Aguas Azules Beach Parasailing in Sensational Manuel Antonio

In Activities, Costa Rica, Outdoors by Erik @ DIY Travel HQ9 Comments

Aguas Azules are professionals at offering parasailing tours in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Find out how a lifetime of experience makes soaring 450’ in the air even more enjoyable!

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Parasailing with Aguas Azules in Manuel Antonio

Aquas Azules offer several different tours on Manuel Antonio beach but their specialty is Parasailing, which Miguel & Melanie, the owners, have been involved in for over 25 years.

And what better way to get  a bird’s eye view over sensational the Manuel Antonio beach & national park?

It’s one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica!

* Don’t forget to purchase travel insurance before any trip to Costa Rica. We’ve been using World Nomads for over 10 years – it’s the best-value provider we’ve found & we’ve also never had any issues on the few occasions we’ve had to make a claim.

We here at DIY Travel HQ emailed them a couple days in advance & secured our 9:30 am time slot.

Their beach location is down a small side street, just outside Manuel Antonio proper. You can recognize them by their white tent & equipment lining the beach.

Aguas Azules white tent

Look for the white tent on Manuel Antonio Beach to find Aguas Azules!

We were their first tour of the day & got there early so we saw the busy bees preparing for the adventure packed day ahead of them.

Their routine involves setting up the tent, backing the jet skis into the water, positioning the banana boat, creating a launching area for parasailing, & positioning the sun chairs with umbrellas.

Aguas Azules parasails

We arrived early & watched the Aquas Azules parasails being set up

Once they were set up, we introduced ourselves & they went through what to expect when ase

Parasailing at Manuel Antonio. The air time would typically be 15 minutes & the route is weather dependent. However, you can’t go wrong whatever direction you head as you can see spectacular scenery for miles around.

Simply sign the waiver, stow your extra gear in their storage box, & prepare to suit-up. Ask about taking a dry bag for your phone(s) if you don’t have a GoPro.

Miguel Aguas Azules

A pre-parasail pep talk with Miguel, the owner of Aquas Azules!

Getting Ready to go Parasailing with Aguas Azules

Safety always comes first with Aguas Azules, & it is no different with parasailing. The most important aspect is the harness that attaches you to the boat & parachute that supports your weight.

You simply slide your legs through the harness & the staff tighten the straps while you hold another pair of straps that will connect to a bar later.

Parasailing Manuel Antonio beach

All strapped up & ready to launch!

The staff are very friendly & stress the importance of sitting in the chair-band since there is a lot of pressure being asserted on your lower half.

They teach you how to pull yourself up using the bar while you or a tandem parasailer pulls the cushioned strap down.

During take-off they yelled for me from below to fix my seat & I thought I did. It wasn’t until the next day when my thighs were sore that I realized I could have done a better job!

Take off parasailing

A few steps on the beach & we were up in the air!!!

Parasailing Above Manuel Antonio with Aguas Azules

Following the parasailing instructions for take-off, flying, & landing we got clipped into the weight distribution bar & were told to walk & hold it until it naturally left our hands. At that point, the boat at sea would have taken the slack out of the rope & we would start taking off before we even knew it.

The beautiful aspect is that you can’t leave the ground if the parachute isn’t open properly or you are strapped in wrong so you can simply relax once you feel the ground disappear from your feet!

Parasailing Costa Rica

Feet up & hands up, parasailing is freedom!

It didn’t take long for our specifically designed parasailing parachute to catch enough wind to take us up to 450’ above Manuel Antonio. The boat captain took us on a figure eight tour of the bay. Along the way we circled several small rocky islands that resembled Halong Bay in Vietnam.

From the air you could see the entirety of Manuel Antonio National Park, the populated Playa Espadilla, & a handful of islands that fill up the bay. The views are what makes parasailing above Manuel Antonio special compared to other locations around the world.

Views Manuel Antonio

Birds-eye views from parasailing with Aguas Azules

One of the things I had forgotten when I went parasailing in Mexico, & Sheena quickly learned, is that the ride is very smooth once you are in the air. There are no sudden jerking motions or spontaneous drops. The parasailing parachute is designed with slats that let excess air through, but lets you gently fall when descending.

Virtually everyone can give parasailing a try, there’s absolutely no experience necessary & it’s suitable for young & old. You can ride solo though having a friend (or 2!) join you makes the experience even more memorable!

