Best Puntarenas shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in Puntarenas is "Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour" (4.5★ from 1,711 reviews, from $32). The biggest saving against the ship is nature / waterfall / park: $74 per person less than NCL. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in Puntarenas are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
| # | Tour | From | Rating | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking TourCity / island tour | $32 | 4.5★1,711 reviews | 5/5 |
| 2 | San José: Tortuga Island Tour with Snorkeling and LunchSnorkel tour | $100 | 4.6★1,155 reviews | 5/5 |
| 3 | Tarcoles River: Jungle Crocodile Safari & Bird Watching TourNature / waterfall / park | $36 | 4.8★455 reviews | 3/5 |
| 4 | Uvita, Costa Rica: ATV or Buggy Tour to San Luis WaterfallATV / buggy / jeep | $150 | 5.0★94 reviews | 5/5 |
| 5 | Paquera: Bioluminescent Kayak Tour in Costa RicaKayak / paddle | $35 | 4.5★127 reviews | 5/5 |
| 6 | Uvita: Nature Walk at Marino Ballena National ParkNature / waterfall / park | $59 | 4.9★82 reviews | 3/5 |
| 7 | Monteverde: Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugar Cane Day TripFood & tasting | $75 | 4.5★82 reviews | 5/5 |
| 8 | Vista Los Sueños: 2-Hour Single ATV — Jungle & WaterfallATV / buggy / jeep | $79 | 4.8★66 reviews | 5/5 |
| 9 | Monteverde: Nature walk in Curicancha ReserveNature / waterfall / park | $28 | 4.8★63 reviews | 3/5 |
| 10 | From Paquera: Isla Tortuga Snorkeling Tour at Los MorterosSnorkel tour | $85 | 4.7★68 reviews | 5/5 |
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nature / waterfall / park | NCL | $133 | $59 | $296 |
| ATV / buggy / jeep | Carnival | $190 | $120 | $280 |
| Nature / waterfall / park | Carnival | $125 | $59 | $266 |
| Zipline | NCL | $157 | $145 | $51 |
| Zipline | Carnival | $155 | $145 | $42 |
Where the ship is cheaper
- City / island tour on NCL: $103 on the ship vs $110 independent.
Without a tour: near the pier
- Puntarenas paseo: ~5 min walk (347 m).
The pier is in town, but the parks Costa Rica is known for are 45 minutes to 2 hours away.
Questions
What is the best excursion in Puntarenas?
On ratings, "Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour" leads with 4.5 stars from 1,711 reviews. On value, nature / waterfall / park saves the most against the ship ($74 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in Puntarenas?
"Monteverde: Nature walk in Curicancha Reserve" from $28 per person (4.8★, 63 reviews).
What can you do in Puntarenas without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: Puntarenas paseo (~5 min walk).
All Puntarenas prices and pier guide · Carnival in Puntarenas · NCL in Puntarenas