Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour in Drake Bay as seen on National Geographic
4.5
Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour in Drake Bay as seen on National Geographic
By The Divine Dolphin
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About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 1-99, max of 12 per group
Duration: 6h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English, Spanish
More
- Professional, experienced guides and marine biologists dedicated to conservation and preservation
- Experience Wild and Free Dolphins and Whales in their natural habitat
- On-board hydrophone to hear the sounds of the dolphins and whales
- Snorkeling gear is provided
- Lunch
- Local Taxes
- Fully safety equipped, custom designed and built tour boat
- Start:
- Playa Colorada, Provincia de Puntarenas, Costa RicaFor most hotels, we pick up at the main beach in Drake Bay, Playa Colorado, where the road ends at the beach and where all the boats come in and out. If you are staying at a hotel further from town, let us know so we can tell you where the pick up will be.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 9021P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking; Use "Special Requirements" field upon checkout to advise information
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 9021P1
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$133.00
per adult
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Departure206106675090 contributionsTruly unique experienceI travel around the world to see whales from years, and honestly this is one of the best experience you can have on a whale watching tour. The crew is very respectful to the animals, know very well their behaviour. Our guide was marine biologist and did fantastic job. All the team is very dedicated for the conservation of the whales which I highly support.Written August 31, 2024
- cathybR2787JN0 contributionsDining with dolphins and swimming with whalesIt is impossible to describe in words all of the magical moments we experienced on our tour. Starting with a swim with mobula rays (so majestic), dolphins, and brown boobys, followed by a bait fish ball with dolphins and tuna swirling all around us. In our lunch break, dining with dolphins, we were all expressing our appreciation for all that we’d seen, when we heard a whale spout blow. It was a Brydes whale - and we got to swim with it! Truly magnificent day!Written December 9, 2023
- Larichilanti0 contributionsUnforgettable experience!Me and my husband had the opportunity to go in several tours with Sierra and we had some of the most beautiful experiences in 4 years of traveling around the world. Sierra has a true connection with the sea and it was beautiful to see how she respects and connects with the dolphins. She’s definitely in love with what she does. We got the chance to see thousands of dolphins on different days and it’s a memory that we’ll always keep! We even saw a sea lion, turtles and tunas jumping out of the water that were so big that looked like dolphins. I must say, this is a truly unforgettable experience.Written April 24, 2023
- dominicb9390 contributionsA truly incredible and memorable experienceI honestly wasn’t too sure what to expect on the trip after not doing much research, however it absolutely blew me away any expectations I had. You do have to be patient - it took us around 3/4 hours to find a gigantic pod of dolphins, as prior to this we’d seen maybe 6 dolphins in the ocean after lots of driving around . Given the nature of this type of event, sometimes you get a fantastic experience and sometimes you don’t, if they don’t want to play ball - luck was clearly on our side, as we spent about 30minutes following a pod of probably thousands of Dolphins, who were almost close enough to touch. We even jumped in to snorkel with them. A WAY better natural experience than being around caged Dolphins. If it wasn’t for this latter Dolphin siting however, then I would’ve probably been disappointed given the price isn’t cheap, however it truly was an incredible experience which i’ll remember forever. Thanks to the full team - seemed genuinely passionate and enthused by us enjoying the experience.Written February 16, 2023
- DenisCabrillon0 contributionsAmazing tourWe had a great experience today doing the whale and dolphin tour. Sierra and her crew are really great at spotting whales and dolphins. We saw many dolphins and also a baby whale with his mother. We can only recommend it!Written December 5, 2019
- Tour6883340 contributionsWhales !!Amazing experience with Sierra Goodman and her crew! Excitement every day with Sierra’s connection to whales and dolphins and her eco consciousness for the protection of all in Costa Rica. I’m already looking to plan my next trip with Divine Dolphin. Loved it!Written October 1, 2019
- Olivia D0 contributionsBreathtaking experienceAbsolutely incredible day. Very informative, very well organised and overall an unforgettable day. We saw a mother and baby whale who were then joined by two males right next to the boat. Amazing. Please read the info in the email they send before... and if you have never been in a boat take motion sickness pills before. It’s a long time to be at sea and we had a few in our boat who spent the whole trip ill. Incredible day and highly recommendWritten September 16, 2019
