Costa Rica

Bienvenidos - Welcome!

Costa Rica is a country located in Central America that is ranked as one of the most visited international destinations. One of Costa Rica’s main sources of income is tourism. Costa Rica is a democratic and peaceful country and it has not had an army since the year 1948.


Although the country is small and it covers only 0.03 percent of the surface of the globe, it proudly shelters 5 percent of the existing biodiversity in the entire world. Twenty six percent of the country is composed of conservation and natural protected territory.

Best time to dive?

The Pacific region is characterized by a well-defined dry and rainy season.The dry season lasts from December to March. April is a transition month. The driest and hottest month is March.The Pacific region begins in the northwest and ends in the southeast,

meaning that the dividing line changes from north to south.

In the Caribbean side, the climate regime does not have a well-defined dry season, since the rains remain steady between 100 and 200 mm in the driest months,

which is a considerable amount.

Two relatively dry periods exist in the coastal zones. The first dry period is between February and March and the second between September and October.

Best time to Dive?

The Pacific region is characterized by a well-defined dry and rainy season.The dry season lasts from December to March. April is a transition month. The driest and hottest month is March.The Pacific region begins in the northwest and ends in the southeast,

meaning that the dividing line changes from north to south.

In the Caribbean side, the climate regime does not have a well-defined dry season, since the rains remain steady between 100 and 200 mm in the driest months,

which is a considerable amount.

Two relatively dry periods exist in the coastal zones. The first dry period is between February and March and the second between September and October.

Do you offer Diving services?

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Are you a Scuba diver?

Join and get the best benefits for your next trip

Do you offer Diving services?

Promote your services and connect with divers

Are you a Scuba diver?

Join and get the best benefits for your next trip

Sea Life

Costa Rican Marine Life is another feat to enjoy. Sea life has always brought the unique brand of life, and Costa Rica houses some of the favorite marine mammals and fish. Dolphins, from the most common to bottle-nosed or pacific spotted dolphins can be found racing through the water waves. Along with dolphins, it isn’t uncommon to see orcas playing from the shoreline. Other whales you may be able to spot include Humpbacks, Blue Whales, Beaked Whales and Pilot Whales depending on the season. When diving into the waters of Costa Rica, three possible sea turtles you will find are the Green Sea Turtles, Olive Ridley Sea Turtles and the Leatherback Sea Turtles. Leatherbacks are the largest of all turtles. An encounter with these majestic creatures is very safe.
Sea snakes, on the other hand, will mesmerize you with their sea dance, but are deemed venomous. Sharks can be found in the deep waters when diving. Some of the sharks you may encounter are the hammerhead, the bull, nurse and white tip sharks. Tropical fish such as the Cortez Angelfish, Butterfly fish, Snappers, Horse-eyed Jacks, Costa Rica’s Jewfish, Parrot Fish, Puffer Fish, and schools of sardines inhabit Costa Rican waters. The more often you dive, the more you will be able to see other various sea creatures like sea horses, eels and rays. Info by costaricajourneys.com

Dive Sites

Spectacular shades of color greet divers as they explore pristine coral reef formations.

Winner of Rodale ‘s Scuba Diving Magazine’s 2004 Readers’ Choice Award, Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is listed as a top five destination for advanced scuba diving.

COCOS ISLAND

is the most famous dive destination in Costa Rica. Located 340 miles/550 kilometers off the country’s west coast,

it is exclusively accessed via liveaboard charter. As a result, trips to Cocos are not cheap—but 

the wonder of what awaits there makes the expense worthwhile. The island is surrounded by deep oceanic waters 

punctuated by soaring pinnacles and steep reef walls. This sudden change 

in topography causes nutrient-rich upwellings, which in turn attract a multitude of pelagic species.

 

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CAÑO ISLAND

Located 10 miles/16 kilometers off Costa Rica’s southerly Osa Peninsula,

Caño Island is part of a biological reserve and famous for its healthy coral reefs.

It also boasts beautiful underwater topography, including archways, outcrops and swimthroughs.

The visibility is generally good (sometimes exceeding 100 feet/30 meters),

and the abundance of marine life makes this site a worthy alternative for those that don’t have the time or the budget for Cocos.

 

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CATALINA ISLAND

Off the coast of Costa Rica’s northwestern Guanacaste province lie the Catalina Islands,

an archipelago of rugged rocky outcrops. Accessible via day trips with dive operators based

in Playas del Coco, the islands are famous for giant manta rays. Mantas can be seen there all year round;

although the best season for sightings is from November to May. Other rays are also present in large numbers,

including spotted eagle rays, mobula rays and bullseye round stingrays.

 

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BAT ISLAND

Also accessible from Playas del Coco, the Bat Islands (or Islas Murcielagos as they’re known locally)

are another excellent option for divers in the Guanacaste region. You’ll need plenty of courage,

though, because this is the domain of the mighty bull shark and one of the few places

in the world where you can dive with the species outside a cage.

The bull sharks congregate naturally around a site known appropriately as the Big Scare.

 

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TORTUGA ISLAND

Tortuga Island is located in the Gulf of Nicoya on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast.

With an array of shallow and deep sites, it’s a great all-round destination for divers of all experience levels.

In particular, it’s known as the country’s wreck diving capital.

 

 

 

Info by JESSICA MACDONALD (Tripsavvy)

How to Arrive

Costa Rica has a wide range of flight offerings for arrivals and departures. Its two main international airports receive hundreds of flights per month from major cities, allowing constant mobilization of passengers through safe and modern ports of entry.

Juan Santamaría International Airport is the country’s main airport, located in Alajuela.

The modern Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia (Code: LIR) mainly receives specific flights for tourists visiting Guanacaste, Monteverde and La Fortuna. This comfortable airport connects with beautiful beaches in one of the largest and most important tourist areas in the country. Costa Rica has several local airports with two airlines that fly domestically: Aerobell Airlines and Sansa Airlines.

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