Parasailing Costa Rica

Happiness at 450ft or 150m in the air! 🙂

Coming in for Landing when Parasailing with Aguas Azules

You will know it is time to ‘brace for impact’ once the boat approaches the shore & runs parallel to the beach. This is when you should start putting your cell phones in the dry bag since you will be landing in the water.

The descent is very gradual & we were tricked several times thinking that we would land soon. However, the boat captain kept adding wind to our parachute so that it would fall behind us in the water.

Landing Aguas Azules

Getting ready to land in picturesque Manuel Antonio

On the third or fourth descent we finally landed lightly in the water. The lifejackets kept us afloat as a staff member jumped off a jet ski to undue our clips. We then swam a short distance to the jet ski before climbing on-board & catching a ride back to the beach.

We were safely on land & getting unclipped before the crew had even finished collecting the parachute.

Parasail beach landing

The aftermath of our gentle “crash landing” into the water!

A few minutes later we were smiling from an awesome time parasailing above Manuel Antonio & collecting our personal items. The whole experience lasted about 30 minutes & the Aguas Azules staff were excellent & professional the entire time.

If you haven’t tried parasailing before, Manuel Antonio beach is the perfect spot to give it a try – and you can’t go wrong in the experienced hands of Aquas Azules!

Parasailing Tour

We did it! Can’t wait to do it again!

How to Book a Tour with Aguas Azules

With the advancement of technology there are several ways to book a tour with Aguas Azules. If you want to guarantee a time slot then try their website, email, or by phone. Otherwise, you can find them on the Manuel Antonio beach to schedule a tour or rental in person.

Aguas Azules offers the following tours & services:

  • Parasailing
  • Jet Ski Rental
  • Banana Boat
  • Snorkeling
  • Water Ski / Wakeboard
  • Surf Lessons
  • Sunset Cruise
  • Fishing Charters
  • Beach Chairs & Umbrellas
Playa Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio beach, who wouldn’t want to parasail in paradise?!

In a Nutshell

Location: Manuel Antonio beach, in front of Caycosta souvenir shop

Prices:

  • Beach Parasailing – Single rider $85.00, Double $140.00, Triple $185.00
  • Winch Boat Parasailing – $85.00 per person
  • Boat Ride only – $30.00 per person

Contact Information:

Check out their Tripadvisor reviews here

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***The Final Word – Parasailing is best enjoyed with beautiful scenery & there’s no better place for it than Manuel Antonio!**

Did you know that parasailing was so gentle up in the air?

* We received a complimentary Parasailing Tour with Aguas Azule, thank you to Miguel & Melanie for hosting us. We only recommend fun, value for money activities & experiences that we believe our readers would enjoy. As always, all opinions & photos are our own.

Visited in January 2017

Comments

  1. It wasn’t scary when you landed back in the water? That would scare me the most! Looks relatively easy otherwise, from what you said, I just cannot get over the landing part being ok haha. I really want to do this one day though! And go to Costa Rica

    1. I think that is why I haven’t done it yet! It looks like so much fun to get into though. 2017 bucket list has not been updated. heh

  2. OH this looks like so much fun! I would love to parasail over that gorgeous water! Thanks for sharing we will have to bookmark it for when we are there!

  3. Ive never tried parasailing coz im afraid of heights but it seems like fun! or should i say you made it look fun 😉

  4. This article could not have come at a better time because I’ve actually been thinking about parasailing. Quick question though, I am kind of afraid of heights, did you find it scary at all?

    1. So am I, Yuri! However, it all felt totally natural & surreal. Even though you know you are flying 150 meters in the air, you don’t really think about it. You always feel the tension in the harness so you know you are safe & the landing was gentle in the water. Now if you can’t stand on a chair without having a panic attack, then definitely don’t go. 🙂 Otherwise, you should enjoy it, & most tours go for 15 minutes so it isn’t that long either. Let us know how it goes to help other people with the same issue.

  5. Love this post, I have never been parasailing as I have always been a bit to scared to do it. But after reading this post, you have convinced me to do. Great Post 🙂

  6. Wow! Oh how I miss the beach, and parasailing, too! Nice pictures, ate! I hope I could visit Central America soon and travel the world! Happy travels! 🙂

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