The Divine Dolphin

Me and my husband had the opportunity to go on several tours with Sierra and we had some of the most beautiful experiences in 4 years of traveling around the world. Sierra has a true connection with the sea and it was beautiful to see how she respects and connects with the dolphins. She’s definitely in love with what she does. We got the chance to see thousands of dolphins on different days and it’s a memory that we’ll always keep! We even saw a sea lion, turtles and tunas jumping out of the water that were so big that looked like dolphins. I must say, this is a truly unforgettable experience.

My family and I just returned from our long awaited trip to Costa Rica and the highlight by far was our tour with The Divine Dolphin. I admit we had high expectations and they were all met and more.

We saw three different species of dolphins; Spotted Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins and the Spinner Dolphins. My kids were out of their minds happy! The dolphins themselves were amazing, of course, but we were also impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of Sierra, the owner. She obviously loves what she does and it shows. Besides the dolphin and whale tours, she is also involved in getting the area protected and her conservationism shows in everything they do, including their delicious and healthy vegan lunch with reusable plastic containers. We really appreciated that and it was great having lunch on the boat surrounded by dolphins.

Her captain knows just how to maneuver around the dolphins without disturbing them. We have been on tours with bad captains and this was such a relief! Everything was done in a professional manner and their many years of experience shows.

Sierra and The Divine Dolphin walk their talk and provide a great and informative tour and I could not recommend it more!

Sierra & The Divine Dolphin tours are not to be missed!!

We all know no one can control the ocean, the sea life, the weather…
But despite all that, Sierra has a special gift of finding the sea creatures around Drake Bay.
She’s been here a long time & has so much knowledge.
I truly enjoyed watching her follow her practiced instincts on where the “regulars” were, as well as keeping a sharp eye out for anything else showing up.

She has a ton of knowledge, experience, & you can definitely tell she has a great passion for preservation of this area of extraordinary beauty & diversity of wildlife.

On our tour we got to see spotted dolphins, sea turtles, a crazy lookin sea snake! & lots of amazing birds.

I couldn’t recommend the tour more!

My partner and I drove to Drake Bay specifically for this tour, and it was worth it! Not even 30 minutes in to the tour, Sierra and the crew found a spot with multiple large pods of spotted dolphins resting all around us. The waters were choppy that day, but visibility still allowed us to see a large amount as they floated up to get some air and swam alongside the boat! As they started to awaken, we even saw some of the youngsters playing in the waves created by the boat! My boyfriend looked like a kid in a candy shop as dolphins are his absolute favorite animal, and of course I was excited too.

Sierra knows so much and cares so much about the animals, which is a large part of why I chose this tour as a fellow conservationist. I’ve seen some reviews upset about not swimming with the dolphins, but 1. It is not legal in Costa Rica and 2. I love that respecting the animals is the focal point of this tour. At one point she mentioned the dolphins liked reggae music and they really did seem to come to life when they turned up the music. I can’t help but feel like the regular cetacean visitors recognize her and the boat and appreciate the respect the Divine Dolphin team shows them!

The crew members were all kind and helpful, as well. Sierra was very responsive and quickly accommodating to our change of pick up point as we tried to navigate Drake Bay. And quite frankly, handled some hiccups due to some guests not being mindful with a lot of grace, so kudos. 😂 We had a delicious vegan lunch by a beautiful waterfall on the edge of Corcovado National Park. We didn’t catch whales on our tour, but we knew that could happen and still had a great time. We also saw several sea turtles and a couple of large sport fish species. Overall, it was a great day on the water! We hope to be back some day!

We had a wonderful experience with Sierra on her tour. She have a lot of knowledge and was happy to answer any question we had. And the best part was that We were at one point surrounded by hundreds of dolphins, I never seen so many dolphins at the same time It was truly a magical day.

We had a wonderful time and an amazing experience with The Divine Dolphin. We decided to visit Drake Bay after talking with the ex-pat couple, Steve and Ruby, that operated the Airbnb we stayed at in Dominical. We mentioned that we were volunteering with an organization in Playa Blanca and they said that if we were going to be in the Osa Peninsula we should really check out Drake Bay. Specifically, the whale and dolphin tour(s) offered by The Divine Dolphin. Steve, who has spent much time in the ocean, and seen many a dolphin along the way, took The Divine Dolphins tour and said he was blown away. We contacted Sierra, the owner of The Divine Dolphin, to see if we could arrange something on very short notice. She was very helpful, and accommodating, and made it work!

We had a similarly unbelievable experience. The Divine Dolphin picked us up right outside the hotel where we stayed, along the beach. We went to pick up the remaining folks that were to join us on the tour and, after a short de-briefing regarding rules, lunch, plan, etc., were off!

