Booking choice: The Double Dip power catamaran, 4 hours. Book this Tour details
The island is the same for everyone: no bathrooms, no food, no permanent shade and no lifeguards, per Discover Puerto Rico. With children, that makes the boat the most important choice of the day.
Below are the minimum ages each listing gives, which boats have a restroom and shade, the trip with a water slide, and how to handle the ride and the landing.
The quick answer
For small children, a tour boat with a restroom and shade, such as the Double Dip (ages 2 and up per the listing), beats a water taxi. The water taxi day takes kids from 3, the full-day catamaran from 4, the relax trip from 5, and the bio bay kayak tour from 6. Plan on carrying little ones through the water to the beach.
Is Icacos good for kids?
Yes, if you plan for the toilet, the sun and the wade. The island has none of the comforts a family beach usually has.
The good: a short ride, clear water, and a beach long enough to find space on a weekday. The hard parts: no restroom ashore, no shade, no lifeguards, and a landing that can mean wading from the boat.
A tour boat solves most of it. The Double Dip lists a restroom, a shaded cabin and a freshwater shower, and four hours is about right for small kids. Older children who swim well do fine on the water taxi day, with umbrellas set up on the sand.
What is the minimum age on each tour?
From 2 on the Double Dip to 6 on the bio bay kayak tour. These are the listing minimums; check before you book.
Straight from each listing:
| Trip | Minimum age (listing) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Double Dip | 2+ | Restroom, shade, floats on board |
| Water taxi beach day | 3+ | Umbrellas and cooler on the sand; no restroom |
| Full-day catamaran | 4+ | Big boat, lunch on board, six hours |
| Swim, snorkel and relax | 5+ (one section says 4) | Kids' snorkel gear and floats |
| Bio bay kayak tour | 6+ | Ages 6 to 13 share a kayak with an adult |
| Snorkel cruise with slide | 6+ | Water slide on the Medusa |
| Private charter | Check listing | Your group only, up to 6 |
The relax trip contradicts itself on age; ask the operator if your child is 4. The Double Dip lists that it is not suitable for people with back or heart problems, which matters for grandparents more than kids.
Ages 2 and up: a reef, a beach, a shaded cabin and a restroom, in four hours.
Book thisWhich boat has a water slide?
The snorkel cruise from Puerto Chico: its boat Medusa has a water slide. Confirm the destination on the listing.
The snorkel cruise with slide and lunch runs two boats, Medusa and El Kraken, and the slide is on Medusa. The listing sets the minimum age at 6, and its bar serves alcohol to over-21s only.
East Island Excursions, which runs the full-day catamaran, lists a 62-foot catamaran with a water slide in its Discover Puerto Rico profile. The listing does not say which boat you get, and it notes a smaller boat in the slow season, so do not promise the kids a slide.
Are there shallows for small children?
Yes, there is clear, shallow water off the beach. Keep little ones within reach: there are no lifeguards.
Put small children in a life vest in the water, even in the shallows. The Double Dip lists floats, and the relax trip lists kids' snorkel gear and floats, which saves packing them.
Currents can surprise, so pick a calm stretch and stay near the boat or your umbrella. One adult on water duty at all times.
A 46-foot motorboat capped at 40 guests, kids' snorkel gear and floats, a reef first, then the beach.
Book this Tour detailsIs there shade and a restroom?
Not on the island. On the boat, yes: the Double Dip lists a restroom, shaded seating and a freshwater shower.
Icacos has no bathrooms and no permanent shade, per Discover Puerto Rico. With a toddler, that settles it: take a boat with a toilet.
On the water taxi day, umbrellas are set up for you, but the nearest restroom is back at Las Croabas.
Older kids who swim well? Most of five hours on the island, umbrellas and a cooler included, from age 3.
Book thisHow do kids get from the boat to the beach?
Usually by wading. The Double Dip listing says there are no docks at the beach, so plan to carry small children.
Catamarans anchor off the beach and guests climb down a ladder into the water. The depth varies with where the boat anchors and the swell. Carry toddlers on your hip, keep a vest on them, and hand bags to someone on the ladder.
Leave the stroller at the hotel. The Double Dip and the relax trip list strollers among what you cannot bring, and it would be useless on the sand anyway.
What about seasickness?
The shortest ride is the water taxi, about 15 minutes from Las Croabas. Longer sails, like the 45 minutes from Puerto del Rey, test queasy kids more.
If your child gets carsick, pick a short ride: the water taxi or a half-day boat. Give a light breakfast, sit them in the middle of the boat where it moves least, and have them watch the horizon. Talk to your doctor about motion sickness remedies before the trip, not on the dock.
The Double Dip runs rain or shine, per its listing, so a choppy morning is possible. An afternoon departure gives you a chance to check the weather first.
Can kids do the bio bay the same day?
From age 6, yes. The bio bay kayak tour leaves from Kayak Village in Las Croabas at sunset, and ages 6 to 13 share a kayak with an adult.
The bio bay kayak tour paddles a mangrove channel into Laguna Grande, one of Puerto Rico's three bioluminescent bays, per ToPuertoRico.org. It lasts about 2 hours. After a full day in the sun, that is a lot for a six-year-old; a morning boat and an afternoon nap make it work.
The glow is stronger on dark, moonless nights, so check the moon before you pick the date.
Glowing water after dark: two hours in a kayak through the mangroves into Laguna Grande, from age 6.
Book this Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
What is the youngest age for an Icacos boat trip?
The Double Dip lists ages 2 and up, the youngest of the trips here. The water taxi day takes children from 3 and the full-day catamaran from 4.
Is there a bathroom on Icacos for kids?
No. The island has no bathrooms. Pick a tour boat with a restroom on board, such as the Double Dip.
Do Icacos tours have life jackets for kids?
The Double Dip lists floats, and the relax trip lists kids' snorkel gear and floats. Ask the operator about life vests in your child's size when you book.
Is the water calm enough for children at Icacos?
Often, but conditions change and there are no lifeguards. Keep small children in a vest and within reach, and follow the crew's advice.
Ready to book
Choose your boat
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option listed here.
Double Dip Power Catamaran
- Buffet lunch, fruit and soft drinks
- Beer and gratuities listed as included
- Snorkel gear and floats
Water Taxi & Beach Day Package
- Round-trip water taxi, about 15 minutes each way
- Beach umbrellas and a cooler with drinks
- Mask and snorkel, optional guided snorkel
Swim, Snorkel & Relax Boat Trip
A 46-foot motorboat capped at 40, reef first, then the beach
