I am trying to decide if I should book the Tortuga Island Tour. I have read a lot of mixed reviews about this tour and the snorkeling being poor.
We are already snorkeling on the Caribean side and had a poor snorkeling experience last year in Varadero, Cuba any input would be great.
Worse case we will stay in Santa Teresa and Surf which is a still best case scenario :)
During the summer time is some nice snorkeling around Tortuga...some rocks formations across from the main beach at Tortuga...it is a nice spot...
rodadvisor
Generally, the Caribbean is much better for snorkeling compared to the Pacific, so I am surprised that your experience in Cuba was poor!
Having the disappointing snorkel tour in Cuba and the option to take the Tortuga Is. tour, I would not be recommending the tour for you. Often the snorkeling can be a coin flip....we have been twice and had two different experiences, to say it is a 100% satisfactory would be a lie. The snorkeling relies on Mother Nature's day...if it is optimal, (no wind, no rain, time of the year, a sunny day) it can be perfect, but nothing is perfect as far as relying on such things!
The boat ride is beautiful! Sometimes you can see whales, dolphins, and rays leaping out of the water! Sometimes not....
There are a couple of places to snorkel off the beach: one on the north side of Santa Teresa, right at El Ray Patricio, and another at the southern-most end of the road in Mal Pais at the boundary of Cabo Blanco reserve.
What you choose to do is up to you! Remember....Costa Rica is an adventure! Enjoy your stay in our corner of the country!
Thank you for your advice! I think the issue is the first time we ever went snorkeling was in Phuket, Thailand and then when we went in Cuba i was not impressed.
I will definately check out those spots close to we are staying
It's the only place I've ever snorkeled and I've done it twice (years apart).
It's nothing super fancy, but it's fun. I've taken it from Montezuma, so it's a nice long boat ride which is an excellent boat ride (I'd expect the same for Santa Teresa, they might even shuttle you to Montezuma for it).
We've seen whales on the ride; the one time constantly the other time, just a few times.
Just make sure it's a nice day before you book it. They'll go even on a rainy day.
Gary
According to your info about Cuba ...and Thailand...Tortuga is not a place for you...way to simple and sometimes you see a lot and some times you will see notbing...
Send by my wi in one of our cars.
Roadadvisor
Just a quick FYI for your future vacation plans...snorkeling is unbelievable in Belize, st. Lucia, and parts of yucaton peninsula in Mexico!
Thanks OP (and those who replied) for this thread - was wondering the same thing - I was kinda of spoiled snorkelling in the Maldives in 2011 and found the snorkelling even off the Kenya cost this year rather disappointing by comparison so it sounds like snorkelling off Tortuga/MA area may not be for me.