- Bcarlson0010 contributionsIncredible ExperienceWe probably had a trip of a lifetime. We went at the end of August and saw about 10 whales, including mamas, papas and babies. The seas were a bit rough, but, we didn't care! We also saw a bunch of dolphins, but, the whales stole the show. The only thing that disappointed us was that we would have liked to have learned more about the whales.Written September 15, 2019
- Mainers-on-vacation0 contributionsLots of dolphins!My wife and I went out with Sierra to see dophins and, though they proved to be out a ways, DID find them! After seeing a few spotted dolphins close in, we spent most of the rest of the trip hunting down the pod of bottle nosed dolphins. Once we did find them, they were all around, in front of and nearby the boat. At any one time, you might see 5-7 surfacing nearby, but others were next to the boat, just under the surface, and still others more distant. Sierra eastimated 700 in that one group. A very successful day! Only caution---plenty of sunscreen (though most of boat is covered)!Written March 3, 2019
- Matt M0 contributionsEPIC!!What an awesome day observing and mingling with humpbacks, bottlenose, and spotted dolphins. Thank you Sierra!!Written October 10, 2018
- marievenant0 contributionsA magic experienceWe had a wonderful journey on the boat. Our guide explained us a lot of things abour dolphins and we had the opportunity to see hundreds of them, swimming and jumping around us. It was wonderfulWritten August 13, 2018
- LeslieLatchman0 contributionsWe saved a sea turtleOne of the best experiences of my life! Got to spend time with 2 humpback whales. A mother and calf were very curious so we got to see them up close (2 metres away). Sierra and the captain were very professional and respectful in their approach which I appreciated. We also saw a male humpback jump out of the water several times. Then we were lucky enough to save a sea turtle caught up in discarded plastic.Written September 7, 2017
- Pipossibility0 contributionsEmotionalHaving first having first experienced Divine Dolphin trips last year we couldn’t wait to repeat the experience. We were not disappointed and being surrounded by a mega pod of spotted dolphins leaping and playing as far as the eye could see was an amazing and an emotional experience I will never forget. Sierra really understands the dolphins and all their behaviours and is passionate about the protection of their habitat. Her boat captain is also incredibly skilful. I highly recommend this amazing experienceWritten May 18, 2017
- sarahcieslinski0 contributionsFun experienceSierra is very nice and a good guide. The biodiversity across Costa Rica is amazing, especially in the ocean. We saw a super pod of spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and many sea turtles. It was a great experienceWritten March 31, 2017
- Amanda D0 contributionsBest day of my Life!!!I've been wanting to go to Costa Rica to swim with dolphins in the wild for 10 years. I finally did it and it was beyond amazing!!! Sierra's energy is so happy and she and the dolphins are clearly very connected. There are no words to explain how amazing this experience was, it was absolutely magical. We saw 4 different pods of dolphins and we got to interact with them ;-) We rescued a huge sailfish that was caught on a long line. This day changed my life.....as extreme as it sounds....it did. The dolphins are such magical and special creatures, everyone should experience this at least once in their life and the world would change because the dolphins open hearts and heal you with their presence. I was soo happy I'm surprised I didn't start flying right out of my body hahaha.Written December 29, 2016
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
176 reviews
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6
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5
Ryan A
2 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
So we were very excited to go. My wife, our 9 year son, and myself. We did see a couple dolphins and 2 whales. Everyone on the FULL boat wanted to get closer than 100yards. She let everyone know it wasn’t possible because we didn’t have the National park tickets which were only $14 extra, no big deal to purchase. The catered lunch was garbage. The so called guide was super grumpy! She told us 3 or 4 facts and then was her grumpy self the rest of the tour. I asked her about the microphone, which her tour brags about online. She was very nasty about it, and put it in the water for 3 minutes. When I inquired if she was going to put it in the water, she acted nasty like it was a big too do. I would recommend this if you are at Drakes Bay, Maybe. I have seen more dolphins in Guanacaste. I saw up close unbelievably awesome photos from whale watcing in Uvita. All in all, my family was happy we saw 2 whales, but unbelievably disappointed in the trip experience! So sad
Written August 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Whoa. Wait, what? This review is a total lie. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised as my friends at the hotel you were staying at told me how demanding and unhappy you were. They said nothing pleased you.
