From a 90-minute snorkeling day trip to a multi-day liveaboard dive expedition, plus every full-service marina where a charter, sportfishing boat, or private yacht can dock.
Five islands worth knowing — from an easy day trip to a serious expedition.
Costa Rica's most-visited island — white sand, warm shallow water, and a full slate of beach activities. Uninhabited, with no hotels, so it's a day trip rather than a stay.
A remote UNESCO World Heritage island, roughly 340 miles offshore — one of the world's premier scuba destinations, known for hammerhead shark schools. Reached only by multi-day liveaboard, not a day trip.
A biological reserve just off the Osa Peninsula — protected waters with some of the best visibility and marine biodiversity on the Pacific coast, paired naturally with a Corcovado trip.
A former 19th-century prison island in the Gulf of Nicoya, now a quiet protected park — a more historical, low-key alternative to Tortuga's crowds.
Gulf of Nicoya islands leaning toward community and eco-tourism rather than resort-style day trips — mangrove kayaking, small fishing villages, a slower pace.
Eight full-service marinas along the Pacific coast, each suited to a different kind of trip.
Guanacaste's luxury berth in Culebra Bay — 180 fully serviced slips for yachts up to 250ft, with a resort village and quick access to an international airport.
Full-service facilities right in the heart of Playa Flamingo — the natural choice for travelers based around Tamarindo and northern Guanacaste.
Costa Rica's first government-approved marina, in Herradura near Jacó — 200 wet slips, 116 dry slips, a fuel dock, and a marina village with shops and restaurants. A premier sportfishing base.
Costa Rica's largest and newest marina, in Quepos — the gateway to Manuel Antonio, with mountain rainforest meeting turquoise water right at the docks.
The southern gateway, on Golfito Bay near Corcovado and Piedras Blancas — a state-of-the-art marina in one of the country's most biodiverse regions, and a duty-free provisioning zone.
Two smaller, fishing-focused marinas also in Golfito — an alternative base for sportfishing trips into the Golfo Dulce.
The historic "Pearl of the Pacific" port town, sheltered in the Puntarenas Estuary at the mouth of the Gulf of Nicoya. Home to the Costa Rica Yacht Club and Puerto Azul Resort & Marina, plus one of the coast's main fuel docks — more working port than resort, but a key stop for provisioning and clearance.
Bringing your own boat? Yachts entering Costa Rica need a cruising permit from an official marina of entry (Papagayo, Pez Vela, Los Sueños, Bahía Golfito, Fish Hook, or Banana Bay), arranged at least 48 hours ahead — permits are valid for 90 days.