm made every moment unforgettable, while their attention to safety allowed us to relax and truly enjoy the adventure. It was easily one of the most incredible experiences we’ve ever had. Marco, Lily - etc --- the BEST! Thank you to the entire crew for giving me memories I will never forget. I am already planning to come back for more! Pura vida! 🤿🌊

Great Experience with some friendly instructors. We love the boat ride to the Katalinas islands and the snorkeling. I definitely recommend this experience.

Run by welcoming, knowledgeable staff. We enjoyed the snorkeling, which felt perfectly safe under the watchful eye of our guide. We saw lots of sea life, such as eels, colorful fish, a moray eel, and starfish. The water temp was perfect. Our snacks of fresh fruit were yummy. I would definitely do this again with the same company. They were great!

I feel really terrible posting anything that isn't positive because I know this is a small business and they rely on good word of mouth, so know that I really considered this before posting. The guides, 5 stars! Extremely hospitable, knowledgeable, organized and kind. We felt very well taken care of. They all seem extremely knowledgeable. The experience? 1 star, very disappointing. We rode for 45 minutes out to the snorkeling spot and saw almost nothing, and that is between BOTH locations. I've snorkeled twice before and was overwhelmed with the life teaming from under the sea! There was so much to see! This? We saw a school or two of fish through very dark water about 15 feet below us, one eagle ray that not everyone in our party saw, and a starfish. This was between two locations and a 5 hour experience. The whole time we were snorkeling I kept thinking, how is it even possible that these are the spots they've specifically picked for this and we can't see ANYTHING? Literally full minutes going by without a single thing! I have gone back to read other reviews and am so perplexed as to why our experience was so disappointing. I am so sorry to you guys because I know you work really hard, but if anyone else had this experience it would have helped me know what to expect. For reference to other travelers, we went in early July.

Incredible experience, saw a white tip shark - swam feet away from 2 giant mantras!!! Lots of parrot fish, huge puffer fish. The staff and guides were are friendly, accommodating. I felt very safe and watched over while in the ocean. The equipment was clean and in good condition.

This snorkeling experience was very fun and educational. The boat ride there was about 1 1/2 hours there and back so we got a good amount of time in the water. The guides were very sweet and knowledgeable and were very kind and helpful when my daughter got seasick. There were about 18 people in our snorkeling group and 3 guides, but on the boat there were about 20-24 people on the boat. The boat did not have enough regular seating room for the group so some sat up front or -like me and my daughter- were stuck in the back. We swam about a mile around ths island and saw many cool sea animals! We saw nurse sharks, huge manta rays, a bunch of fish, and on the ride back on the boat dolphins were next to the boat frolicking. Even though the staff was very good with children I would not recommend this for younger kids, not strong swimmers, or kids with a lower attention span. My thirteen year old daughter who is a strong swimmer and loves marine life ( she got to see her favorite animal nurse sharks, and was very excited) found it a bit taxing towards the end of the adventure. IF YOU GET SEASICK I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND

Had a great time with friends! The captain and staff were all welcoming and great. Made it a very time for our group!

Very fun crew, very welcoming to my two children who were the only kids on the trip. Snorkel guide was very diligent finding us marine life

Extremely friendly crew, turtles, rays, sharks and many types of fish. Had a great experience.

Super friendly staff. Well equipped. Good with learners and experienced snorkellers. Saw several manta rays…a bucket list item.

Shuttle was 20 minutes late, and we had to call to get picked up — really seemed like they forgot about us but still got to the office in time! Wetsuits provided because the water was cold, and all gear was in good condition. ~45 min boat ride to island, during which we saw a humpback whale and her baby!! So amazing! Water was cloudy and COLD, pretty choppy but absolutely amazing to see manta rays, sting rays, fish, and sharks. Snorkeled for about 45 minutes then snacks and water on bait before another 45 mins on the other side of the island. Cool adventure overall with AMAZING wildlife. Guides were incredibly nice, very helpful and fun. Sam was great! The snorkeling and diving groups ARE together in the same boat, which was pretty cramped but still felt like we had a cool experience.