We saw MANY whales that day. We are in the height of the whale season! And you totally misinterpreted and twisted what I said. First of all, it is 2 kilometers around the island that is considered the national park, not 100 yards. We are not a trip to Caño Island, that is another tour. We do whale watching and there are many, many whales outside the boundaries of the island. Tickets for the island must be purchased a month ahead of time and since we don't go there, we don't buy tickets, especially since so many people sign up at the last minute. It would be impossible for us to guess how many people will be on our tour on any given day a month ahead of time. And like I said, while there are some whales at the island, most are between the island and the land so we don't need to go to the island.
And we saw many whales away from the island that day. You are flat out lying about only seeing two. You asked me about putting the hydrophone in the water and I told you that we would do it when we stop for a swim break as we do on every tour. We have to stop the boat and turn off the motors to do it. When we did put the hydrophone in the water to hear the whales singing, you tried to get your son to pay attention and he didn't care at all! And you got mad at him for not caring or listening and mad at me because I didn't put it in right when you asked. So rude. I even have a recording of the whales from that day!
Not to mention, your son slept through most of the tour and didn't even want to look at all the whales we saw which was obviously a big frustration for you. I find it hard to believe that you would try to blame me for your son's disinterest in the tour and him not feeling well.
As far as me being grumpy, that makes me laugh. Read other reviews about me. This is what I LOVE doing, it is my life. You were unhappy as soon as you got on the boat! You YELLED at a mother dealing with a sick kid! OMG! I love that you put a picture of your grumpy face on the tour for the world to see. Anyone who can see/feel/read energy can see what is really going on here. So sad!
Written August 25, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Katrina H
Nashville, TN3 contributions
Seeing the dolphins and whales was absolutely amazing. The lady running the tour not so much. She was very rude to many of the guests asking them to get out of her way because she couldn’t see the dolphins. There was no mega phone on the boat to hear the dolphins, in fact she had her own music plying the entire time. When we saw the whales I asked if we would be able to hear them, her answer was just no, I finally asked her to turn off the music so we could hear them breath when they came up, she was offended and snarky when she shut it off. I am so glad we asked we were finally able to hear them coming up for air and find them easier for photos. We did not hear the dolphins at all due to the loud music. There was no amplified sounds as advertised. There seemed to be no experience about the dolphins and whales as we were told nothing about them except what species they were. It’s crazy how such an amazing experience can be brought down by a unfriendly tour guide. In the future I would highly recommend trying to find locals to take you. We learnt more about the whales and dolphins from talking to locals then this tour, every single one of them knew where to go to find them. Of course seeing dolphins and whales is amazing, just be prepared foe zero excitement, zero information, and do not plan on hearing these beautiful creatures on this tour. This was our only transplant tour guide from America, in the future go with locals! 100% more friendly and have way more information. Speak with your air bnb hosts to point you in the right direction.
Written February 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Well. I just ask people to read the other reviews about my guiding when someone posts an off review like this.
I was not asking people to get out of MY way, it was to get out of the way of the CAPTAIN so that he could see and run the boat in the right direction and see where the dolphins and whales were. And I had to keep repeating to not stand in front of the captain because you insisted on putting yourself right in his line of sight.
About the music, it's funny, yesterday the guests were so happy with the music, even singing. And the dolphins and whales love the music too! And I said that on the tour. They hang out around our boat to hear it as the mom and baby were doing on your tour. They were right next to the boat! You chose to sit right in front of the speaker, though, and if you had gone anywhere else on the 30' boat, you would have barely heard the music if it was bothering you so much. Everyone else, including the whales, were enjoying it! In fact,just this morning I read an article called "Flippers and flutes: how music helps us talk to dolphins" all about how the dolphins come around when music is played.
