Bay Island Cruises - Tour isla Tortuga

DAYS OF OPERATION: Saturdays & Sundays; for any other day of the week, please consult availability.

VESSELS: Bay’s Princess Yacht, for a minimum of 15 pax up to 50 pax. The Great Bay’s Princess Catamaran for groups of more than 50 pax. Request availability

TOUR DESCRIPTION:

The Gulf of Nicoya has an archipelago of heavenly islands with exquisite beauty and a variety of flora and fauna from the Central Pacific region. One of these majestic islands is full of historical memories, and was the inspiration for one of the most famous literary works in Costa Rica, “The Island of Lonely Men,” by writer José León Sánchez. This is the island of San Lucas. It is located 5.4 miles from Puntarenas, with an area of ​​500 hectares, and is one of the largest islands of the Nicoya Gulf. San Lucas Island still retains the buildings that comprised the most famous prison in Costa Rica.

In terms of vegetation, San Lucas Island has flora and fauna similar to that of the dry region of Guanacaste. We will walk along a path in the middle of the dry tropical forest where you can find trees such as: Pochote, Cenizaro, Guácimo, and Guititi, among others. Wildlife that can be observed include: bats, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, squirrels, white-tailed deer and iguanas.

Upon arrival at San Lucas Island, we will tour the historic penitentiary and visit the medical clinic, church, prison cells and more. We will learn the details of the story of the penal colony; see the houses built for that period for the least dangerous inmates to share a week with their wives and children, and hear the interesting and surprising history of this magnificent island from our specialized guide.

We will then sail to Jesusita Island. Along the way, we will see native birds on Bird Island. Upon arriving to Jesusita Island, we will walk the trails of the island and enjoy the beach, while we wait for our delicious lunch. After lunch, we will have three hours at the beach to relax or to play beach volleyball. Then we will again board our yacht to return to Puntarenas, where we will meet our bus back to San José.