This area is one of the premiere destinations for sea kayak tours in Costa Rica. Everything comes together here; an extensive maze of islands, the Costa Rican Pura Vida culture, extraordinary wildlife encounters with rays, turtles, monkeys, humpback whales, eagles and much, much more.

Our 1/2 day sea kayak tours are a great way to get out and explore the Gulf of Nicoya. We use stable sit inside sea kayaks for the day trips and no experience is needed.

1/2 day sea kayak tour overview

You meet up at our beach at Bahia Rica (see google map). For the morning 1/2 day kayak tour, the start is between 8 and 9 am, and for the afternoon tour at noon. This is a great guided trip for those wanting an introduction to sea kayaking, light exercise and adventure.

We will outfit ourselves for the trip and go over some basic kayaking skills and safety precautions on shore. After some practice in the protected water in the bay, the kayak tour begins. We will normally kayak for 1 hour – 1 ½ between the different short beach stops. Then a longer break for lunch and some shore exploration and swimming.

The route of the sea kayaking tour will depend on the tide and the kayaking skills of the people in the group. For example, if we have incoming tide we can head for the mangroves and enjoy the abundance of bird life and the special atmosphere you find in the mangrove forest. On outgoing tide beach hopping along the shoreline of the islands is a great opportunity.

What to expect

Bahia Rica has offered guided kayak tours in Paquera since 2008. Our tours are built for every experience level in mind. Having said that, we adapt our routes according to the paddlers skills and endurance.

All of our trips start with safety talks, which will prepare you for the day’s expedition. We will talk about paddling strokes and answer any question — large and small — about any concern a guest has. We will not leave the beach until everyone is comfortable in their kayak.

Our philosophy is to keep the number of paddlers per guide low so everyone gets the most out of the experience. Ten paddlers constitute a full tour. 1/2 day tours cover between 3 - 12 kilometers of relaxed kayaking. We can work with anyone to schedule more or less paddling and/or more or less time spent on the beach, swimming, snorkeling, or just relaxing under the palm trees. Our only purpose, as we see it, is to make sure you have the most fun in the safest way possible.

½ day Sea Kayak Tour Logistics

Practical details:
- Departure from: The beach at Bahia Rica Fishing & Kayak Lodge
- Departure time Morning tour: Between 8:00 and 9:00
- Departure time Afternoon tour: 12:00
- Duration: Approximately 4 hours
- Kayaking experience: Beginner level
- Age limit: 13 years (for family tours, please contact us for more information)
- Capacity: Minimum 2 and maximum 10 persons
- Weight Limit: 250 Pounds (please contact us if you have concerns)
- Please do not consume alcohol before the kayak tour

What to bring:

Recommended:
- Sandals or water shoes
- Light clothes that can get wet and/or a change of clothes
- Swimsuit
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and cap/hat

Optional:
- Paddling Gloves (bike gloves work fine too)
- Camera with waterproof case
- Binoculars