Top Diving Spots in Costa Rica

While most tourists are drawn to Costa Rica for its world-renowned, rich, and diverse wildlife, I encourage you to follow a less beaten path into the submarine world. With excellent visibility of 49 to 66 feet on average in most sites and water temperatures between 75°F and 86°F throughout the year, you are sure to enjoy an amazing experience and capture extraordinary memories to bring back home.

Allow me to introduce you to four remarkable underwater destinations in Costa Rica: Cocos Island, Caño Island, Catalinas Island, and Bat Island.

Scuba diving in Cocos Island is an extraordinary and highly sought-after experience for divers worldwide. Located approximately 340 miles off Costa Rica's Pacific coast, Cocos Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the planet's best diving destinations. With limited annual visitors, it's advisable to plan your trip well in advance. 

Cocos Island is renowned for its remote location and unspoiled natural beauty. Often dubbed the "Island of Sharks," it attracts divers with its large population of hammerhead sharks. Other shark species like Galapagos sharks, whitetip reef sharks, tiger sharks, and occasional whale sharks can also be encountered. Moreover, Cocos Island is home to an array of marine species, including manta rays, dolphins, sea turtles, and various fish species.

Access to the island is primarily through liveaboard dive cruises. These multi-day expeditions depart from mainland Costa Rica and offer accommodations, meals, and diving activities on board. Diving in Cocos Island is best suited for experienced divers due to the challenging diving conditions. Notable dive sites include Manuelita Garden, Dirty Rock, Alcyone, and Bajo Alcyone, each known for their strong currents, deep drop-offs, vibrant coral formations, and encounters with large pelagic species.

Caño Island Biological Reserve offers popular and exciting activities for both experienced and beginner divers. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the southwestern coast of Costa Rica, it is renowned for its pristine waters and abundant marine life. The island boasts an incredible diversity of marine species, including vibrant coral reefs, tropical fish, sharks, rays, sea turtles, and occasionally humpback whales during their migration season. The protected status of the island ensures the preservation of its rich marine ecosystem. Popular dive sites include El Bajo del Diablo, El Barco, and El Ancla, which showcase vibrant coral formations, underwater rock formations, and impressive walls, providing a variety of underwater environments to explore.

Located off the northwestern coast of Costa Rica in the Guanacaste Province, Catalina Islands provides divers with diverse marine ecosystems and thrilling dive sites. Explorers can immerse themselves in encounters with a wide range of species, including tropical fish, rays, eels, octopuses, and an array of vibrant invertebrates. The area is also known for hosting several shark species, such as bull sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and on rare occasions, the elusive tiger shark.

Las Catalinas offers dive sites suitable for divers of different skill levels. There are shallow sites with calm conditions, which are ideal for beginners and those seeking relaxed dives. For more experienced divers, there are deeper areas and sites with stronger currents that provide opportunities for drift diving and encounters with larger marine species.

Saving the best for last, let me introduce you to my all-time favorite advanced dive site in the North Pacific: Islas Murciélago. These captivating islands are part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and located within the boundaries of the Santa Rosa National Park in Costa Rica.

Get ready for an exhilarating adventure as you encounter large schools of bull sharks, making this dive absolutely thrilling. These powerful and impressive sharks are known for their robust build and can grow up to 11.5 feet in length. Bat Island stands out as one of the few places in the world where divers have a high chance of encountering these magnificent creatures in significant numbers.

The most renowned site on Bat Island is known as Big Scare, boasting a submerged pinnacle that guarantees exhilarating encounters with bull sharks. Other captivating dive sites around the island include Little Scare, Dirty Rock, and La Pared. These sites also provide ample opportunities to explore underwater rock formations, vibrant corals, and a diverse array of marine life. Remember, the optimal time for diving with bull sharks at Bat Island is during the dry season from November to May.

Costa Rica is indisputably one of the world's top diving destinations, offering unparalleled beauty beneath the waves. With its underwater landscapes and diverse marine life, it promises an unforgettable diving experience. If you're ready to plan your diving adventure, feel free to reach out to us for more information. Our dedicated team is here to assist you at every step, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience.

Travel Consultant at Costa Rican Vacations  
Meet Felipe, a passionate traveler with a deep love for scuba diving and a fascination for the underwater world. With over ten years of experience in the tourism industry, he declares Costa Rica as his top destination.