Boating, Kayaking, Rafting & Sportfishing Tours -- Adventure Manuel Antonio (tel. 800/401-5944 in the U.S. and Canada, or 777-1084 in Costa Rica; www.adventuremanuelantonio.com) and Iguana Tours (tel. 777-2052; www.iguanatours.com) are the most established and dependable tour operators in the area; both offer river rafting, sea kayaking, mangrove tours, and guided hikes.
The two above companies, as well as Rios Tropicales (tel. 777-4092; www.aventurash2o.com), offer full-day rafting trips for around $85 to $110 (£43-£55). Large multiperson rafts are used during the rainy season, and single-person "duckies" are broken out when the water levels drop. All of the above companies also offer half-day rafting adventures and sea-kayaking trips for around $65 (£33). Depending on rainfall and demand, they will run either the Naranjo or Savegre rivers. I very much prefer the Savegre River for its stunning scenery.
Another of my favorite tours in the area is a mangrove tour of the Damas Island estuary. These trips generally include lunch, a stop on Damas Island, and roughly 3 to 4 hours of cruising the waterways. You'll see loads of wildlife. The cost is usually around $60 to $70 (£30-£35).
Among the other boating options around Quepos/Manuel Antonio are excursions in search of dolphins and sunset cruises. Iguana Tours and Planet Dolphin (tel./fax 777-1647; www.planetdolphin.com) offer these tours for $40 to $70 (£20-£35) per person. Most tours include a snorkel break and, if lucky, dolphin sightings. Jungle Coast Jets (tel. 777-1706; www.junglecoastjets.com) offers 2-hour jet-ski tours for $99 (£50) per person. This tour plies the same waters and includes some snorkeling and the possibility of a dolphin encounter.
Quepos is one of Costa Rica's billfish centers, and sailfish, marlin, and tuna are all common in these waters. In the past year or so, fresh and brackish water fishing in the mangroves and estuaries has also become popular. If you're into sportfishing, try hooking up with Blue Fin Sportfishing (tel. 777-1676; www.bluefinsportfishing.com), Blue Water (tel. 800/807-1585 in the U.S. and Canada or 777-4841; www.sportfishingincostarica.com), High Tec Sportfishing (tel. 777-3465; www.hightecsportfishing.com), or Luna Tours Sportfishing (tel. 777-0725; www.lunatours.net). A full day of fishing should cost between $400 and $1,800 (£200-£900), depending on the size of the boat, distance traveled, tackle provided, and amenities. There's a lot of competition here, so shop around.
