Part of what makes Costa Rica the world's premier destination for ecotourism is its extensive coastlines. Explore the waters off Guanacaste aboard the Blue Dolphin, a 40-foot catamaran that slices through the surf and offers a fully stocked bar, paddle boards and kayaks for your enjoyment. Breathe in the salt spray and keep a lookout for dolphins, turtles, whales, and spectacular coastal views.

What's Included

Light meal:chicken fajitas, black beans, salad, fruit platter, vegetable tray, homemade banana bread
Drinks: variety of sodas, juices, beer, white wine, Cacique, vodka, rum, tequila, and water
Swimming
Snorkeling
Stand up paddle board
Kayaks
Pool Noodles
Restroom

Sunscreen
Towel
Gratuities (15% -20% recommended)
Transportation (can be arranged for an additional charge)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

El Chiringuito
75X4+4M9, Guanacaste Province, Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Meeting point and boarding are on the beach in front of El Chirinquito restaurant, 100 yards south of the rotunda.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

This tour begins on the Tamarindo beach, where you’ll board a 40-foot (12-meter) catamaran for an hour-long cruise north along the coast. The boat’s double-hull design ensures a more comfortable, stable ride, with restrooms and a spacious deck to enjoy included drinks from the full bar.

Next, moor at a cove near Playa Huevos and cool off. Provided kayaks, snorkeling gear, stand-up paddleboards, and pool noodles are perfect for playing in the sheltered water. A light meal including local specialties, plus fresh fruits and vegetables, will be served on deck.

The scenic return trip to Tamarindo is great for spotting wildlife such as dolphins, whales, turtles, and rays. The sail back is also timed for gorgeous, west-facing sunsets over the water—this tour concludes on the Tamarindo beach just after sunset.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 36 travelers

Operated by Blue Dolphin Sailing

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
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.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Dana_M

Beautiful and relaxing catamaran tour and very family friendly compared to others we have done. The staff was excellent!!

Reviews

4.5

778 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 778 reviews

Best. Experience. Ever.

Morgan_C, Apr 2024

We booked blue dolphin before arriving in Tamarindo without really knowing about the crew. Afterwards, it’s safe to say this was our favorite tour we booked during our entire stay in Costa Rica. The boat is so clean and beautiful. The staff is so friendly, welcoming, helpful, and most importantly SO much fun. The cruise was great, but then we anchored and went swimming, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and kayaking in the ocean, and the trip got even better. Music was great. Lunch was awesome. Drinks kept coming. Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend Blue Dolphin!!!!

Fun to be out on the water but the swimming cove was underwhelming

Mark_B, Apr 2024

The staff were friendly and fun loving. There was plenty to eat and drink and the cove we went to was nice, but not great. It was still pretty windy and rough. Everyone was out of the water after 20 minutes. Another, smaller, boat was able to get closer to the beach and they appeared less affected by the winds and rough seas. Overall, it was fun but it didn’t blow anyone’s minds.

Great trip for a group of friends.

Kristin_B, Apr 2024

I had taken a sunset catamaran trip with Blue Dolphin last year out of Coco Beach, CR with my family (husband and two younger teens). The boat on that excursion was considerably larger (with more people) more comfortable and definitely a mixed age group. It was great for my family. In Tamarindo this spring with my sister and some girlfriends, I went back to Blue Dolphin knowing it was a good experience. This boat was considerably smaller (max 36 - with only 23 aboard) and thankfully was primarily 25-50 y/olds ready to have a good time. Fun, attentive staff, good food and music on both boats. But this one felt a bit more like a party boat - nothing crazy, drinks not strong enough for stupid behavior, but I did appreciate that I was there with girlfriends and NOT my family for this one.

Highlight family Sailing Trip.

Philip_Y, Apr 2024

Super friendly crew well organized and fun. The boat was well outfitted and clean. All the crew played a key role in ensuring we all had a fun time.

WARNING - DO NOT BOOK! This was a bait-and-switch.

