Crocodile Man Tour
Parks & Wildlife · Jacó & Herradura · Nature tours
A long-established boat tour on the Tarcoles River, where big American crocodiles bask on the banks a short drive from Jacó. Reviewers love the entertaining, knowledgeable guides and the mix of crocodiles of all sizes with herons, ibis and birds of prey in about an hour and a half on a covered boat.
- Start times
- 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00
- Days
- Daily
- Takes
- 2 h
- Best time
- morning
- Booking
- Book ahead
- Ratings
- 4.8 on Tripadvisor (161)
Highlights
- Many crocodiles, from babies to giant males several metres long
- Rich birdlife along the river and mangroves
- Guides praised as fun, energetic and full of local knowledge
- Covered motor boat with no physical effort needed; suits all ages
Tips
- Ask for the departure closest to low, outgoing tide (often around 8 am)
- Bring a zoom lens or binoculars for birds
- Avoid prepaying if your arrival time is uncertain; leave time for road delays
- Combine with Carara National Park, 20 minutes from Jacó
- Go near low tide
- Bring binoculars or zoom
- Lunch and transport extra
Good to know
- Lunch, fruit and transport are extra; prices differ a lot between resellers
- Another operator uses a similar 'Crocodile Man' name; confirm the company when booking
- Guides on this river were filmed hand-feeding crocodiles in 2014-2015; feeding wild crocodiles is now illegal in Costa Rica, so stay seated in the boat if animals come close
- Wildlife numbers vary with tide and season
Prices (as published)
| Crocodile Tour (Crocodile Man Tour, the original) — per person · 1:45 h · boat · group 2-24 | $39.55 |
| Carara National Park — each · min 2 pax · 2 h · book 48 h ahead | $79.10 |
| Horseback Riding by Tarcoles Beach — each · min 2 pax · 2 h | $62.15 |
| ATV 2 hours — each · min 2 pax · 2 h | $90.40 |
| Zip Line Carara — each · min 2 pax · 1.5 h | from $84.75 |
| Tortuga Island Tour — min 5 pax (price as listed) | $1,356 |
Contact & directions
- Website: https://crocodilemantour.com/
- Phone: +506 2637 0771
- WhatsApp: https://wa.me/50688595367
- Location: 9.759359, -84.624377 — Google Maps · Waze
Secret spots nearby
- Crocodile Statue, TárcolesLandmark · FreeA crocodile sculpture by the coastal highway at the fishing village of Tárcoles — a fun photo stop that goes with the real crocs under the Tárcoles bridge a few minutes north.
- Playa TárcolesBeach · Free · hidden gemThe beach of Tárcoles village, a short drive from the crocodile bridge and the river mouth.
- Playa PógeresBeach · Free · hidden gemA low-key beach between Tárcoles and Punta Leona, popular with Costa Rican families but rarely crowded, with local seafood spots nearby.
- Playa Azul & Tárcoles River MouthNature spot · Free · hidden gemWhere the Tárcoles River pours into the Gulf of Nicoya: a wide estuary beach with flocks of gulls, pelicans and frigatebirds, fishing boats, and at dusk, pairs of scarlet macaws flying out to roost in the mangroves.
- Carara National ParkTrail · about $11A transition forest where Costa Rica's dry north meets the humid south, famous for wild scarlet macaws plus trogons, monkeys and agoutis.
- Catarata Manantial de Agua VivaWaterfall · hidden gemA waterfall near Tárcoles, Puntarenas province.
Sources: https://crocodilemantour.com/ · https://crocodilemantour.com/shop/tours/crocodile-man-tour-the-original/ (site says 12:00am, read as noon) · 0014_jaco.sql · intel-C.json · traveler reviews checked 2026-10-10