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Costa Rica is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Recently it has become a relatively new diving destination and most dive sites are concentrated in two areas only: Flamingo-Coco which is situated in the Gulf of Papagayo, and the Osa Peninsula in the south west.
The Catalina Islands and the Bat Islands in the The Gulf of Papagayo houses the best of Costa Rica's diving. The dive sites here are suited for advanced divers due to strong surges and rough surface conditions and are non anchored dives. Those who love drift and deep dives and are up for adrenaline pumping underwater adventure are sure to be captivated. The depth of the dives reaches down 40ft/12m to 130ft/35m. Among the marine life to see are rays, sharks, angelfish, grunts, snapper, octopus, and many species of eel. On lucky dives you could also see whale sharks, spinner dolphins, humpback whales, pilot whales, orcas, false killer whales and schools containing hundreds of Mobulas and thousands of cow-nosed rays.
Other dive sites can be found in Caño Island sporting a wide variety of pelagic fishes such as schools of mobula rays (devil rays), turtles, and white tip reef sharks. Some divers report that sunlight could be blocked by large schools of fishes overhead creating an amazing underwater eclipse. The water visibility is excellent reaching as far down as 45-90 feet. On lucky dives, the elusive whale shark and the giant bull shark can also be spotted in the area.
The Costa Rican government made another breakthrough in marine conservation by declaring a new protected area called "Seamounts Marine Management Area" (Area Marina de Manejo Montes Submarinos) spanning nearly one million hectares around the Cocos islands which is five times larger than its existing National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The conservation aims to protect several species of sharks such as whitetip reef sharks, whale sharks, and scalloped hammerhead sharks, and more than 30 unique marine endemic species.
Costa Rica has a tropical & subtropical climate.
It has year round diving season.
The water temperature from January to March hovers around 27°C/80F and around 28°C/82F from July to September.
The natural hazards of interest to the Caribbean coast are frequent flooding and landslides and earthquakes due to the presence of active volcanoes.
There are many international airports in major Costa Rican cities.
Boat rides going to the islands are also available but once in the cities of Costa Rica, all visitors are strongly advised to contact their travel agents to facilitate ease of transportation to the islands.
The general transportation system of Costa Rica is deemed safe but be cautious of driving rental cars around Costa Rica as the roads are sometimes dangerous.
Use the following links for more information about;
- Decompression Chambers in Costa Rica
- Foreign Travel Advice for Costa Rica (UK Government)
- More about the Costa Rica (Wikipedia)
Cano Island, Costa Rica
Cano Island is a marine reserve located off of the south central pacific coast of Costa Rica. It has clear water as it is offshore and famous for many reef sharks. Wonderfully suited to divers and snorkelers alike, a visit here...
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Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Hundreds of Hammerhead Sharks, amazing marine life and blue open ocean, Cocos Island is a once in a lifetime diving destination that any shark lovers must dive. Cocos Island is an island approx 550km off the coast of Costa Rica of tectonic...
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Drake Bay, Cano Island, Costa Rica
Drake Bay is tucked away between rainforests, beaches and rocky cliffs. Isolated in Costa Rica’s less-traveled southern half, this is a favourite destination among people looking to get away from it all. It also has some of the best diving off of...
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Flamingo, Costa Rica
Flamingo is a stunning and small getaway on south of Gulf of Papagayo. It is famed for its stunning white sand beaches, its vibrant marine life and the variety of on-land activities. With idyllic weather and plenty of lavish amenities, it is...
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Playas del Coco, Costa Rica
Playas del Coco is a small beach town in the northern province of Guanacaste. It is known for its great diving and large marine life, along with frequent sightings of Bull Sharks. Set on the northern Pacific coast, Playas del Coco (El...
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Tambor, Costa Rica
The nutrient rich waters of the Tambor region bring large numbers of fish into the area to feed and breed. The result for divers is the ability to see huge bait balls of Sardines that attract large pelagic’s into the local...
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