Snorkeling in Jaco, Costa Rica
A sheltered cove 25 minutes north of Jaco, a full face mask that lets you breathe normally, and every photo of your group included. Ninety minutes in the water, three times a day.
Three departures every day
Same cove, same guide, same price. The only thing that changes is what time you get in the water and what you do with the rest of your day.
$69 per person, any departure
Guide, full face mask, fins and every photo of your group included. Private van from Jaco is optional.Pick a time and we will price it for your group right below.
8:00 AM Snorkel
The first trip of the day. You are in the water at eight and back on the sand by half past nine, which leaves the whole day open for a second tour, a drive up the coast or lunch somewhere along the way.
- Start8:00 AM
- Back by9:30 AM
- In the waterAbout 90 minutes
- GearFull face mask and fins
- PhotosIncluded
- SeasonAll year
Best for: Groups who want the rest of the day free
Take the 8:00 AM10:00 AM Snorkel
A civilised start. You leave Jaco after breakfast, snorkel from ten, and you are out of the water in time for lunch on the beach. This is the one most families pick when they have small children with them.
- Start10:00 AM
- Back by11:30 AM
- In the waterAbout 90 minutes
- GearFull face mask and fins
- PhotosIncluded
- SeasonAll year
Best for: Families who do not want an early alarm
Take the 10:00 AM12:00 PM Snorkel
The midday trip, with the sun straight overhead and the most light reaching the rocks. It is also the easiest one to add to a travel day, since you can land, drop your bags in Jaco and still make it.
- Start12:00 PM
- Back by1:30 PM
- In the waterAbout 90 minutes
- GearFull face mask and fins
- PhotosIncluded
- SeasonAll year
Best for: Guests arriving in Jaco that morning
Take the 12:00 PMSee the full comparison table
| 8:00 AM Snorkel | 10:00 AM Snorkel | 12:00 PM Snorkel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start time | 8:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM |
| Back on the sand | 9:30 AM | 11:30 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Duration | 90 minutes | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Gear | Full face mask and fins, included | Full face mask and fins, included | Full face mask and fins, included |
| Photos and video | Included, no extra charge | Included, no extra charge | Included, no extra charge |
| Guide | Included | Included | Included |
| Transport from Jaco | Not included, we can quote it | Not included, we can quote it | Not included, we can quote it |
| Best for | Groups who want the rest of the day free | Families who do not want an early alarm | Guests arriving in Jaco that morning |
Price your snorkel trip
Tell us how many of you there are and pick a start time. The price is the same for all three.
Request received!
We'll check availability for your date and write back with your confirmation and the exact meeting point, usually the same day. Keep an eye on your inbox, and on your spam folder just in case.
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When to go snorkeling near Jaco
The trip runs every day of the year, so the question is not whether it goes out but how clear the water will be when you get there.
December to April
The clearest water
Dry season on this coast. Less rain means less sediment washing into the sea, so this is usually when visibility is at its best.
May to November
Still goes out
Plenty of beautiful mornings. A heavy downpour can cloud the water for a day or two afterwards, and our office tells you if your date is one of them.
Any month
A sheltered cove
Playa Mantas sits inside a protected cove, which is why it works on days when the open beach in Jaco is too rough to see anything.
What's included
Included
- Full face snorkel mask, the kind you breathe through normally
- Fins
- A guide who stays in the water with your group
- All the photos and video your guide takes, at no extra charge
- Entrance to the cove
- Ninety minutes in the water
Not included
- Transport from Jaco, optional and priced in the calculator above
- Food and drinks
How the trip goes
From the meeting point to the cove and back.
You meet at Playa Mantas
Playa Mantas is 25 minutes north of Jaco, on the Punta Leona side. Drive yourself and our office sends you the exact meeting point, or add the private van and it picks you up where you are staying.
Gear up on the sand
Your guide fits everyone with a full face mask and fins and runs through how it works. These masks cover your whole face, so you breathe through your nose and mouth the way you normally do. People who have never managed a snorkel tube before get on with them immediately.
A short walk to the cove
From the beach there is a short walk and a brief nature trail to a cove tucked along the coastline, away from the busier sand. If anyone in your group would rather skip the walk, tell us when you book and an alternative drop off can be arranged.
