Tours from Cabuya:boats, snorkeling, chocolate and wildlife
Written by Cabuya CR EditorsChecked 4 min read
In short The most popular tour from Cabuya is a full-day boat trip to Isla Tortuga for snorkeling and lunch, run from Montezuma by Isla Tortuga Tour and Zuma Tours, or privately from Cabuya by SpicyTuna Cabuya. Closer to home, you can fish or watch the sunset with a local boat, learn how chocolate is made by the Cabo Blanco gate, or zipline above Montezuma's waterfalls.
Cabuya is small, and most tours either start on its beach with a local captain or leave from Montezuma, 15 to 20 minutes up the road. You don't need a tour for everything: Cabo Blanco's trails are marked, and the island cemetery walk just needs a tide table. But a few outings are worth booking, and here's what we found running.
Isla Tortuga snorkel trips
The full-day trip to Isla Tortuga is the classic tour on this part of the peninsula: a boat ride across the Gulf of Nicoya, snorkeling over the reef, and lunch on the island's beach.
- Isla Tortuga Tour runs daily trips from Montezuma Beach. You check in around 9 am, ride about 45 minutes each way, and get back mid-afternoon. A bilingual guide, snorkel gear, lunch (fish, chicken or a vegetarian option), fruit and drinks are included. Book at least a day ahead. islatortugatour.com
- Zuma Tours, a long-established agency in Montezuma, sells a similar full-day Tortuga trip that reviewers describe as running from about 9 am to 4 pm, with snorkeling, a barbecue lunch and sometimes dolphins on the way.
- SpicyTuna Cabuya runs a private Isla Tortuga snorkel trip with lunch from Cabuya, on a 26-foot boat with shade, snorkel gear and a restroom.
See our snorkeling and diving guide for more on what to expect underwater.
Fishing and boat trips from Cabuya
Fishing is still part of village life here, and a few local captains take visitors out.
- SpicyTuna Cabuya offers half-day, longer and full-day fishing charters with local captains, targeting fish such as sailfish, marlin and tuna, plus a sunset and wildlife tour. It has a 20-foot fishing boat and the larger 26-foot boat. It says offshore fishing peaks from May to November.
- Los Piratas de Cabuya is a local boat run by Captain Douglas, offering fishing, snorkeling, sunset and Isla Tortuga trips. Recent reviewers mention tuna ceviche made on board. We couldn't find a website, so ask at your hotel or in the village to book.
- Ventura, a hotel in Playa Carmen, sells a private trip from Cabuya beach that starts with about an hour of snorkeling on the reef around the island cemetery, then heads out to fish for species such as tuna, mahi-mahi and roosterfish.
Whale watching
Humpback whales pass this coast in two seasons, and local operators mention July to November and December to March. Sightings aren't guaranteed. Boats from Cabuya and Montezuma often include a look for whales on Tortuga, sunset or fishing trips during those months, so ask when you book.
Chocolate tour at Cabo Blanco
Indígena Café and Chocolate, about 100 m before the entrance to Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, makes chocolate from the bean and works directly with the Ngöbe Indigenous community. Its chocolate tours follow cacao from seed to bar, include making your own bar and finish with a tasting. The cafe is open from Wednesday to Sunday during the day, which lines up neatly with the reserve's opening days, so it's an easy add-on after a morning hike.
Zipline and the upper waterfalls
Above Montezuma, SunTrails runs a canopy tour of 9 cables across 13 platforms, with ocean views, that stops at the upper Montezuma waterfalls for a swim. Its entrance, up the hill past Hotel Amor de Mar, is also a trail with hanging bridges to the upper falls. Zuma Tours also sells a Montezuma waterfall canopy tour.
Curú Wildlife Refuge
On the road between Paquera and Cóbano, about 6 km from Paquera, Curú is a privately owned wildlife refuge on a family farm. It has trails through forest and mangroves, a calm horseshoe-shaped bay, and wildlife including howler and capuchin monkeys, reintroduced spider monkeys and scarlet macaws, and over 200 bird species. It's a good stop on the way to or from the ferry. Hours have been listed as daily from 7 am to 3 pm, but check before you go. Zuma Tours sells a guided visit.
Wild Sun Rescue Center
Wild Sun Rescue Center in Cabuya rescues, treats and releases injured and orphaned wildlife and runs a scarlet macaw reintroduction effort. It doesn't advertise walk-in tours on its website, so contact it before you visit. Staying at its jungle lodge, or volunteering, are ways to support its work.
Do you need a guide for Cabo Blanco?
No. The two public trails in Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve are marked and easy to follow. A naturalist guide will spot far more wildlife than you will on your own, though. Ask at your hotel if you'd like one. Several agencies in Montezuma and Santa Teresa also sell Cabo Blanco trips with transport.
Horseback riding and other activities
Horseback riding and ATV tours are sold in the area, but most of the rides we found start near Mal País and Santa Teresa rather than in Cabuya. We couldn't confirm that some smaller local operators are still running, so check recent reviews or ask your hotel.
Tips for booking
- Book Tortuga trips a day or more ahead, especially in the dry season.
- Plan around the tide for anything on the shore near Cabuya. See our tides guide.
- Bring cash for small local operators, and confirm what's included.
- Ask about weather policies. Boat trips can be canceled when the sea is rough.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best tour from Cabuya?
For most people it's the full-day snorkel trip to Isla Tortuga. It leaves from Montezuma with Isla Tortuga Tour or Zuma Tours, or privately from Cabuya with SpicyTuna Cabuya.
Can you go fishing from Cabuya?
Yes. SpicyTuna Cabuya and Los Piratas de Cabuya run fishing trips from the village with local captains.
When can you see whales near Cabuya?
Local operators mention humpback whales from July to November and from December to March. Sightings aren't guaranteed.
Can I visit Wild Sun Rescue Center without booking?
It doesn't advertise walk-in tours, so contact it first. Staying at its lodge or volunteering are the main ways to see its work.
The places in this guide
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Catarata de Montezuma
The Montezuma waterfalls are a set of 3 falls on the Río Montezuma, just south of Montezuma village and about 20 minutes' drive from Cabuya. The big lower fall is a…
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Wild Sun Rescue Center
Wild Sun Rescue Center is a non-profit wildlife rescue in Cabuya, on land bordering Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, that treats injured animals and returns them to the wild.…
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Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco
Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve covers the forested southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, a short drive past Cabuya, and was Costa Rica's first protected area when…
