Drake Bay · Costa Rica

Explore Corcovado by sea

Discover Corcovado through the eyes of a local family who lives, works, and breathes the wild coast of Costa Rica. Boat tours, rainforest adventures, and authentic food — all in one place.

Our story · Drake Bay

Our story begins with the sea and the jungle

We are a Costa Rican family born and raised in Drake Bay, living between the waves and the rainforest. What began as a simple life of fishing and farming became something bigger — a dream to share our way of life with travelers from around the world.

Today, El Bucanero Corcovado Tours is a family-run project that brings together our love for nature, our knowledge of the land and sea, and the warmth of our home.

Don Carlos is a former commercial fishing captain; his wife Doña Francis is the soul of our kitchen, and their son Carlitos leads the tours with heart and energy.

A local family, not a company
Don Carlos · Doña Francis · Carlitos
A local family, not a company
100%
Wild · no tourist traps
13
Tours & adventures
50 m
From sea to our door
1
Family hosting you
Not sure what to do?

Corcovado, Caño Island and the Osa coast

View all tours
Corcovado · Sirena Station (1 Day) from Drake Bay5.0

Corcovado · Sirena Station (1 Day) from Drake Bay

Corcovado National Park · Full day

Boat to the heart of Corcovado and hike Sirena's secondary rainforest — the park's richest wildlife.

$110/ personSee tour
Caño Island Snorkeling from Drake Bay5.0

Caño Island Snorkeling from Drake Bay

Ocean & Water · Marine reserve

Crystal water and volcanic reefs at Caño Island — turtles, rays and clouds of tropical fish.

$95/ personSee tour
Sunset & Bioluminescence from Drake Bay5.0

Sunset & Bioluminescence from Drake Bay

Ocean & Water · Evening

A Pacific sunset by boat, then a night swim in glowing bioluminescent water.

$70/ personSee tour
Half-Day Sportfishing from Drake Bay5.0

Half-Day Sportfishing from Drake Bay

Ocean & Water · Sportfishing

Five and a half hours on the Pacific for snapper, mackerel and jacks — fresh sashimi made on board.

$450/ personSee tour
Sierpe Mangroves Tour from Drake Bay5.0

Sierpe Mangroves Tour from Drake Bay

Ocean & Water · Wetlands

Boat the Sierpe–Térraba mangroves — Central America's largest — for birds, crocodiles and monkeys.

$120/ personSee tour
Featured tour

Visit Caño Island with us

Crystal-clear water, volcanic reefs and the occasional sea turtle drifting beside you — one of Costa Rica's top snorkeling destinations, just off Drake Bay. All gear, permits, boat rides and lunch included.

$95per person · small groups
Small group sizes · Licensed local guides · 100% wild
Why choose El Bucanero

We take you to the real places

Local roots & real people

We are a family from Drake Bay — not a company from the city. We live this land, we love it, we share it.

Authentic wildlife encounters

Real places, with real guides. No crowds, no tourist traps — just nature and you.

Organic food from our farm

From our garden to your plate. Meals made with love, zero chemicals, full flavor.

Purpose beyond business

Your visit supports local jobs, families and community projects in Drake Bay.

Book a tour

Reserve your spot

Small groups, licensed local guides, 100% wild. Tell us your dates and we'll get you out on the water.

Chat on WhatsApp
+506 6194 7003 info@bucaneroscorcovadotour.com
Drake Bay, Osa Peninsula · Costa Rica
+1
From our guests

Hear from travelers who chose us

13 reviews on Google

We booked two tours with Bucaneros and were very satisfied. We especially enjoyed a trip with Carlos on the boat, where we saw a huge pod of dolphins and were treated to a delicious meal in a beautiful bay. Carlos is a relaxed, caring, and friendly guide. If you're still hungry or thirsty after the tour, the family-run restaurant El Bucanero is a great option.

Mats Ahlgren

The bioluminescence tour was wonderful. Carlos and Carlos or friend will take you out on a multipurpose boat, the same one their family uses to catch fresh fish for their restaurant. This type of bioluminescence is reactive to the touch. In Drake Bay in mid-July, we went out into the middle of the bay and swam in life jackets. They were willing to do a private tour for a bit longer for a little more, and were very flexible and nice. I felt comfortable at night with a ratio of 1 guide to 3 people, so if swimming in a lifejacket at night in the bay is scary for you, you might inquire about that. It is difficult to climb up to the boat without a ladder on your own, but extremely easy with the captain's helping hand. This bioluminescence is not easily photographable and requires at a minimum a very very large aperture DSLR with very high ISO and sensitivity, and even then it's extremely faint. Think of it as bright as small ephemeral stars in the water, a few dozens whenever you move. The snorkeling goggles are not compatible with prescription glasses, but I preferred personally the clarity of no goggles (which can get foggy), while my companions preferred with goggles. Any night is good as long as the moon is not up in the sky (new moon or near new moon is fine any time of night, but anything else and you have to check the lunar hour by hour moonrise moonset time table). Very nice family, who helped us out a few times when we forgot an item or two. Tasty drinks and food at their restaurant too. Another unnamed popular agency across the street cancelled another bioluminescence tour we booked, disingenuously claiming "weather" (seemed fair weather; I think they didn't get enough customers that night), but Bucaneros Corcovado Tours is very good. Bucarenos Tours honored the scheduled time and has always been straightforward and honorable, and we greatly enjoyed their kindness/hospitality and experience. Muchas gracias para todos 🤎