And yes, we absolutely have a hydrophone on board, we used it just yesterday to hear the Orcas we were hanging out with. One only has to go to Soundcloud to hear many of our incredible recordings from our onboard hydrophone. We were with a mom and baby Humpback on your tour and they do not sing like the males do so when you asked if we could hear them, my answer was "No, they do not sing like the males do." You took my answer out of context.
It's funny that you call me snarky because that is exactly how I felt about you! And just look, you were on one of the best and most comfortable boats in the area with the guide who specializes ONLY in dolphin and whale tours, you saw hundreds of dolphins and had a mom and baby whale hanging out right next to you and here you are complaining about the music!
Written February 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Su C
14 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
The dolphin tour was amazing. We started with an 8am pick up from our hotel, returning almost 3pm. It started off pretty quiet, almost an hour before we saw dolphins. We went 35 miles out, and saw THOUSANDS of dolphins! We had a school of cheeky, playful Bottlenoses riding in the wake of the bow for an hour! The water was crystal clear and it looked like the dolphins were swimming through glass.
There were about 10 guests in total. Lunch was vegetarian and delicious - pasta salad, coleslaw and pineapple - but nothing could beat the view, thousands of common dolphins jumping in the air all around us!
The day was so special, we rearranged our schedule and went again the next day!
The second day was equally incredible - the highlight was dolphins coming by when we went for a swim! I could hear the dolphins squeals under the water! Swimming with wild dolphins was a dream come true.
Thank you for an AMAZING experience of a life time Sierra and Coco!
There were about 10 guests in total. Lunch was vegetarian and delicious - pasta salad, coleslaw and pineapple - but nothing could beat the view, thousands of common dolphins jumping in the air all around us!
The day was so special, we rearranged our schedule and went again the next day!
The second day was equally incredible - the highlight was dolphins coming by when we went for a swim! I could hear the dolphins squeals under the water! Swimming with wild dolphins was a dream come true.
Thank you for an AMAZING experience of a life time Sierra and Coco!
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the great review, Su. We totally enjoyed you and Mary being on the boat with us. It is always fun for us when people get as excited about the dolphins as we do. Your enthusiasm and energy was greatly appreciated and we hope to see you again in the future. I have a feeling we will! Oceans of Love!
Written February 16, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ama
31 contributions
Aug 2022 • Solo
Summary review
A chance to see 2 heat runs, dolphins and turtles I hadn't seen before and to hear the sounds emitting from the humpback whales both above and below the surface of the sea
Longer version
What an experience! Initially watched pantropical spotted dolphins fishing, closely followed by a turtle (not able to remember if Olive Ridley or Green as we saw both species during our boat trip) and Manta ray. It wasn't long before we felt surrounded near and far by humpback whales, as folks on the boat were shouting out "12 o'clock, 4 o'clock, 9 o'clock". They were spouting or surfacing on their own or in a pod as they competed for females' attention. Their incredible inhalation sounds of frustration above the surface was a first for me as was the two heat runs we watched. Later we heard the sounds of whales for miles around using a hydrophone. At one point we had turtle, dolphins, whales, flying fish and white boobies all within metres of us and a rare chance to get that all in one photo if you weren't so mesmerised by the flurry of activity.
The dolphins of 3 different species including rough-toothed and bottlenose loved racing up front, in and around the wake of whales or our boat.
Was intense watching as they switched directions coming towards the boat then guessing where they'd appear next and when. All going on whilst listening to some great tunes which I'd love a copy of!
A boat full of all ages and abilities, a chance for a quick dip to cool off if we wanted, snacks were offered and lunch was by a waterfall cascading into the sea.
The team were helpful getting us on and off the boat.
Thank you for a memorable time and hope that the Costa Rican Congress make the right decision about ensuring marine wildlife can continue their seasonal routines off Costa Rica's Coast.
