all set for fishing
With direct flights from the United States to San Jose and Guanacaste, reaching choice fishing destination is easy. Every fishing destination has hotels, fishing equipment, guides, boats and almost anything needed to ensure a memorable trip.
welcome aboard
Thanks to its abundance of marine fauna, Costa Rica has become a major sportfishing destination, with five Grand Slam events per year, two in Marina Pez Vela and three in Marina de los Sueños.
Marina Pez Vela:
Quepos Billfish Cup - February
Offshore World Championship - April
Marina Los Sueños:
Signature Triple Crown Series, which is divided into three events – January, February and March.
The Pacific flat coasts and exotic Caribbean coasts are an angler’s paradise. The fish and the challenges await!
Guanacaste
Guanacaste is known for its great fishing, especially marlin finishing, all year long. Some favorite spots for sport fishing in this region are Coco and Ocotal Beach, Tamarindo, Samara and Carrillo. The area offers easy access, thanks to direct flights from the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia and connections coming from the United States. There are also flights from inside Costa Rica. Access by road is easy from the Central Pacific or San Jose.
Central Pacific
The natural beauty of Carara and Manuel Antonio National Parks complement the active fishing centers. The Marina in Playa Herradura offers excellent services and conditions for all lovers of this thrilling sport.
Among some of the services the marina has are 250 docks, fuel supply and repair shop and a dry dock with a crane supporting up to 10 tons, which makes it ideal to store jet skis or small recreational boats. The marina is also equipped with the Internet, telephone, commercial centers, banking services, rent-a-cars, as well as equipment for emergencies, power and potable water supply.
It also has the Marina Pez Vela located in Quepos (just six kilometers from Manuel Antonio National Park) with capacity for 100 boats. The proximity of this zone to the Juan Santamaria International Airport allows to access many Costa Rican choice fishing destinations in about an hour.
South Pacific
The remote areas of Costa Rica offer important fishing centers including: Drake, Puerto Jimenez, Zancudo, Golfo Dulce, and Golfito, which has everything needed for a pleasant stay. This area has runways in Golfito, Drake, Coto 47, and Palmar Sur, giving easy access with internal flights from San Jose.
North Caribbean
Unforgettable experiences are found in the Caribbean zone. Here, fish species that differ from those in the Pacific coast, like the snook are abundant. The unique landscapes and seascapes in the Caribbean of Costa Rica are a “place out of time” and as peaceful as they are beautiful.
The North Caribbean, including the canals at Barra del Colorado and Parismina, offers complete packages including fishing tours and transportation to and from San Jose.
adventure of your choice
Whether it’s fishing in deep ocean waters, rivers, lakes, streams, or waterways, Costa Rica offers lifetime adventure memories on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.
The Arenal Lake is popular for fishing cichlids (Cichlasoma dovii), which can also be found in Coter Lake, Hule Lagoon, Congo in Sarapiqui, Rio Cuarto Lake in Grecia, Bonilla Lagoon in Turrialba and Caño Negro in Los Chiles.
The “living fossil,” the tropical gar famous for its crocodile mouth and fish body, is found in Caño Negro.
Family friend experiences are found in several places around the country. These sites, besides having such species as tilapia in warm areas and trout in cool areas, offer the opportunity to taste local and international dishes prepared on the spot, offering families an unforgettable experience
costa rica's best places for fishing
On the map you'll find Costa Rica's tourism regions, where you can participate in these activities. For more information on any of these activities, contact your travel agent or hotel.
adventure traveler itineraries
explore what to do in costa rica
Whether you’re booking your trip independently or through a travel advisor, here are helpful ideas of what you may like to see and do to discover more about Costa Rica.