KIM_E, Mar 2024

WARNING - DO NOT BOOK! This was a bait-and-switch. We booked the Blue Dolphin and got an old catamaran with bad seating, only 1 kayak and 1 paddleboard. Snorkeling was not an option and the crew had difficulty handling the boat. We did this excursion with a group of family ranging from 20-70 (the majority in their 40's). I specifically booked the Blue Dolphin due to the photographs which showed great seating, shade, a nice boat, and "paddle boards and kayaks". Instead, we were loaded onto an old, rusty, catamaran whose only good seating (like chair-type seating - not sitting on the foredeck or trampoline) was in the back of the boat. Shade was available if you went inside the boat where there was limited seating. There was only 1 kayak and 1 paddleboard. They did have pool noodles that they offered to everyone. Even in the foredeck seating, there was limited space and we were crammed together. There was no opportunity to use the trampoline area because the boat was so packed. When we anchored, they allowed people to jump off the boat to swim to the shore (a distance that even a strong swimmer would have difficulty with) and/or float. Just after people were jumping off, they lost the anchor. They started the boat to move it forward, while people were right in front of the boat and a man and his small daughter were at the back of the boat preparing to get back in. They gave no warning to any of these people. My group (most of whom are experienced in boating) gave them warning and instructed them to wait while the boat was moving. Upon returning to the shore to disembark, we were loaded onto a small boat (same boat to get to the catamaran). It was rough, people were getting wet (just like on way to catamaran) but that was to be expected and not an issue. Getting off the small boat was an issue for the majority of the passengers. They had two crew members assisting but they could not hold the boat well enough because they were not close enough to the shore. People unloading were getting hit by the boat and/or motor as they unloaded, some getting knocked down, others literally falling off the boat into the water. Several people in my gourp assisted people offloading because it was dangerous. Many of my group wanted to shop in town after but most went back to the house because we were all soaked from head to toe. One of our ladies was hurt when she was hit by the boat. With regards to the food and drinks... the lunch was good. They have the basics for beer and all you had to do was ask. They definitely catered to the young women and it was more effort for the men and older (45+) ladies to get service. I also heard complaints that they ran out of tequila. I also had to cancel one of our reservations due to illness. I got confirmation that we were moved from 10 people to 9 people. I was still charged for 10. This excursion was the only disappointment my group had during our 12 days in Costa Rica. I requested a refund and was denied. I asked that my request be elevated to a supervisor. I received another response about 10 minutes later, saying that Viator did a thorough investigation (I'm not sure what/how they investigated) and denied any refund. I rarely write any reviews but I felt that this was needed as a warning to others who assume that what you see in an advertisement is what you get.

People watching experiment

Carrie_S, Mar 2024

Our sunset cruise was very interesting. Between the really drunk and obnoxious Brits and the hired companions (ahem) of other guests on our boat, the 6 children with us got a new perspective on life. The crew did a phenomenal job of managing the situation and apologized to us multiple times. We did appreciate that. The food was delicious. They did a great job of spotting dolphins and sharks feeding. The snorkeling spot was nice. There was only one kayak and one paddle board though. Was expecting more. The Blue Dolphin’s gap is with their schedulers. We would recommend them trying to put families together on the same boat. When we arrived we saw the group of British guys and could already tell that they were going to be a problem. We asked to go on the boat with the other families we saw but our request was denied. If they had assessed the situation ahead of time and matched people together better our trip would have been very different.

Too long in the heat

Laurie_D, Mar 2024

The staff on the boat were great and the open bar was free flowing. As a vegan, I was worried I wouldn't be able to eat but I was pleasantly surprised by the tortillas, rice, black beans, salad, and fruit I was able to enjoy. It was easy for this gluten-free person to eat, too. I found that the excursion was boring (not much happening, mostly waiting and going to and from the swimming spot). In previous experiences, someone would come in the water and point out fish for those snorkelling but that didn't happen and the water was super muddy so saw nothing. The whole thing was supposed to finish at 5 which I was already finding long in the heat, but we docked at 6:15. I also wish the staff had communicated more next steps and what was happening, it felt like a lot of waiting around and it was hard to find the guide at the beginning because there was no sign or signal like a colourful umbrella you often see at walking tours. Wouldn't recommend, unfortunately!

Wonderful Catamaran Experience!

