The bucket-list things to do — and who runs each one.
Here’s the bucket list for your day ashore: the most extraordinary thing to do at each stop, who runs it, and how to book it direct — so you can weigh it against your ship’s excursion and pick what suits you.
In port at Puerto Caldera, the bucket-list move is Isla Tortuga VIP: Small-Group Snorkel, Sail & Jungle Safari. Below: 3 bucket-list things to do on a Puerto Caldera port day — worth weighing against whatever your ship offers.
Sail to the legendary white-sand crescent of Isla Tortuga aboard a private catamaran, snorkel crystal Pacific waters, and return through a wildlife-rich jungle safari. A true Costa Rican bucket-list day on the water.
Book itFrom Puntarenas: Isla Tortuga Speedboat Trip with Lunch$72 per person
Walk the primary rainforest trails of Carara — the world's finest accessible scarlet macaw nesting ground — with a certified naturalist guide in a private or exclusive small group. One of the most biodiverse half-days in all of Central America.
Book itCarara National Park Guided Wildlife Tour$70 per person
Run by Parque Nacional Carara · 4.40 from 2,100 reviews
Soar above the Monteverde cloud forest in an open gondola, cross 8 suspension bridges at canopy height among orchids and quetzals, then rocket back down on a world-class zip-line. The single most iconic Costa Rican adventure, accessed in one full-day circuit.
Book itMonteverde: 3-in-1 Sky Tram, Sky Trek and Sky Walk$190 per person
Glide silently along the Tempisque River through Palo Verde National Park — Costa Rica's premier wetland — spotting American crocodiles, howler and white-faced monkeys, and over 300 bird species from the water. A serene, expert-led wildlife encounter unlike any land-based tour.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Launch across 11 zip-line platforms through primary rainforest canopy at Vista Los Sueños Adventure Park, with breathtaking Pacific Ocean panoramas at every break. The closest world-class canopy tour to Puerto Caldera — no full-day commitment required.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Journey to a working cacao plantation to master the ancient Mesoamerican art of chocolate-making — from pod to finished bar — then explore surrounding jungle on a guided wildlife safari spotting sloths, macaws, and monkeys. Utterly unique and deeply Costa Rican.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Your day in Puerto CalderaNothing picked yet — tick what you fancy
$0for two, booked direct
Now plan the rest of it
You know what to do on the day. Here is the trip it belongs to —
each one opens as a whole plan, not a list: where to fly in, every port, what it runs.