Highly recommend this half day snorkeling adventure that conveniently leaves from Tamarindo. Nice guides, and we even saw an octopus eating a sea slug! It was fun being in the open ocean with huge schools of fish below you. Our guide Andres was great in finding star fish that he showed us all. Lilly’s Howler Monkey call is not to be missed!! Frankie our Captain was nice enough to help another boat to shore that had a break down. It was fun floating in the ocean on a noodle - the guides made sure you were safe. Fresh fruit, snacks, water and tea were enjoyed by all. Thank you for a memorable adventure!

From the moment I walked into the shop, I felt immense warmth and positive vibes. Our boat had four guides; one with the two divers and three dedicated to our snorkeling group of about 12. Their knowledge of the area was next-level. They knew exactly where to go near the Catalina Islands, when to pause, and what to look for. We saw an incredible variety of marine life: a huge school of manta rays, angelfish, pufferfish, parrotfish, eels, starfish, and even reef sharks. We also had the surreal pleasure of hearing humpback whale song, and one guide even found an octopus for us! Kind, knowledgeable, patient, and safety-first from start to finish. Highly, highly recommend. Also: how can you not love Kaya, their beautiful husky and unofficial “guide dog”/mascot? A true trip highlight. Highly recommend!

Be prepared for a bumpy boat ride, you may need something for motion sickness . The guides are first rate

We had a half day snorkeling trip booked to go to the Islas Catalinas and they were absolutely gorgeous. It’s was extremely windy so the waves were way too strong for snorkeling so after about twenty minutes of fighting the waves we moved to a different section for the first of our two 45 snorkeling sessions. Even that was too much so they went to another bay altogether for the second session which was great. We were able to see lots of fish and coral and the sea was much calmer. Our snorkeling guides Andres and Lily were excellent about maintaining our welfare and pointing us to good places to view the fish and coral. The fruit snacks with crackers and cookies were tasty too. The dive shop owner, David was very nice and provided coffee for our early morning departure. The short wetsuits they offered were great since the water was a bit chilly. While the extreme winds made the Catalina islands snorkeling untenable I was impressed with how the captain and guides pivoted to another spot and the boat ride to the islands was still gorgeous. Definitely recommend this snorkeling outfit!

Great experience snorkelling in two spots! Felt safe and got to see some cool marine life, including Manta Rays. It is a pretty small boat, shared with a lot of divers as well (probably 3/4 divers, 1/4 snorkellers)

The trip was very well organized. There were 12 scuba divers and eight snorkelers aboard. As a first-time snorkeler, we got plenty of time in the water with an amazing guide (Lily!) and saw scores of beautiful fish. The water was fairly rough and swells were large, but the conditions did not hinder our ability to view many gorgeous sea creatures.

The loveliest people! Beautiful boat ride. Unfortunately the water was a bit murky for us but everyone worked hard to find us things to see!! Lovely way to spend a morning.

I went on this snorkelling trip with my daughter. We saw some cool fish. However, if you’re fairly inexperienced or have any fear of the water, this may not be the tour for you. There was zero instruction and the water was rougher than ideal. As well, the boat left us alone with one or two staff in the water with us which felt a bit disconcerting. My daughter’s mask kept leaking and there did not seem to be a way to fix this so I gave up my 2nd outing (and gave her my mask) so she could continue. I am not sure how preventable that was, but likely a good idea to have a few extra for circumstances like this. The staff were all very friendly and it was a nice atmosphere but they may want to ask people before leaving about their level of experience. It helped that they gave out noodles to folks.

This is a wonderful group! We saw a manta ray, and so many other fish, also could hear the whales sounds under water! A very caring and fun group, I will use them again. It was my birthday, and they really made it special, from singing to having a cake on the boat!! Can’t say enough, great experience!

Great snorkel and dive experience from beginning to end! Wonderful and fun staff made the our time diving and snorkeling a blast. Was nice to be able to have some of the family snorkel while others went scuba diving and all be on the same boat.

Amazing snorkeling and scuba diving guides! Super friendly and professional. Great drop off and pickup convenience. Loved the experience!

The trip was beautiful and all the guides excellent. It is more of a diving trip than a snorkeling trip-we two were the only folks not diving. It was still lovely to be on the boat and in the water

Amazing guides. Supportive, friendly and welcoming. Would highly recommend for all levels. Locations had tons of marine life.