Dominik Müller

Thanks Carlos for the amazing kayak tour showing us the bioluminescence! After paddling out in the sea for a while, the biolumnescence was clearly visible from the kajak and even more while swimming in the sea. It was magical!

Christoph Hammer

We booked the Sunset & Bioluminescence Tour as a family, and it was absolutely amazing. Carlos and his friend did an outstanding job throughout the experience. Our kids especially loved when they cut fresh coconuts from the palms and prepared sugar cane for us to try. They even brought along cold beers, which we enjoyed while watching the sunset from the boat. Later, swimming in the glowing water under the pitch-black, starry sky felt truly magical. We can without hesitation recommend this tour. If you're interested, it’s best to visit Bucaneros Restaurant and arrange it directly with them, as the website still needs a bit of improvement . Its worth it! :)

Ron Mitchell

My wife and I were impressed by the professionalism and knowledge of Carlos during our inshore fishing tour today. He tried different spots, different techniques in pursuit of the best experience. We caught Bonito Tuna, Red Snapper, Spanish Mackerel, and Jack. The Jack fish was served at the El Bucanero Restaurante in a Ceviche dish - muy deliciosa!

Drake Bay · Osa Peninsula

Where Corcovado begins

Drake Bay sits on the northern edge of the Osa Peninsula, on Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast — the closest village to Corcovado National Park and the launching point for almost everything worth doing here. There is no through road worth the name, which is exactly why the forest around it is still standing.

We were born here. Everything below is what we tell friends who ask how to plan a trip, and what we would want to know ourselves.

Where is Drake Bay?

On the Osa Peninsula in Puntarenas province, roughly eight hours south of San José by road and about an hour by small plane. The village faces north across the bay, with rainforest behind it and Caño Island seventeen kilometres offshore.

It is small — a few hundred people, one dirt main street, and a beach where boats land instead of a dock. Phone signal comes and goes. That is the trade for having a national park on your doorstep.

How to get to Drake Bay

Most people come by boat from Sierpe: about an hour and a half down the Sierpe river and through the mangroves, then out along the coast. It is a beautiful trip and half the reason to arrive that way.

There are also short domestic flights from San José to the Drake Bay airstrip, and a rough road from Rincón that needs a 4x4 and confidence with river crossings. Tell us how you are arriving and we will tell you what to expect.

Best time to visit Corcovado

December to April is the drier season — calmer seas, easier trails, and the busiest months, so book tours and Sirena bunks well ahead.

May to November is greener and much quieter, with rain that usually arrives in the afternoon and leaves the mornings clear. September and October are the wettest. The wildlife is here all year; only the crowds really change.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Corcovado tour should I choose?

If you have one day, Sirena has the densest wildlife and San Pedrillo the emptiest trails. If you have two or three, sleeping at the Sirena ranger station is a different trip entirely — you walk at dawn and dusk with the park to yourself. Tell us how long you have and we will say which one we would pick.

How many days do I need in Drake Bay?

Three nights is the honest minimum: one Corcovado day, one Caño Island day, and a day for the weather to misbehave. Four or five lets you add a night walk, the mangroves or a fishing morning without rushing anything.

Is Corcovado or Caño Island better?

They are different animals. Corcovado is rainforest on foot — monkeys, tapirs, macaws, hours of walking in heat. Caño Island is water — reef fish, turtles, rays, no walking at all. Most people who come this far do both, and if you only do one, pick the one that matches how you like to spend a day.

Do I need to be fit for these tours?

For Corcovado, you need to be comfortable walking about four hours on flat trails in real heat and humidity. There is no climbing. Everything else we run — Caño Island, the mangroves, the sunset trip, birdwatching — asks almost nothing physically.

Can we go with children?

Yes, and plenty of families do. Caño Island snorkeling, the night walk and the bioluminescence trip are the ones children tend to love most. The multi-day Corcovado expeditions are hard going for younger ones — the single day suits families much better.

What is included in the price?

For every tour: the boat, your certified bilingual guide, park permits and entrance fees where they apply, and safety gear. Most full-day trips include lunch. Each tour page lists exactly what is and is not included, with nothing hidden at the beach.

Ready to dive into the wild?

Let Corcovado show you the magic hidden just beneath the surface. Secure your spot with local experts — small groups, licensed guides, 100% wild.