A chance to see 2 heat runs, dolphins and turtles I hadn't seen before and to hear the sounds emitting from the humpback whales both above and below the surface of the sea
Longer version
What an experience! Initially watched pantropical spotted dolphins fishing, closely followed by a turtle (not able to remember if Olive Ridley or Green as we saw both species during our boat trip) and Manta ray. It wasn't long before we felt surrounded near and far by humpback whales, as folks on the boat were shouting out "12 o'clock, 4 o'clock, 9 o'clock". They were spouting or surfacing on their own or in a pod as they competed for females' attention. Their incredible inhalation sounds of frustration above the surface was a first for me as was the two heat runs we watched. Later we heard the sounds of whales for miles around using a hydrophone. At one point we had turtle, dolphins, whales, flying fish and white boobies all within metres of us and a rare chance to get that all in one photo if you weren't so mesmerised by the flurry of activity.
The dolphins of 3 different species including rough-toothed and bottlenose loved racing up front, in and around the wake of whales or our boat.
Was intense watching as they switched directions coming towards the boat then guessing where they'd appear next and when. All going on whilst listening to some great tunes which I'd love a copy of!
A boat full of all ages and abilities, a chance for a quick dip to cool off if we wanted, snacks were offered and lunch was by a waterfall cascading into the sea.
The team were helpful getting us on and off the boat.
Thank you for a memorable time and hope that the Costa Rican Congress make the right decision about ensuring marine wildlife can continue their seasonal routines off Costa Rica's Coast.
Written September 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. It truly is a marine wonderland out there and we are so happy to share it with others. We hope to see you again in the future!
Written September 5, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Cathy B
32 contributions
Aug 2022
I've had the great pleasure of volunteering at Divine Dolphin during whale season this summer. I've been on almost 20 tours, and we've seen whales on every one (though Sierra is careful to remind everyone there are no guarantees, because, well, it's nature). It's quite humbling to see the grace and beauty of these enormous creatures. Babies can be so playful floating on their backs and waving their fins, flipping their tales, and breaching over and over, joyfully exploring what their bodies can do. One baby breached 5 ft from our bow delighting us all and giving two young boys sitting in the front a memory they'll never forget. And a heat run with 5 or 6 males chasing a single female with bottlenose and rough-tooth dolphins playing in their wake must be witnessed to fully understand the feelings of AWE and WONDER these creatures invoke.
In addition to whales, we've seen a variety of dolphins, Olive Ripley sea turtles, manta rays, magnificent frigate birds, brown boobies, flying fish...oh and a big pod of pseudo orcas! Every tour is different. All the food served is vegan and made with organic ingredients whenever possible. From the inside, it's clear that a lot of energy and love is put into each and every tour. Sierra works hard to ensure her guests see and experience something special!
I highly recommend this tour for anyone hoping for a divine experience on the waters of Drake Bay, Costa Rica!
In addition to whales, we've seen a variety of dolphins, Olive Ripley sea turtles, manta rays, magnificent frigate birds, brown boobies, flying fish...oh and a big pod of pseudo orcas! Every tour is different. All the food served is vegan and made with organic ingredients whenever possible. From the inside, it's clear that a lot of energy and love is put into each and every tour. Sierra works hard to ensure her guests see and experience something special!
I highly recommend this tour for anyone hoping for a divine experience on the waters of Drake Bay, Costa Rica!
Written August 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for being a part of our team this whale season, Cathy! We appreciate all of your help and enthusiasm. Oceans of Love!
Written August 25, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dolores
7 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
The Divine Dolphine is exactly that, Divine!
Sierra organized our staycation in Drake Bay and every activity she arranged
was 5 stars!
Sierra’s Dolphin tour was incredible, amazing and all those photos she shares on her site are for real, no filters, the watercolor out there on the ocean is a gorgeous sapphire, and those dolphin pods, yep, for real! I was mesmerized by the colors of the ocean, and suddenly we come to a full stop and dolphins start coming to the surface. Not just a few, but mega pods, like thousands and thousands of dolphins surround the boat on all sides. I shared a few photos, but I wanted to stay present to appreciate this natural beauty all around me.
