Diving Costa Rica
Costa Rica offers some excellent diving. Costa Rica’s underwater wonders range from coastal coral reefs to offshore islands. Those varied dive spots contain diverse and beautiful marine life that includes clouds of schooling barracuda, cow-nosed rays, whale sharks, jewfish, sea horses, hawkfish, turtles, reef sharks, mantas, pilot whales, sailfish, black marlin, and many other creatures. Since Costa Rica is bordered by both the Caribbean on the East coast and the Pacific Ocean on the West coast, there are many places and different types of diving to do.
On the Caribbean coast, in the south, there are several excellent snorkeling areas. The country’s largest coastal reef is protected within Cahuita National Park, south of the town of the same name. The point at Puerto Viejo, south of Cahuita, also has a coral reef wrapped around it that makes for convenient diving. Punta Cocles and Punta Uva, two points to the south of town, have healthier coral formations with plenty of fish. Manzanillo, a small fishing village a few miles further south, also has some decent diving offshore. There are also a few good dive spots near the city of Limón, such as the water surrounding Uvita Island.
The Pacific has the country’s best diving, with less coral, but plenty of big fish. The most popular Pacific diving area is the northwest, where dive centers in Playa del Coco, Ocotal and Hermosa offer trips to several spots in the Culebra Bay and the Bat Islands(Islas Murciélagos), to the northwest, where divers often see sharks and manta rays. The dive center in Flamingo usually takes people to Santa Catalina Island, about five miles offshore, which is another good spot to see sharks and other big fish. There is good snorkeling in Curu National Wildlife Refuge, and near the beach resorts of Tambor and Montezuma. There is also usually good snorkeling off the second beach in Manuel Antonio National Park, and around the points and islands between Dominical and Marino Ballena National Park. However, the best diving off the Pacific coast is found at several underwater reefs near Caño Island, which can be explored on dive trips offered by some of the lodges in nearby Drake Bay.
Cocos Island, a Pacific national park located 330 miles southwest of the Costa Rican mainland, has the country’s best diving by far. While the Island is covered with virgin forest, the ocean that surrounds it contains abundant marine life, and the visibility is good year round. Divers at Cocos Island regularly see manta rays, dolphins, and hammerhead sharks, which sometimes gathering in schools of 30 or 40. It takes about 36 hours to reach Cocos Island, and some companies have ships that run regular dive cruises there, which last ten days and include three dives per day.
Best time to dive
The rainy season runs from May to November, with these months providing some of the best diving.
Visibility
The abundance of plankton limits the visibility from 20 to 80 feet. The best visibility in the Caribbean is from March to early May and from mid August to mid November. The best visibility and water temperatures in the Pacific Northwest are found from June to September.
Water temperatures
Water temperature from mid-May to mid-December is generally from 75 to 78 °F. From mid-December to mid-April, water temperatures vary from day to day, with thermoclines causing temperatures to dip to 70°F at depth.
Weather and climate
The outside temperature at the beaches is 85° to 90° F year-round with cooler 72 °F in the evenings. The higher elevations in the mountains, temperatures can be even cooler. The rainy season runs from May to November, with these months providing some of the best diving.
Language
Spanish
Passport/Visa requirements
Citizens of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and most European nations can visit Costa Rica for a maximum of 90 days. No visa is necessary, but you must have a valid passport. Citizens of Australia and New Zealand can enter the country without a visa and stay for 30 days. Citizens of Republic of Ireland need a visa, a valid passport and a round-trip ticket in order to enter.
Currency
Costa Rican Colon (Colones) – Get exchange rates at http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Electrical current
110 volts AC, 60 cycles, the standard in the United States. However, three-pronged outlets can be scare, so it’s helpful to bring along an adapter.
Capital
San Jose
General information
Costa Rica is located in the Central America isthmus, immediately north of Panama, with ports in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and 153 highway miles between them. A small tropical country, Costa Rica lies between two oceans. This, combined with its complex mountainous topography, gives rise to an extensive variety of habitats.
Costa Rica is known for its civilized way of life. It is no exaggeration to call the country an oasis of peace. This is a fundamental part of the Costa Rican character. Costa Rica is the seat of the University for Peace as well as the Interamerican Court of Human Rights. Costa Ricans are characterized by three distinct cultural life styles; that of the peasants and farmers of the Central Valley, of the inhabitants of the plains of Guanacaste and of the Caribbean’s of the Province of Limon.
Costa Rica is the water sports meca. Its beaches, lakes, lagoons, bays, and rivers make Costa Rica a real paradise for water sports. Fishing, whitewater rafting and kayaking, surfing on the internationally famous Pavones Beach, which has the longest waves in the world, and obviously diving.
Restaurants in Costa Rica offer the tourist a wide variety of international cuisine and, for those wishing to try Costa Rican cooking, there are many places that serve typical regional dishes.
Map
Get a map of Costa Rica from WorldAtlas.com.