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Cano Island Snorkeling Day Tour

A trip to the South Pacific region just isn't complete without a visit to Caño Island, one of Costa Rica’s best snorkeling and diving locations.

Just 12 miles off-shore from Drake Bay, Caño Island is both a biological and archaeological preserve.  The waters are usually clear and warm and there is a plethora of marine life to be seen while snorkeling including: sea turtles, large schools of fish, reef sharks, manta rays, star fish, and numerous tropical fish including king angel, moorish idol, puffers, surgeonfish, snapper, barracuda, barberfish, parrotfish, damsels and more. Plus a variety of eels can be found hiding around the coral lined rock formations. 

There is a trail on the island that leads to a pre-Colombian archaeological site where artifacts such as perfectly spherical stones and ancient burial and ceremonial sites from the indigenous Diquis tribe who inhabited the Golfo Dulce area until the arrival of the Spanish can be seen. There is also a lookout point located a few minutes off the trail. It is a 30 minute walk to the lookout and about 45 minutes to the archaeological site.  

The ranger station at the park offers shaded resting areas, public bathrooms and a cool, freshwater outdoor shower.

Please read our eco-tips about Caño Island

This Cano Island day tour is available from Quepos & Manuel Antonio*, Dominical, Uvita, Ojochal, Sierpe and Drake Bay.

What's Included?

• Round-trip transportation  (from Manuel Antonio*, Dominical, Sierpe or Drake Bay) 
• Entrance fees 
  
• Snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, and fins)and 2 snorkeling opportunities
• Bilingual guide 
• Picnic Lunch

Schedule:

Departs Daily, full day tour

Depart from:

• Manuel Antonio (we can arrange transportation to Sierpe)
  
• Dominical (by shuttle for Sierpe)
• Sierpe in the early morning and travel 45 minutes thru the beautiful Sierpe Mangrove Forest out into the ocean and then another 30 minutes to Caño Island
• or Drake Bay around 7:30am for a 45 minute boat ride to Caño Island

Along the way, it is likely that we will encounter playful spotted, spinner, or bottlenose dolphins swimming along side or in front of the boat, and we might see some whales too (read more about the whale season). 

Brilliant tropical fish shimmer about the rock formations as you near the island, as if to welcome your arrival to this sacred area. We will stop for our first snorkeling adventure once we arrive at the island where calm, crystalline waters harbor a variety of marine life including large schools of fish, white-tipped reef sharks and more.

We will then make our way to the sandy shores of Caño Island where we will enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the beach and have a delicious picnic lunch. You may choose to take a short hike up to the archaeological site.

We will depart Caño Island in the afternoon and make one more stop at a different snorkeling location for another 30-45 minutes and then return to:

Drake Bay, or Sierpe between 2:30 and 4. Return to your Dominical or Manuel Antonio hotel upon arrival in Sierpe.

What to Bring:

Sunscreen (PLEASE wear a long sleeve shirt instead because the chemicals in sunscreen damage coral and other sensitive marine life. If you must use it, please apply it ONE hour before swimming so that it is well absorbed into your skin), hat, sunglasses, bathing suit, towel, sea-sickness medicine, bottle of water, camera (with protective plastic bag), flip flops, sandals or water shoes, light hiking shoes if you plan to hike the trail and anything else you might need for your free time on the island (book, magazine, etc)

Eco Tips ~ Caño Island:

• It is a biological reserve! Please respect the law and do not collect or take anything from the island, including shells. This is strictly forbidden and if you do decide to sneak a piece, bad karma will follow you until you return it to the island. Please take home with you what you bring including all trash and plastic bottles. Leave only footprints and take nothing but pictures.
• Do not touch any coral or marine life
• If you are not an expert diver, please keep your distance from underwater rock and coral formations. They are very delicate.
• You must have a life vest with you at all times when snorkeling even if its just attached to your wrist.

Total Cost:

$75 -$150 per person, depending on where you are coming from and size of group. Prices may vary. Private tours available too. Contact us for details

*Manuel Antonio trips require a minimum of 4 people, Contact us for pricing.

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