Our excursion was booked through Costa Cat, which provides all-inclusive day trips.

From the minute we were first greeted by the multi-lingual staff, we experienced incredibly comprehensive service, from the delicious breakfast on the boat to drinks to snorkling to a fantastic lunch to the end of the day. I cannot speak highly enough of the service provided by the staff, each of whom learned the names of 40+ guests and anticipated our every need. The service was premium!

Isla Tortuga is uninhabited and various tour companies have contracts to bring day trips there. Each company has a section of beach and shade staked out for chairs and umbrellas, dining rooms, kitchens, restrooms and changing rooms. Since we were taken on this trip by ALIARSE, we were not allowed to drink, but apparently there were free margaritas and other alcohol for purchase.

Arriving on the island at about 9am, we enjoyed a couple of more hours of bright sun, and then a slow thickening of haze, just enough to cool us down a little. The water on the Pacific side is a tad cooler than the Atlantic, but not much and on the sandy beach the only waves were wakes from the boats just off shore.

While no people live on the island, there are apparently a resident pig and parrot that like to hang with the guests.

We left the island on the boat at 3pm, exhausted. It was a fantastic day, and a trip I plan to enjoy again in the future. Here are official photos from Costa Cat.