# Turismo Marítimo del Pacífico: Inshore Gulf Trips from Puntarenas

> Turismo Marítimo del Pacífico, also known as TM Tours, is a family boat-tour company in Puntarenas founded in 2010 by captain Marco Guzmán. Alongside its Isla Tortuga and bioluminescence tours, it runs private 5-hour inshore fishing trips in the Gulf of Nicoya for up to 4 anglers, from a private marina near the cruise pier. It's a practical choice for cruise passengers, people catching the Paquera ferry, and anyone staying in Puntarenas or Jacó who wants a short morning or afternoon on the water.

Source: https://sportfishing-costarica.com/turismo-maritimo-del-pacifico/
Last checked: 2026-11-15
Location: Puntarenas, Puntarenas, Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica
Type: charter
Official website: https://tmtourscr.com/
Founded: 2010, by captain Marco Guzmán; family run
Boats: Don Quito I and Doña Mary V, a 39-foot center console built by the captain's own boatyard
Fishing: private inshore trips, 7:00 a.m. to noon or 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Group size: up to 4 anglers, with room for extras on some boats
Targets: roosterfish, cubera and red snapper, sierra mackerel, jacks, tuna and mahi-mahi
Leaves from: Guima Frost Marina, Barrio El Cocal, Puntarenas, with private parking
Also offers: Isla Tortuga, bioluminescence, Isla San Lucas and mangrove tours, cruise-ship trips

## A Puntarenas family business

Puntarenas is the old port on a long sand spit on the mainland side of the Gulf of Nicoya. It's better known for ferries and cruise ships than for sportfishing, but it has a working waterfront and a few local boat companies. Turismo Marítimo del Pacífico, which mostly goes by TM Tours, is one of the longest running. Captain Marco Guzmán founded it in 2010, and it's still a family company with a crew born and raised in Puntarenas.

Most of its business is boat tours: day trips to Isla Tortuga, night tours to see the gulf's bioluminescence, visits to the old prison island of San Lucas and mangrove rides. Fishing is a smaller but steady part of it, sold as a private inshore charter. The company's website was refreshed in October 2026 and the business is busy on TripAdvisor and Google, so it's clearly operating.

## The boats

TM Tours names 2 boats. **Doña Mary V** is a 39-foot center console built by Taller Náutico del Pacífico, Captain Guzmán's own boat-repair business, to a design it calls the Wahoo CR. **Don Quito I** was built by a local captain, Peter Maggie. Both are large center consoles certified to local safety rules and insured by the INS, the national insurer, and both are used for tours as well as fishing, which is why they're rated for far more passengers than you'd ever fish with. A fishing charter takes up to 4 anglers, and some boats can take an extra person or 2.

## What you'll fish for, and when

![An angler and a smiling crew member giving a thumbs up while holding a jack crevalle on a boat in the Gulf of Nicoya](/static/img/turismo-maritimo-del-pacifico-jack-800.webp "Photo: [Turismo Marítimo del Pacífico](https://tmtourscr.com/)")

These are inshore trips. The crew fishes the coast and islands of the Gulf of Nicoya for [roosterfish](/roosterfish-the-majestic-fish-of-costa-rica/), [cubera and red snapper](/snappers-in-costa-rica/), sierra mackerel and jacks, with tuna and mahi-mahi when they come into range, and some jigging for snapper. Live bait goes out when the crew can catch it. The gulf is shallow, mangrove-edged and sheltered, so it's usually calm, which makes it a good first fishing trip for families.

Roosterfish are a year-round target, at their best from January to April. One thing to know before you book: INCOPESCA closes the inner Gulf of Nicoya to all fishing, sport included, from 1 May to 31 July (it did in both 2025 and 2026). If you're visiting in those months, ask the crew where they can fish. Our [Gulf of Nicoya fishing guide](/gulf-of-nicoya-fishing/) explains the closure and the gulf's other rules, including the no-fishing waters around Isla San Lucas.

The company describes its approach as sustainable and mentions catch and release. Billfish are always released under [Costa Rican law](/costa-rica-fishing-rules/), and the crew cleans and fillets the eating fish you keep.

## Trip types

There's one fishing trip, a private 5-hour inshore charter, in 2 time slots: 7:00 a.m. to noon or 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Mornings are usually calmer. Captains and mates, rods, tackle and lures, live bait when possible, drinks (water, soft drinks, juice and local beer), snacks, ice, fruit and fish cleaning are included, and there's private parking at the marina. You'll need your own [INCOPESCA fishing licence](/costa-rica-fishing-licence-how-to/).

The company also runs trips timed to cruise ships at the Puntarenas pier, and it can arrange pickups from Jacó and San José for its tours, so ask if you need transport.

## How to book

Book on the company's website, which uses an online booking page, by WhatsApp or phone on +506 7004 3663, or by email at info@tmtourscr.com. The rate is per boat, and the company asks for a deposit to confirm. Trips leave from the Guima Frost Marina in Barrio El Cocal, about 400 m east of the Puntarenas cruise dock. For the wider area, see our [Nicoya Peninsula guide](/nicoya-peninsula-fishing-guide/) and our guide to [the southern Nicoya Peninsula](/the-nicoya-peninsula-a-tropical-vacation/), just across the gulf by ferry.

## Frequently asked questions

### Where does TM Tours leave from?
From the Guima Frost Marina in Barrio El Cocal, Puntarenas, about 400 m east of the cruise dock. There's private parking.

### How long is the fishing trip?
5 hours, either from 7:00 a.m. to noon or from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

### Can I fish with them between May and July?
The inner Gulf of Nicoya is closed to all fishing from 1 May to 31 July, so ask the crew what's possible before you book for those months.

### Is it a good option for cruise passengers?
Yes. The marina is a short walk from the cruise pier, and the company times some of its tours to ships' schedules.