On our 2nd day Sierra arranged for us to have massages with Yariela Rios and I highly recommend Yariela! She’s a sweet older woman and although she be tiny, she be fierce! I felt like jelly after she was finished, and she will come to your hotel, making it even better.
And on our 3rd day, Sierra organized our trip on the “Drake Pirate Catamaran” out to snorkel on Cano and again, Sierra is Divine! This was a 5-star trip and I’ve done about 20 Cano snorkeling trips over the years ( I live in Uvita CR), I highly recommend this tour and you can read my review of that experience on their website.
My only regret, I did not let Sierra arrange my hotel, I made that mistake all by myself.
I highly recommend Sierra and her tours! I think I loved swimming in those crystal blue waters almost as much as I loved the dolphins. All around 5 star experience, Thanks Sierra!
Sierra organized our staycation in Drake Bay and every activity she arranged
was 5 stars!
Sierra’s Dolphin tour was incredible, amazing and all those photos she shares on her site are for real, no filters, the watercolor out there on the ocean is a gorgeous sapphire, and those dolphin pods, yep, for real! I was mesmerized by the colors of the ocean, and suddenly we come to a full stop and dolphins start coming to the surface. Not just a few, but mega pods, like thousands and thousands of dolphins surround the boat on all sides. I shared a few photos, but I wanted to stay present to appreciate this natural beauty all around me.
On our 2nd day Sierra arranged for us to have massages with Yariela Rios and I highly recommend Yariela! She’s a sweet older woman and although she be tiny, she be fierce! I felt like jelly after she was finished, and she will come to your hotel, making it even better.
And on our 3rd day, Sierra organized our trip on the “Drake Pirate Catamaran” out to snorkel on Cano and again, Sierra is Divine! This was a 5-star trip and I’ve done about 20 Cano snorkeling trips over the years ( I live in Uvita CR), I highly recommend this tour and you can read my review of that experience on their website.
My only regret, I did not let Sierra arrange my hotel, I made that mistake all by myself.
I highly recommend Sierra and her tours! I think I loved swimming in those crystal blue waters almost as much as I loved the dolphins. All around 5 star experience, Thanks Sierra!
Written February 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel B
1 contribution
Jun 2021 • Family
What a special experience! This was my second tour with Divine Dolphin and the magic is that you never know what the experience will bring as you are dealing with wild animals and ever changing nature. This is not SeaWorld with the same act being done over and over with captive animals! That is the special part of these tours being led by Sierra as she is very in tune with the dolphins and whales as it's her specialty, not just one of many other tours, and she has a keen sense of finding the dolphins in the open waters and also listening if its the right time to be approaching and interacting. She is a true conservationist and has the animals well being as her primary focus; her delicious lunches reflect that as well, as she consciously chooses a plant based lunch (nothing that would cause dolphin/whale harm while being harvested).
As part of our unique experience, we got to see the first whale that she has seen of the season do a beautiful jump for us and hang out with the spotted dolphins swimming around us, seeing the cute baby dolphins too! The scenery is astonishing as well, getting to experience the wild nature of the waters of the Osa Peninsula in the comfort of her well suited, comfortable boat. Plenty of room to move around when stopped, with a front of boat cushy dolphin viewing area and opportunities to jump off the back ladder of the boat to swim in the open ocean.
I can't wait to do another tour and see what the next adventure brings!
As part of our unique experience, we got to see the first whale that she has seen of the season do a beautiful jump for us and hang out with the spotted dolphins swimming around us, seeing the cute baby dolphins too! The scenery is astonishing as well, getting to experience the wild nature of the waters of the Osa Peninsula in the comfort of her well suited, comfortable boat. Plenty of room to move around when stopped, with a front of boat cushy dolphin viewing area and opportunities to jump off the back ladder of the boat to swim in the open ocean.
I can't wait to do another tour and see what the next adventure brings!
Written June 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurence B
Los Angeles, CA121 contributions
Jan 2022
My sister, her husband and I decided to treat ourselves to a private whale watching and Dolphin tour and after much research picked Divine Dolphins. We liked the website and write up , as well as Sierra being able to custom make a 3 day itineary for us that included scuba diving, a stay in the national park and of course the dolphins and whale trip.
