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.