The trip was EPIC! Easy to find with a great induction, quality snorkel gear, nice boat with shade, captain of the boat had great skills, epic guide-knowledgabe, felt safe, pointed out interesting things, held a nice pace as we snorkled, and we saw HEAPS of fish, eels, an eagle ray, some dolphins, turtles, and even a few whales!

Very organized and well run! Lili was a great instructor, she pointed out anything that she thought we would want to see and took care of us :) As a note, if you experience motion sickness, I would recommend taking medication beforehand, even on a calm day!

We booked a snorkling trip that was to depart at 6:55 am. We got up at 5am onky to go to the meeting point and noone was there. After calling they informed us that the trip was canceled due to rsin but no rain at all that day. They said they would issue a refund in the amount of $128 when we paid $184.15. Still havent seen any refund. I have always had good luck w this app. This is by far the worst experience we have had.

We had a great time! The guides were kind, knowledgeable, and cautious with all things. It was my children's first time, and they were wonderful!!

This was a great experience. The guides were very helpful and kind. I was nervous about snorkeling this way but after a while I was able to get comfortable. The waters were rough so it was a workout and we saw some pretty cool fish and sting ray. They provide snacks and water as well. Lily was warm and fun and Clara took great photos and shared them with us.

Guides are great…boat is a little crowded when full - combined snorkel and scuba makes it a little hectic! If weather is rough it’s not so much fun - strong stomachs OK.

Absolutely incredible! The highlight of the whole trip to CR. Sharks, turtles, pufferfish, parrot fish, angelfish, starfish and SO many more! The guides were terrific!

Sometimes while traveling, we make a good choice. My Bride & I randomly chose Tamarindo Diving Center. We showed up early to their homey dive shop and were greeted with laughter & coffee - We could tell immediately the crew was happy and passionate about their job and knew we were going have a cool time. A couple of Tico guys competently shuttled us in a panga boat out to a shaded & stable 35’ catamaran to begin our water adventure. Being from south Louisiana and having spent our entire lives in and around water & boats, we were amazed at how easy & smooth this transfer went. The short boat ride to the first dive spot was impressive in itself as the Captain stopped a few times to let us watch dolphins showing off & mating Green Sea Turtles. After a clear and quick safety meeting, we were in the water snorkeling and diving with 110% organization. The dive sites were at the world famous Catalina Islands and flourished with life… Snorkel/Dive leaders Lilly, Jessica & Isabel are legitimate Mermaids & Luis is the worlds first Mer-man… We found the awesome young crew eagerly promoting their culture, ecological appreciation & safety while living Pura Vida refreshing… Also plenty of fresh fruit & drink onboard with good local tunes…. Half day trip seemed liked 10 minutes - first class! Gracias & Merci David Parker - Lafayette Louisiana, USA

Great trip - highly recommend! Super friendly crew and great snorkel guides. We were hoping to see a manta ray or a shark and we saw both!

We booked the day before in-person after checking out other Tamarindo snorkeling options. We snorkeled as a family of four with 15 and 19-y.o. boys. Davide and his crew are friendly, capable, and safety-conscious. Everything was thoroughly briefed and well-coordinated. Definitely a well-trained crew. Jessica was a great snorkel guide, Captain Franklin was awesome, and the rest of the diving crew seemed quite good too. Saw turtles, an octopus, sharks, puffer and needlefish, and lots of tropical schools. Thanks Guys!

There are a lot of booze cruises that say you go snorkeling, but it’s an add on and not the point of their trip. This trip is about snorkeling! With great guides and an actual snorkel location our entire family had a blast. With kids 9,11,13 and 14, all of them loved it so much.

Clear directions. Dedicated crew available for both divers & snorkellers. Clara was very responsive to individual family needs & all of us had different capability eg. I was seasick but was able to enjoy round 1 of ocean. Unfortunately mannity rays were not swimming near us, but we saw several colored schools & puffer fish. Clara made sure all stayed together & offered to take to boat whenever we felt like it. Clean facility, parking. Quick response on phone. Dependable business.