Our expectations were managed as our trip was in mid January but the trip would have exceeded anyone's expectations.
We were picked up on the beach near our hotel and the first part of the tour was focused on dolphins, simply because we saw them first. pods and pods of dolphins hanging our after feeding. Sierra did a great job talking through their habits.
Whales were our priority and Sierra and her captain worked hard to try and track some down.
Track them down they did and found two groups over the next 3 hrs, mothers with their babies, being both protected and harassed by several males. We saw 8 whales and simply hung out with them, one going under our boat, others showing their tails as they dived, and still others breaching causing huge splashes
A truly very special day and one we will not forget.
As an aside on the scuba trip the following day we saw 3 more whales on our way to the dive site so we were truly blessed.
Sierra knows her dolphins and whales, manages expectations as they are wild mammals and sightings and experiences are never guaranteed . I do feel they your chances will always be best with Divine dolphin and I wish you as memorable trip as ours
Our expectations were managed as our trip was in mid January but the trip would have exceeded anyone's expectations.
We were picked up on the beach near our hotel and the first part of the tour was focused on dolphins, simply because we saw them first. pods and pods of dolphins hanging our after feeding. Sierra did a great job talking through their habits.
Whales were our priority and Sierra and her captain worked hard to try and track some down.
Track them down they did and found two groups over the next 3 hrs, mothers with their babies, being both protected and harassed by several males. We saw 8 whales and simply hung out with them, one going under our boat, others showing their tails as they dived, and still others breaching causing huge splashes
A truly very special day and one we will not forget.
As an aside on the scuba trip the following day we saw 3 more whales on our way to the dive site so we were truly blessed.
Sierra knows her dolphins and whales, manages expectations as they are wild mammals and sightings and experiences are never guaranteed . I do feel they your chances will always be best with Divine dolphin and I wish you as memorable trip as ours
Written February 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your very kind review. We loved having you along and your enthusiasm for everything we were seeing. Please come back again sometime!
Written February 25, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ciuto
Bologna, Italy459 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
As one of the previous reviews, we too had whale watching tours in different places around the world and we too think that this is really <> (we quote that review because we agree). Also what they say on the Divine Dolphin website is true: every day is different. We knew that from our previous experiences, so we booked in advance the same tour in two different days (the second day three days after the first one). For sure we don't regret our choice: the two experiences were really different, with the first one being excellent and the second one being ... better! We saw whales doing any sort of things (males jumping out of the water, males fighting, males chasing females, mothers with calves..). We also heard male whales crying and singing. However note that not every month is the same (we were there in "peak season") so you can't always expect that extreme abundance of whales we enjoyed on our two tours. We also saw dolphins and turtles. The guide was a Mexican marine biologist and was really perfect: apart from spotting a lot of whales he was very knowledgeable, informative, passionate with whales and marine life in general, strongly committed in the effort for conservation.
Written October 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so very much for your great review. We are so happy that you enjoyed your two trips with us and we hope to see you again. Pura Vida!
Written October 3, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Celina S
Dublin, Ireland8 contributions
My brother and I had an overall very disappointing day going whale watching with Sierra. We had very high expectations, as we had gotten it recommended, and there are supposed to be many dolphins in this period of time. The bad weather played a minor role in our experience, however I think it could have been handled differently. We only saw a few dolphins on our 7 hours boat ride - most of the time we were just sitting being cold, and sailing around looking at nothing but the sea. We didn’t even learn about the wildlife, as there was no knowledge shared by the guide, unless you actually asked for specific questions. We have had so many good experiences with other knowledgeable guides in this area, that we were very disappointed with Sierra. We really feel like we wasted a lot of money and a lot time on this tour:(
Written November 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am so very sorry you did not enjoy the tour. My whole life is centered on taking people to experience the wonder of the dolphins and whales and to show them a good time and it makes me sad to hear you did not enjoy the dolphins we saw.
