Manuel Antonio Mangrove Tours

The Mangroves of Manuel Antonio & Damas Island

Just north of Quepos lies one of Costa Rica's most ecologically important ecosystems: the Damas Island mangrove system. A vast network of tidal channels, brackish lagoons, and dense mangrove forest, Damas Island is home to a high concentration of wildlife. American crocodiles, white-faced monkeys, iguanas, hundreds of bird species, and the occasional spotted sandpiper walk the mud banks.

Unlike the national park, the mangroves offer a completely different sensory experience. The air is thick with bird calls. The water is mirror-still. The roots of the red and black mangroves create a tangle of roots above and below the waterline. And around every bend in the channel, another wildlife encounter awaits.

Choose between a guided Damas Island boat tour, the most comprehensive way to experience the full ecosystem, or the more intimate mangrove kayak tour that lets you move silently through the channels at close range to the wildlife.