Kayak Adventure: Explore Las Baulas National Park, a Silent and Serene Paradise in Costa Rica

Embark on a thrilling kayak adventure in Las Baulas National Park, Costa Rica. Explore the serene beauty of the Tamarindo estuary, the largest mangrove estuary in Latin America, and discover a hidden paradise only accessible by water.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Las Baulas National Marine Park - We’ll meet at Pangas Beach Club in Tamarindo where there is parking, bathroom & shower facilities.
    Before setting out on a 35-minute kayak through lush mangroves I will brief you on the correct safety and paddling techniques.
    On reaching the heart of the Park we’ll leave the kayaks ashore to hike numerous trails,…
What's Included
  • Protective dry bag for valuables
  • Complimentary bottled water
  • Choice of single or double kayaks with seat pads, back rests, and life jackets
  • Assorted snacks included
What's Not Included
  • Mosquito spray
  • Suitable walking / tennis shoes
Additional Information

Las Baulas National Park, created in 1990, is approximately 445 hectares & located on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, near the town of Tamarindo. The Tamarindo estuary is the biggest mangrove estuary in Latin America and the only way to get to it’s heart is by water. This makes it a quiet and private place in comparison to many of Costa Rica’s other…

Location
Pangas Beach Club
We'll meet at the front of Pangas Beach Club
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.2
(67 Ratings)
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Kaitlynw325
Apr 27, 2025
Beautiful and informative tour - Luis was a great guide! He was flexible when I was sick and had to reschedule our tour. Luis led myself and a couple on a 45 min beautiful tour through the mangroves, providing lots of information on mangroves, plants, birds; etc. He took us onto the land as well and provided the history/facts of the environment as well as obtained us a couple different fruits we could actually eat. It was a very cool experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexph140vx
Apr 22, 2025
The perfectly peaceful way to enjoy the Las Baulas National Park Estuary - Our guide Tom Sol (Luis) took my husband, our two kids and I on a wonderful, early morning kayak tour into Las Baulas National Park estuary. We were lucky enough to be the only people on the tour. He provided us with 2 double kayaks, paddles, seats and life jackets. We paddled for about 30-40 minutes into the estuary and then took a short hike. Along the way, Tom pointed out all the plants and animals and explained the ecology and uses of the plants. Throughout the tour, we saw numerous birds including parrots, tiger herons, wood creepers, ibises, humming birds as well as crabs, iguanas, howler monkeys and long-nosed bats. Tom was very knowledgable about the region including information about the indigenous people who once inhabited the area and how the utilized some of the plants. He pointed out two mounds that were pyramids built by the people. After the hike Tom provided us with snacks and water while we were visited by a curious, friendly iguana. On our paddle back to Tamarindo we were lucky enough to see a crocodile lounging on a branch close to the shore. All together, it was an excellent tour and well worth getting up early for (the teenagers even agreed) in order to experience the estuary in peace before the other tour boats arrived and while it was still fairly cool. Tom also knew that we would be fortunate to paddle in with the tide coming in and then paddle back with the tide going out.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andreabj6954gc
Apr 21, 2025
Cool little adventure - We loved the combination of kayaking and hiking. Luis showed and explained a lot. We had a lot of fun and learned something about the local flora and fauna. Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q1231kqchrisg
Apr 8, 2025
FANTASTIC paddle and forest walk! - We had a great day with Luis! Beautiful kayaking and a lovely and informative walk through the forest. It is the dry season, so the paddling and walking were hot, but we enjoyed our time and learned a lot! This is a very accessible trip from Tamarindo or anywhere in the Playa Grande area and we would highly recommend!
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Redjessa2018
Mar 10, 2025
Beautiful kayak tour! - Luis was the best guide. We paddled through the estuary seeing many birds and iguanas. Luis led us to a spot to get out for a nature walk and many howler monkeys were in the trees overhead. Luis was very knowledgeable about the vegetation, insects, animals, and showed us the mounds created by the indigenous people. We learned so much. A truly wonderful experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
309raven
Feb 22, 2025
A lovely paddle - My husband and I did the kayak tour in the estuary and had a great time! The guide was very knowledgeable about the plants and animals around the area, and very respectful of nature. The environment we kayaked through was beautiful, then we had a lovely guided hike through the woods, followed by a much-appreciated snack and a nice paddle home. We knew there were crocodiles in the area, but we didn’t see any and we felt safe the whole time. It was great to have had a chance to see this unique environment. We enjoyed it so much that we booked the tour to Capitan Island as well!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephen_g
Feb 11, 2025
Tamarindo estuary kayak - Paddle was very cool up the estuary. We were taken into the park and on a short hike to see local flora and fauna. Would recommend to any nature enthusiasts. Luis was very knowledgeable.
Review provided by Viator
196howardm
Jan 26, 2025
Professor Luis Knows his Stuff - Luis was an extremely knowledgeable guide....very professional. The kayaking through the mangroves was both fun and beautiful. The walk was fascinating and Luis shared the identity of many of the most prominent flora. Unlike the other tour groups that we passed, Luis respected the Howler Monkeys instead of provoking then like other guides did. We really appreciated that.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Victoria_b
Dec 16, 2024
Great experience with Luis! - This was a really great experience! There was about 40 minutes of kayaking through mangroves, we saw a monkey and many beautiful breeds of birds, then walked through the nature preserve on the mainland an learned about native trees and culture. Then kayaked back and it was beautiful!
Review provided by Viator
S_renv434
Jan 3, 2025
I'd rather not do it again - Unfortunately, a kayak leaked after only about 10 minutes, so two of the passengers had to continue the tour on one of the speedboats. Another kayak was hopelessly overloaded and one participant had to stop the trip, so only 2/3 could finish the tour. Luis was very nice and the excursion was educational, but the preparation and material could have been much better.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $55
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).