There were lots of dolphins around, as I pointed out on the tour, however on this day they were widely spread out and feeding over several miles. Some did come and surf at the front of the boat and play with us for a bit, but for the most part, they were focused on feeding. Most of the time this same mega pod of dolphins hang out close together but on your tour they were very intent on feeding. Dolphins gotta eat! It does happen sometimes and we could not move offshore because of the weather.
In fact, the weather played a major role because there was a big storm offshore and for the safety of our guests, we do not head out into storms.
We did spend a lot of time traveling because that is how we find the dolphins and whales, not by sitting still. In fact on your tour we traveled more than usual, we went all around the island and I even went back to where the feeding dolphins were earlier to see if they were ready to play yet, extending the tour by an hour because I so wanted to make everyone happy. With the cost of gasoline now, this was an added expense for us, but I was really doing my best to give you the tour of a lifetime.
You don't know how much I wish every single tour was spectacular with thousands of dolphins and many whales. I wish I could control the weather and the behavior of the dolphins, but alas I cannot. All I can do is do the very best I can to find the dolphins, which I did.
Again, I am so sorry you did not have a good time. We always do the best we can as the reviews below yours show. If you are in the area again, let me know and you can do another tour on me. I hope the rest of your time in Costa Rica was fantastic.
Written November 24, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi - are there any humpbacks around in April or should we set our expectations at dolphins but no whales at that time of year? Would still be fantastic obviously but don’t want to tell my son we will see whales if they aren’t around at that time of year!
Written August 5, 2023
Christina S
Uvita, Costa Rica
Hallo, wir wĂĽrden gerne eine Tour mit euch machen. Ist ĂĽberhaupt noch Saison fĂĽr Walewatching?
LG
Written April 3, 2021
Hola. querĂa saber si esta excursiĂłn incluye tiempo para hacer snorkel
Written February 9, 2020
SĂ, hacemos snorkel en el recorrido dependiendo del estado del ocĂ©ano.
Written February 9, 2020
Claudia P
Central Florida, Florida
Hi I asked about availability of whale tour july 18th or 19th of 2020 but I really would like to know the BEST time to be able to see a whale as I will plan my trip around this. They are smarter than we are, magnificent beings and I am 60 and have never seen one. please advise. thank you
Written July 22, 2019
Hi Claudia, July 18th and 19th are very good and you will certainly see whales, and if you can come even a week later, it is even better!
Written August 29, 2019
Will you be able to swim with dolphins or whales during the tour?
Written May 15, 2019
You can swim near the dolphins but there is no guarantee that you will swim with the dolphins- they are wild, free animals- not trained in an aquarium
Written May 15, 2019
Sandra K
Saas-Fee, Switzerland
Wir sind noch bis am 16. Mai in jaco. WĂĽrden gern die delphin und wal tour buchen. Gibt es einen rundtrip von jaco nach drakebay einwegaufland und ein weg auf wasser?? Oder miete ich besserfĂĽrdrei tage ein auto? Freitag nach frake bay/ĂĽbernachten/samstag delphintrip/ĂĽbernachten/ sonntag zurĂĽck nach jaco???
Written May 9, 2019
Hi! Is there a period in the year when it's better to see whales and dolphins?
Written December 26, 2018
We have dolphins all year round, including a mega pod of Spotted Dolphins who usually hang pretty close to shore. The best time to see Humpback Whales is mid-July through October when our Southern Migration is in the area. We can guarantee them at that time. We also have Humpbacks from our Northern Migration in November through April, although there are not as many during that time. But they are around!
Written February 6, 2019
Our Northern Migration is arriving at that time so it is possible, but it is not the best time to see them. We have dolphins all year round, including a mega pod of Spotted Dolphins who usually hang pretty close to shore. The best time to see Humpback Whales is mid-July through October when our Southern Migration is in the area. We can guarantee them at that time. We also have Humpbacks from our Northern Migration in November through April, although there are not as many during that time. But they are around!
Written February 6, 2019
Hello, what is the age limit for toddlers ? We have a 3 year old. Thank you
Written July 8, 2018
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