Diving
in Costa Rica is characterized by big schools of fish, large fish and
lots of them. The best diving takes place on the North and South
Pacific Coast. The Caribbean Coast offers very limited diving.
The Central Pacific Coast does not have good diving.
Diving
in Costa Rica is for more experienced, adventurous divers who want something
different. The variety and sheer number of fish are fascinating and
might be worth the effort for non-beginning divers.
But Costa
Rica is not primarily a dive destination: 2-3 days of diving is plenty
for most people. Strong currents, surges, and reduced underwater visibility
are common problems in Costa Rica. So it is not recommended for beginning
divers.
The best
diving takes place around Caño Island near Drake Bay on the South
Pacific Coast. Caño Island offers better visibility during most
of the year, except August - October when the rains 
are
heavier. The North Pacific offers decent diving year-round, but often
with strong currents and reduced visibility.
Cocos Island
offers World-class diving, but is over 300 miles offshore! You cannot
dive Cocos Island easily. To dive Cocos Island, you must take a 10-day
liveaboard trip. While expensive, many divers consider Cocos Island
the trip of a lifetime. 
Cocos
Island features great visibility, schools of hammerhead sharks, manta
rays, and many other large pelagic species. 10-day trips depart from
Puntarenas on the Central Pacific Coast.
We are Costa
Rica scuba diving experts, and will be happy to provide you with accurate
assessments of current diving conditions in Costa Rica. Please call
us for more information and a recommended itinerary and quote.