It was truly amazing how Sierra knew exactly where to go to find these beautiful creatures. She is truly a whale and dolphin whisperer! Almost immediately upon getting to the spot where she thought some whales might be, having seen some a few days earlier, we spotted the blows of what seemed to be 6-7 whales near our position. As we approached, we were rewarded with an amazing sight. We had found a group of 8-10 Humpback Whales on their migration from the North in what Sierra thought might be a “heat run”. Shortly thereafter a small group of rough-tooth dolphins joined the party! We were the only boat there for a bit, until a couple of the other captains saw our boat, and the ongoing blows, and joined us. We followed along with these whales and dolphins for about three hours, and it was indescribable. The whales remained very close to us and our boat, and put on quite the show for us. The visibility of the water was such that we could clearly see the outlines of the whole whales, and sometimes make out very specific features, as they would go near and under our boat before surfacing. At other times, the whole group would move along the surface for long periods, almost close enough to touch. Though we were not allowed to get in the water with the whales, since swimming with the whales is prohibited, it was, nonetheless, a breathtaking sight. These gentle giants were unbelievable to spend time with, and are as majestic as you imagine them to be. While I have been on other whale tours, none of them can compare to what I saw with Sierra and The Divine Dolphin! It was a once in a lifetime experience, and one you won’t soon forget.

We were so excited to join one of Sierra’s last tours before an October hiatus. We had heard so many good things about her tours we were super stoked, but curious whether the experience would live up to the hype. We needn’t have worried; this tour lives up to its billing and is a “must-do” if you’re in Drake Bay during whale watching season.

Sierra is knowledgeable and passionate, but not pompous or preachy. Her tour has a relaxed feel about it from the get go. She made everyone feel welcome and didn’t condescend, which in our experience can be a challenge with some passionate experts, no matter how well meaning.

We were treated to great views of two female-calf humpback whale pairs (complete with breaching and fin slapping), a feeding pod of white spotted dolphins (many of which played at bow of the boat as we travelled with them), a couple of lazily swimming manta rays, and a mating pair of green sea turtles.

Some of the nice touch extras include a generous, healthy lunch on the boat, a great soundtrack to accompany the voyage (awesome ‘80s greats), and a superbly talented captain who operated the boat with great care and respect for the animals.

Highly recommended!

We booked a tour on the whale off season, mid November, and so it was only my wife an I as guests on the boat.
Sierra took great care of us and we had some unforgettable Dolphin experiences! Amazing trip!
Sierra also managed to cater for my wife’s gluten allergy and provided excellent lunch!
Highly recommend!

Wowwwww what a day we had. Every time I take a tour with Sierra amazing things happen.What a day...was so beautiful. Many playful whales.Thanks so much always had the best experience while having a Whale watching with you.

I have been visiting Drake Bay for 6 years and always make it a point to go out on Sierras tour. I’ve never had a bad or even mediocre experience. Every single time has been absolutely unique and amazing. I went today and we were immediately greeted by a mommy and baby humpback whale that frolicked for a while with us. Then dolphins, more dolphins, more whales and more dolphins! I love that she doesn’t use single use plastics and her meals are yummy and vegan. She also attracts other guests with shared interests and I always make new friends and memories. Thanks Sierra and Divine Dolphin! Till next time. 🐬

Sierra is a knowledgeable and detailed guide with a deep connection to the ocean.

The day I took the Divine Dolphin tour there were no other people booked. Despite this, Sierra took me out on her boat and spent her time and energy teaching me about the ocean, pointing out dolphins and observing a mama whale and her baby.

She fed me a delicious lunch and took care to make sure I didn't get seasick on the waves.

Sierra has a deep love for marine mammals which is evident in the way she enthusiastically guides her tours. She is dedicated to marine preservation and educating people about the wonders of the ocean.

Thank you Sierra. I wholeheartedly recommend your tour.

Had the most amazing experience ever today with Devine Dolphin. I have been a certified diver since 1976 and I have never experienced anything remotely close to my whale and dolphin tour today.

We first saw some mantra rays and we dropped into the water to enjoy them. That was great, but it was nothing compared to what came next. We saw very large pod of spotted dolphin, so we dropped into the water. Suddenly a bait ball appeared and surrounded us. Next can a school of what seemed like hundreds of tuna attacking the bait ball. I could feel the small fish striking my legs as I watched the tuna feed. Then the dolphins appeared and led a coordinated feeding attack while we continued to float in the bait ball when our attempts to swim away from it failed. The sight was fantastic!

