Scuba Diving Costa Rica

Caño Island Diving

The Isla del Caño Biological Reserve is located on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, 16 km northwest of the Osa Peninsula in the province of Puntarenas. Caño Island consists of 320 lands and 5,800 marine hectares. Its waters have one of the largest and best coral reef formations on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. There are five coral platforms (or low reefs) with extensions ranging from 0.8 to 4.2 hectares. It is an important area for the breeding of humpback whale individuals, both from the northern and southern hemispheres, as well as resident species of dolphins. In the land area, there are remains of the stone spheres created by pre-Columbian civilizations. Caño Island was occupied by various human groups. It is believed that, between 700 and 1500 B.C. it was used as a cemetery by Chiriquis societies, or as a permanent residence by the Quepos or Bruncas. The beaches are sand and stone and lack mangroves. The upper zone contains undisturbed humid tropical forest and there are also secondary forests of different ages. In the forest 158 species of plants have been identified. The real beauty of Caño Island is not found on the surface but under the water. The pristine waters of this island are some of the bluest in the country and are home to a spectacular variety of marine flora and fauna as well as glorious coral reefs. Named one of the best diving spots in the world, the Caño Island Biological Reserve is also home to a wide variety of fish, whales, and sharks. With fantastic underwater visibility, one can see sea turtles, dolphins, rays, moray eels, barracudas, tuna and groupers swimming along with a wide variety of sharks and humpback whales on any given day.

Catalina Islands Diving

This off shore group of islands are reached from Playas del Coco in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica in about 30 minutes. There is a great deal to draw divers to the area, but it is the underwater landscape that gets the most attention. Scuba Divers will find arches, caverns and caves among the coral covered volcanic rock formations. Marine life is plentiful and sharks and marine mammals are in abundance. Currents can at times make this an area for only experienced divers. You can scuba dive the Catalina Islands all year long, thanks to the tropical climate on land and the warm water temperatures throughout every season of the year. Although you can scuba dive the Catalina Islands all year round if you really want to increase your chances of being in the water with the highest number of rays, visit between the months of January and March. These are the months during which the odds of being near giant manta rays, devil manta rays, bat rays, stingrays, spotted eagle rays, bullseye electric rays, and cow-nosed rays are highest.

Murcielago Islands Diving

Also in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica, Bat Island is a little more isolated about an hour boat ride from Tamarindo Currents make this site more suitable for advance divers and mostly done with drift dives.The Bat Islands are located in the extreme north of the Pacific coast, in front of the Santa Rosa National Park, in the sector of the Santa Elena Peninsula. The Murcielago Islands are famous for being considered the Number 2 best dive site in Costa Rica, next to Isla del Caño, and only second after Isla del Coco. The islands are part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and are part of the Santa Rosa National Park. King Tours offers 1-day trips from Playas del Coco and Papagayo with diving tours included. Visibility around the islands is normally quite incredible, reaching up to 80 feet of visibility on the best days and with abundant fauna present, including groups and frequent schools of Bull Sharks around the outer islands. Murcielago Islands offer excellent diving and snorkeling, 6 of the main islands have abundant corals, rocky pinnacles and caves. Hot and cold-water currents meet somewhere near the outer islands, attracting many species of fish and other species of sea creatures. The largest island has a trail that runs across the entire island from the park ranger house to some beautiful secret beaches on the north side of the island.

Tortuga Island Diving

The world-renowned Isla Tortuga is part of this gorgeous archipelago. Located 12 miles from Puntarenas, Isla Tortuga’s 120 hectares are maintained as a preserved forest region. The Islas Tortuga or Turtle Islands is located at just about 5 MILES from the main beach of the Curú WildLife Refuge and 18 miles from Jaco Los Suenos, It is the only area in Costa Rica and the Central America region that boasts of three shipwrecks, offering one of the best diving adventures in the Costa Rican and Central American region. The average visibility here ranges from 30 to 50 feet with the propensity of 80 feet sometimes. The local dive sites here offer white tip sharks, giant schools of grunts, yellowtail snapper, spotted eagle rays, turtles, stingrays, angel fish, octopus, sea horses, starfish, frog fish and several species of eels. Divers here have also come up, close and personal with whale sharks up to 35 feet long on several occasions, as well as spinner dolphins, humpback whales, pilot whales, and orcas.