When we were trying to book snorkelling and looking at various reviews we were surprised at how varied they were. Hopefully this write-up will help other people understand why. Boat trip out to Catalina Islands was lovely - we saw dolphins, turtles and flying fish. On the boat you can sit upfront if you want to with your legs dangling over the edge so best to have a phone case that you can tie to you or put round your neck. Boat trip there and back I was fine and I never get car sick, only been boat sick once in 50 years in a storm. However, after the first snorkelling session I felt queasy so didn't have any of the snacks provided. The second snorkelling session I threw up and had to end it early. Nothing was said by the crew so when I got back I did some research. I've snorkelled before in calm or shallow waters and been fine. This was way out at sea and there was quite a swell, especially with n the second place so apparently there is such a thing as snorkelling sea sickness which I didn't realise. We were given noodles to use under our arms but one bit of advice online was that this can increase the risk of feeling sick. My daughter felt much less queasy when holding hers rather than having it under her arms. Online advice also included making sure you don't move your head to much and taking regular breaks to look at the horizon again. Some advice about this at the briefing first thing would have really helped and it would have been interesting to see if we would still have got sick if we had followed the online advice. The other thing that would have really made the experience better would have been a copy of the pictures our guide took with her underwater camera. We are not all pros and equipped with these things. We have just been on a fantastic trip in La Fortuna and the guide sent us the photos afterwards that she took through the scope she carried. If you are a new snorkeller don't do this trip - it might put you off if you get sick. Otherwise I did enjoy it, the guides were polite but it could have been so much better.

So everything that the crew could do to make this enjoyable 100% happened! They had the gear and knowledgeable guides. Now if we could get the wild animals to do their part this could not be beat. Plenty of fish, Eel and even a stingray was spotted. Recommended for adult swimmers.

If the water is choppy and it’s kinda windy…don’t go! Half the people on the boat were puking…all three of us in my party were vomiting…and two out of three of us couldn’t snorkel! They shouldn’t have taken us out to sea that morning!

The water was so clear and we saw so many fish! We even saw a sea turtle! Our guide was amazing and the company was so kind! We had an incredible experience and would absolutely do it again!

Good crew and boat, good snorkeling spots, animal sightings depend on the day. Snacks provided were good.

We had a blast and they were very accommodating for our schedule. I'm unfortunately a celiac and got sick the night before our snorkeling trip and my boyfriend was able to call and reschedule the night before. The day we did go it was clear, warm water! We saw a snook, puffer fish, two sharks and a sea turtle that I got super close to when it came up for air. A fantastic experience with seasoned divers that were able to direct us and find all sorts of creatures.

Our guides were enthusiastic and informative. They made sure we didn’t miss any of the incredible sea creatures. Would highly recommend!

This trip is probably one of the best from the moment we were picked up at our hotel to be dropped back off at the hotel as personal experience. Lily was great. Everyone who is on the crew whether they were scuba diving or going snorkeling were great and helpful. Our mask weren’t working right she gave us Tips on how to help in the future, but gave us mask. She showed us different fish. She made it very personal. I highly recommend this trip.

I've snorkeled a lot of places in Latin America and the Caribbean and this was my worst snorkeling experience. The water was extremely rough and was extremely cloudy- visibility was poor. The main focus is on the divers- snorkeling seemed like a second thought.

We had an AMAZING time on this tour!! We got to see dolphins, jumping manta rays, and felt very safe and prepared while snorkeling. Our guide took us to all of the best spots and even found an octopus for us to see! This was an incredible experience we would do again!

Wonderful crew, excellent views. Was too rough for me to snorkel much but my oartner had a whale of a time. Saw rays, puffer fish, eels.

The crew at Tamarindo Diving Center were outstanding, as was the trip. Multitudes of tropical fish to see and a hawksbill turtle were great, but swimming inches from a giant manta ray was potentially a once in a lifetime time experience! Isa, a crew member, was especially good with the guests. She took the time to chat with each customer, and her energy and enthusiasm for diving and experiencing life were contagious! Thank you, Alison and Todd

We went snorkeling with Tamarindo Diving to the Catalina Islands along with a group of divers on the same boat. The team did a great job of providing a separate guide for the snorkelers, and safety was important to them. We stopped to snorkel at 2 locations, seeing giant manta rays and schools of fish. Fresh fruit and snacks were provided. From their office, it was only a short walk to the beach to get on the boat, so it couldn't have been any more convenient.