Annmarie_T, Mar 2024

Blue Dolphin Crew was amazing! The drinks and food were very good and plentiful. This trip requires you to get in a small boat on shore and then climb a ladder a few steps onto the catamaran. The crew assists you in this. You also have to jump off the catamaran to swim in the calm ocean. Beware that quite a few people including myself got seasick even in the calm waters. Bring anything that will help with motion sickness. The experience is very fun and exactly as advertised. My family loved it and will return!

Great family trip

Ian_A, Mar 2024

Great trip. Staff was excellent. Good and drink were good. Well worth it! We saw dolphins and sting rays.

A really fun way to experience the gorgeous Tamarindo sunset!

Virginia_R, Mar 2024

Hands down, I was able to witness the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever see through this boat ride! I enjoyed the opportunity to take a swim off of one of Tamarindo’s quiet little coves, but I will flag that the current can be a bit strong. I wish we were able to swim for a bit longer (I think we were allotted about an hour and a half, but it felt shorter). The ride to the cove was also a little choppy so folks sitting towards the back of the boat got splashed quite a bit—just something to keep in mind!

Disappointing

Shelly_S, Mar 2024

We loved being on the water but the trip was disappointing. The boat was crowded and not as nice as pictured. Getting in and out of the boat and catamaran was challenging in the rough water. They ran out of tortillas and food for those at the end of the line. Would make sure you ask questions before booking and make sure you are getting what is advertised.

Good for kids!

Melissa_B, Mar 2024

We had a nice time on the catamaran. The crew was lovely (especially Mr. Dance Machine) and treated my kiddo so well. The food was better than we expected! We loved swimming to shore to explore the private beach. The only thing that would have made it better was seeing some wildlife, but they can’t control that.

Just out for a ride

Rod_T, Feb 2024

Nice trip great crew. Only issue was the activities were not very clearly explained. Just kind of stopped and said do what you want. A little more guidance would have been good. I know they are trying to accommodate everyone but we heard a similar thought from others.

Fun after getting onboard.

Tim_S, Feb 2024

The only bad part was loading and unloading. We were forced to enter the water in order to climb into a motor boat then we had to climb a ladder up to the catamaran. Repeat on return.

Super afternoon

Dennis_M, Feb 2024

Fabulous afternoon, the trip exceeded my expectations. The crew were super friendly and made the trip special.

Unforgettable Sunset Experience on Catamaran

Hong_L, Feb 2024

The gorgeous sunset scene was the most memorable part of the tour. We also had great time enjoying the water activities such as swimming, stand-up paddling and snorkeling. The crews provided excellent service.

Great way to spend a day.

Siobhan_R, Feb 2024

Our family of 4 loved this excursion! Meeting the Blue Dolphin team on the beach was easy and organized. We took a dinghy out to the boat. They had a welcome drink waiting for us and we took a slow tour out around the bend. The staff was extremely kind and attentive. They offered drinks and fruit. Once we were docked, they provided pool noodles and snorkel gear and we had 1 hour to enjoy the sea. Afterwards they had a nice meal and more drinks. It was a nice party feel, but not the drunk-college party feel. The staff got people dancing including o ur 17 year old daughter. It was great to see everyone having a nice time. The boat goes at a slow pace and the water was not choppy at all. We got back just as the sun was setting. The only downside I could think of was that we didn’t see any wildlife, but that’s Mother Nature. And it took awhile to get our dinghy at the end of the tour. This didn’t matter to us since we didn’t have anything planned afterwards, but just good to note.

Great tour and beautiful weather.

Dave_F, Feb 2024

The tour was just right, smaller group and lots of fun. Very friendly staff, we had an awesome time.

Fun in the sun

Lisabeth_T, Feb 2024

The whole staff was great! If you get Alex, Richard and Heriberto you’re in great hands. They brought energy and made sure everyone on the boat had a great time. Definitely worth the money spent. Heriberto cooked all the food his bean dip and banana bread were amazing! Views were great 5 stars for sure! P.S. Get the guys a new motor for the transfer boat!

Best way to spend an afternoon in Tamarindo!

Ally_T, Feb 2024

The catamarran ride was so much fun! The crew did a great job hosting us and the cove that we stopped at to swim, snorkel, and paddle board was beautiful.

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