Four hours out of a Fajardo marina with the boat booked for your group alone, leaving at 8:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., with Icacos or Palominos as your choice of cay.
Updated 13 October 2026
In shortThis is a 4 hour charter from a Fajardo marina on a boat that carries only your group, from $638, with a guided snorkel stop, snorkel gear, fruit, ham and cheese sandwiches, snacks, Pepsi, 7up, juice, water, a case of Medalla beer and rum. The captain and crew guide in English, taking you to the snorkelling spot first and then moving in near the beach of the cay you pick. It suits groups, families travelling together and celebrations that want their own timing rather than a fixed catamaran schedule.
4 htour length
from $638per booking
★ 5.0511 reviews
What the Icacos island private boat charter includes
The Icacos island private boat charter books the whole boat for your group for 4 hours, from $638, rated ★ 5.0 across 511 reviews. You pick the destination: Cayo Icacos, which sits about 1.5 miles northeast of Fajardo and takes 15 to 20 minutes to reach, or Isla Palominos. The run passes El Faro de las Cabezas de San Juan, and the captain anchors at a snorkelling spot before repositioning close to the beach for the rest of the window.
Two start times are offered, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Take the morning one. Numbers on the southwest beach strip of Icacos climb through the day and peak at 2:00 p.m., when DRNA's 2017 counts averaged about 598 people an hour across the study zones. The afternoon slot still works well if you want a late swim and a slower start to the day.
Icacos is uninhabited and has no facilities at all: no restrooms, no drinking water, no food service, no trash collection, no permanent shade and no lifeguards, so swimming and snorkelling are at your own risk. The charter covers the eating and drinking side, so all you really carry aboard is a towel and sunscreen. Vegetation is palm trees, sea grape bushes and rocky points, and anything you open on the sand goes back to the boat with you.
La Cordillera reef nature reserve covers about 29,653 acres, mostly submerged, designated on 2 January 1980 and administered by Puerto Rico's Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales since 1991. Two rules matter most on a private boat: use the mooring buoys rather than dropping anchor on coral, and leave the sound system off, because DRNA Administrative Order 2025-02 of 10 March 2025 bans high volume speakers on boats inside the reserve, with fines reaching $25,000 and the Cuerpo de Vigilantes patrolling. In the water, do not touch coral and do not stand on reef; DRNA observed about a third of snorkellers doing at least one damaging thing, usually kicking the reef with fins or disturbing an organism.
All-Inclusive Private Charter to Icacos or Palomino Islands
Four hours with the boat to your group, guided snorkelling with gear, food and drinks aboard, and Icacos or Palominos as your call on the day. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Cayo Icacos The Icacos version of the half day charter runs 4 hours, in the 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. window, and passes El Faro de las Cabezas de San Juan on the way out. The captain heads for the snorkelling spot first, with gear and guided snorkelling included, then moves in near the cay so you can get on the beach. Fruit, sandwiches, snacks and drinks are served aboard.
Isla Palominos240 min The Palominos version is also 4 hours, with the same two departure windows and the Reserva Natural Cabezas de San Juan along the route. Same order of events: guided snorkel stop with equipment, then anchored close to the island for beach and swimming time, with fruit, sandwiches, snacks and beverages on board. You decide between this and Icacos with the operator.
Photos: ours and the tour operator's
What is included
Included
Fruit, ham and cheese sandwiches, snacks and drinks: Pepsi, 7up, juice and water
Use of snorkel equipment
Alcoholic drinks: a case of Medalla beer and rum
Guided snorkelling at the stop chosen by the captain
Not included
Gratuities
Towels
Sunscreen
Meeting point, pickup and cancellation
Meeting point: the map pin takes you straight to the marina parking lot. Tell the guard at the entrance that you are going on an excursion with the operator, then park and walk to the wooden gazebo near the office.
Departure windows: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., 4 hours either way.
Choice of cay: Icacos or Palominos, confirmed with the operator.
Cancellation: cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time for a full refund.
Ages: travellers 0 to 120.
Other private boat charters to Icacos compared
Three private options run out of Fajardo at different price points. The charter on this page is the 4 hour all inclusive one with food, drinks and guided snorkelling built in; the group rate version keeps the same 4 hours at a lower starting price; the third stretches to between 4 and 7 hours and adds Culebra to the list of possible destinations, which is the one to look at if you want a longer day and a further crossing.
Tour
Length
From
Rating
All-Inclusive Private Charter to Icacos or Palomino Islands (this page)