Ninety minutes in the water
Protected water inside the cove, tropical fish around the rocks, and a guide in the water with you the whole time pointing out what you would otherwise swim straight past.
Dry off, and keep an eye on the trees
Back on the sand you dry off under the palms. White faced capuchin monkeys live along this stretch of coast and turn up often enough that it is worth looking up.
Your photos arrive
Your guide photographs and films your group throughout, above and below the water, and you get all of it. No upsell at the end, no separate photo package.
The cove, the gear and the water
Before you book
Requirements
- The full face masks make this one of the easiest tours to do with children and with adults who have never snorkeled.
- If anyone in your group is a nervous swimmer, tell us when you book so the guide knows before you get in the water.
- Touching the marine life is not allowed, and nothing gets left on the beach.
What to bring
- Swimwear, worn under your clothes
- A towel
- Comfortable shoes for the short trail
- Sandals for the sand
- Sunscreen, reef safe if you have it
And what happens if it rains?
Most days here are sunny, and a passing shower does not stop this trip. What changes a morning is the state of the sea and how clear the water is, since a heavy downpour can cloud it for a day or two afterwards. Our office checks conditions for your date when they confirm, so ask them and they will tell you honestly whether that morning is worth it.
Make it a bigger day
Frequently asked questions
What people ask us before they book a snorkel trip.
Where does the snorkeling tour in Jaco actually go?
To Playa Mantas, about 25 minutes north of Jaco on the Punta Leona side. It is a white sand beach, and from there a short walk and a brief nature trail take you to a sheltered cove along the coastline where the water is protected. That shelter is the whole point: it is why you can see something here on days when the open beach in front of Jaco is too churned up.
How much is snorkeling in Jaco?
$69 per person. That covers the guide, the full face mask, the fins, entrance to the cove and all the photos and video of your group. Getting there is up to you: drive yourself, or add a private round trip van from Jaco in the calculator.
How long does it last?
About 90 minutes in the water. There are three departures every day, at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM, and the price is the same for all three.
Is transport from Jaco included?
Not in the $69. You can make your own way to Playa Mantas, and our office sends you the exact meeting point when they confirm. Or tick the private van in the calculator above: it picks your group up in Jacó, Herradura, Los Sueños, Playa Hermosa or Punta Leona, waits the 90 minutes while you snorkel and brings you back. Only your group rides in it.
Do I need to bring my own snorkel gear?
No, it is all provided. You get a full face mask and fins. The full face masks cover your whole face so you breathe through your nose and mouth normally, which is why people who have never got on with a traditional snorkel tube manage these straight away.
Are the photos really included?
Yes, and there is no photo package to buy at the end. Your guide takes photos and video of your group throughout, above and below the water, and you get all of it at no extra charge.
Is this good for kids?
It is one of the easier tours in Jaco to do with children. The water in the cove is protected rather than open surf, the trip is 90 minutes rather than a full day, and the full face masks are much easier for a child than a tube and a half flooded mask. Tell us the ages when you book so the guide knows who is coming.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
You need to be comfortable in calm water. The guide stays in the water with your group the whole time. If anyone with you is a nervous swimmer, say so when you book rather than on the beach, so the guide knows before anyone gets in.
What is the best time of year to snorkel near Jaco?
The trip runs all year. December through April is the dry season on this coast, and with less rain washing sediment into the sea that is usually when the water is clearest. From May to November it still goes out and plenty of mornings are lovely, but a heavy downpour can cloud things up for a day or two afterwards.
What should I bring?
Swimwear under your clothes, a towel, sunscreen, sandals for the sand and a pair of comfortable shoes for the short trail down to the cove. Reef safe sunscreen if you have it.
Is there a lot of walking?
A short walk and a brief nature trail from the beach to the cove. If someone in your group would rather not do it, let us know when you book and an alternative drop off can be arranged so they can get there the easy way.
Can we touch the fish?
No. Touching the marine life is not allowed, and nothing gets left behind on the beach or in the water. The cove stays worth visiting because people leave it the way they found it.
How do I book?
Price your group with the calculator above, pick a start time and send the request. Our office checks availability for your date and writes back with the confirmation and the meeting point, usually the same day.
Ready to get in the water?
Tell us the date, the start time and how many of you there are. We confirm availability and send you the meeting point, or the pickup time if you add the van.
We can arrange private transport from