My day was complete, but there was a better experience yet to come. We saw a Brydes's whale appear in the water when we back in the boat. So we dropped back in and saw another bait ball. It moved towards again when suddenly a pod of dolphin moved in and started to feed. Out of nowhere came the Bryde's whale as it opened its mouth and scooped up large amounts of fish. It made 5 passes and repeated the same maneuvers...except it was even closer on a couple of passes....literally 10 feet frome me! Absolutely a surreal and wonderful experience!!

The crew and guide with Devine Dolphin where incredible and made the experience absolutely perfect. I recommend them without reservations when you come to Drake Bay!! It was a once in a lifetime experience for me!!

WHALE, you better GET READY to be WOW’ED! The absolute MAJESTY that can be witnessed in the surrounding celestial, sapphire blue, crystal clear waters outside of Drake Bay, CR is nothing less than LIFE CHANGING! People often come to this area to visit the National Park, because of its famous bio intensity! But, what people don't realize is that it is in the OCEAN TOO! Going on a tour with Divine Dolphin is SERIOUSLY not to be missed! There are just SO MANY cetaceans! Of many kinds! Often as far as the eye can see, and if not that day, up close and profoundly intimate! The love in Sierras 23year relationship with the dolphins and whales shows! This is not just any tour, this is deeply committed work to the protection of and the loving of these magnificent creatures! She knows them well and they know her and come leaping from all around to pay a visit! I have been out many times with Divine Dolphin and will continue to do so as everyday is fun and different! It’s truly what dreams are made of!

What an amazing adventure! Humpback Whales, dolphins, and even a sea turtle!

This whale watching tour is one of the best experiences in my life, and I will never forget the incredible feeling of being so close to these stunning animals! Huge humpback whales swimming directly under our boat! it was .. incredible.

The company, Divine tours, has this really comfortable and safe boat, a very experienced crew who can spot whale from far away. The owner, Sierra, went with us and was very knowledgeable and informative.

I really appreciated how important conservation is for this company, informing us of the improving protection of this stellar habitat, and these beautiful animals. A++

Wonderful tour today despite heavy rain- really knowledgeable guides/scientists who obviously care for the ocean and it’s animals. Spent a lovely long time near a humpback and her calf. Beautiful encounter. Lunch was good too!

I don't know how to express my gratitude for this experience, the welcoming nature of Sierra has really allowed me to have a very hassle free, easy time here in Drake Bay. I realize from the beginning I was totally winging this part of my trip, out of my comfort zone as a 1st time solo traveler and Sierra was magic and made it all possible.
I will forever be grateful.
The experience seeing the pods has planted something inside me, something so deep and beautiful and I look forward to what that is.
The Capitan was super, lunch was fantastic, and mother nature and Sierra did not disappoint with the experience with the dolphins.
Would recommend, and I would go again and again

Magical!

Swam with mobula rays, dolphins, tuna, bait fish ball (being eaten by the dolphins and tuna) AND a Brydes whale!!! We were not further than 5 yards away while she circled around and around scooping up huge mouthfuls of bait fish.

I am still in awe!

A dream come true!

I traveled to Drake Bay in March, and was fortunate enough to go on 2 dolphin tours hosted by Sierra (The Divine Dolphin). The tours were an experience of a lifetime, and I know I will be back. I think back on these days so fondly - they were truly magical. Sierra is so knowledgeable about the varieties of dolphins, and I feel like they know her and are drawn to her voice. The tours were so much fun - great music, delicious lunch and snacks, and incredible views. We saw so many dolphins, especially on my second tour, and my heart was instantly filled with joy. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who is considering it! <3

Laura (from Toronto, Canada)

Our group of 7 went on this tour February 12, 2022. What an experience!
We saw a lot of dolphins (spotted and bottle nose). It was so much fun watching them swim along the side of the boat. We were able to watch them swim in unison then jump out of the water.
We saw several whales surfacing the water to breathe.
We watched a whale and her baby for about 45 minutes. The baby was entertaining us while the mom rested.

The captain of the boat did a fantastic job. Sierra was watching for for whales and dolphins in the front of the boat and would just point where she wanted us to go and the captain followed her direction.

Sierra was FANTASTIC! She is extremely knowledgeable and shares this with you. Somehow she just knows where the whales and dolphins are.

I recommend this tour. We had a magical day!

Thank you Sierra!

Sierra has an uncanny ability to tune into exactly where the dolphins and whales are. Her marine conservation efforts and passion for safeguarding our oceans is unparalleled. Just being on the boat was so relaxing but seeing the dolphins and whales was exhilarating and beyond joyful!!!! The tour comes with a lovely lunch, snacks and cold water. I came here pretty much specifically for this tour and it did not disappoint. Once in a lifetime magical and blissful experience. Do not miss it!