| |
|
| |
Best Areas for Diving |
| |
|
| |
North Pacific |
| |
|
|
| More than 20 sites
located near the Gulf of Papagayo are the best spots
in the North Pacific of Costa Rica for scuba diving,
to discover the spectacular marine world, with abundance
and diversity of life as well as a panoramic view with
small islands and rocks.
The local dives offer different
kind of tropical fish: butterflyfish, angel fish, king
angelfish, danselfish, school of thousands of yellow
tail snaper and grunt, frog fish, sea horses, harlequin
shrimp, moorish idol, banded guitar fish, cortez, octopus
and many species of moray eels. Other amazing encounters
include manta rays, spotted eagle rays, nurse shark,
jewfish and white-tip reef sharks. While enjoying dive
vacations in Costa Rica and with some luck, you might
even encounter humpback and pilot whales, dolphins or
whale sharks. You will dive volcanic rock formations
and rock pinnacles, there is very little hard coral,
some black coral, soft coral and cup coral. Visibility
depends of tides, season and location.
The local dive sites are located
from 5 to 40 minutes boat ride from vacation destinations
such as Ocotal, El Coco, Papagayo, Tamarindo and other
near beach areas. We offer scuba
travel advice and information about dive resorts and
vacation packages on the North Pacific. |
| |
|
| |
Dive Sites |
| |
| |
Punta Gorda
This pinnacle is one of the most popular dive sites
due the great variety of flora and fauna. The depth
on one side is 20 ft. and you can find a lot of
fishes, invertebrates and hard coral. The other
side drops off to 80 ft., where is common to see
schools of eagle and golden rays, green and hawksbill
turtles, schools of jack crevalle and grunts. Most
of the time you can see teenage white tip sharks
in a crevice on the dive site at only 20 ft. of
depth. A great place for all level of divers. None
to a soft current is found on one side of the pinnacle. |
| |
Aquarium
This submerged rock formation starting at a depth
of 50 ft drops off to 110 ft is one of the deepest
dive sites, a spectacular spot for diving. You can
see big hamberjacks, snappers, stingrays, white
tip sharks, along with schools of all kinds of tropical
fish. Part of the rock is covered with soft coral
and orange cup sponges. From November until March
you might see dolphins, pilot whales and sometimes
humpback whales on the way to and from the site.
Slightly strong current in low tide. |
| |
Surprise
One of the closest from shore, this dive site ranges
from a depth of 40 to 100 ft. You can see huge schools
of spade fish, jacks and grunts; stingrays and eagle
rays usually pass around the rock covered with soft
coral and a lot of crevices where many types of
eels can be seen. A bit of surface current is usually
present. |
| |
Virador
This pinacle is a great place to enjoy sea horses!
One of the sides is 25 ft depth and drops off
to 85 ft. You will find a great variety of fishes:
butterfly fish, grunts, sergeant major. You also
might observe here withtips. Normally some current
at the surface. |
| |
Monkey Face
This pinacle rises out of the water more than 25
meters making a perfect shape of a gorilla face
and down below it is an amazing dive to a maximum
depth of 60ft. You can see spotted eagles rays and
mantas, sea horses. Depending on surface conditions
the surge can be strong. |
| |
Los Meros
A very shallow place maximun 40 ft. This spot is
enjoyed by divers because of it’s extended
bottom time and great varieties of fish: puffer
fish, guinea fowl puffer, schools of grunts or a
porcupinefish can be spotted easily and frequently.
Almost no currents. |
| |
Las Corridas
This rock formation with depths ranging from 35
ft. droping to 60 ft consists of 2 main rocks
separated by a 30 ft. wide sand channel. Lots
of soft coral, jewel morays on every rock, sea
horses and often the frog fish.
There are another 15 local dive sites such as
Big Surprise, The Phantom, Rainbow, Palmares,
Scorpions, La Boya, Laberintos and others.
Plus the local sites for scuba diving, on your
dive vacations you can discover two great and
amazing places for advanced diving: Catalina Island
and Bat Island. |
| |
Catalina Island
It takes around 1 hour boat ride to get there. It
has 2 mayor dive sites: one on the northwest side
of the island with a maximum 95 ft of depth. At
40 ft. of depth at the bottom of a sandy channel
called the Shark Alley, divers can usually see groups
of white tip sharks resting. At 60 ft. there is
a possibility to see huge schools of cow nose rays
and there is also the chance to spot the Giant Pacific
Manta, who may stop by and play with the divers.
The other site is known as Manta Rays pass on the
east end of the island, drops of 100 ft. with a
few boulders and valleys and a medium current coming
from the open sea. This place is known for sightings
of the Giant Pacific Manta Rays, groups can be seen
on a single dive when they are feeding off the abundant
plankton. Best months to travel to these spots are
December thru April. |
| |
Bat Island
It will take around 2 hours boat ride to get to
one of the best dive site this area of Costa Rica
has to offer. One of the sites knows as Big Scare
drop off until 120 ft, you will find manta rays
and a family of bull sharks. A pinnacle close to
the island, named Black Rock is the perfect spot
to see big hamberjacks, rooster fish, manta rays,
jewfish and occasionally the whale shark. There
are several dive sites at the Bat Islands around
pinnacle rock formations that can be up to 100 ft.
in depth where you can see schools of cow-nosed
rays, eagle rays along with varieties of larger
fishes, rainbow runners, horse-eye jacks and more.
Due to weather and ocean conditions, April to November
is the best time to travel to this place. |
| |
Night Dives
During a night dive you will have the opportunity
to encounter with puffer fish, different species
of crabs like arrow and box crabs, parrot fish,
trigger fish, guitar fish, sleeping turtles and
feeding coral polyps. Generally the maximum depth
is 40 ft. Night dives available under request. |
| |
| General Information |
In the North Pacific of Costa Rica, the water temperature
average from May to November is 27ºC (80ºF);
from December to April is 21ºC (70ºF),
usually with fluctuations from day to day with thermo
clines present most of the time.
Diving visibility on the North Pacific varies
with season and location, going from 20 to 80
ft. on the same day depending on tides, currents
and the plankton and other marine organisms on
water. Visibility information
for North Pacific diving in Costa Rica .
During your travel vacation in Costa Rica you
can get a diver certification, taking an introductory
scuba diving course or an advanced course. Depending
of the course you might need from 1 to 6 days
(or more time for dive master or special courses).
There are dive shops where you can rent the equipment. Travel to the North Pacific
in Guanacaste and discover the amazing marine
life, visibility going until 80 ft.
All divers must show their certification cards
to be able to dive. We
offer assistant and information for your travel
to Costa Rica and your scuba vacation. Take scuba
courses, discover the submarine world on the North
Pacific of Costa Rica and enjoy a special diving
getaway
Enjoy scuba diving in Costa Rica: explore the
local or advanced dive sites on a one day tour
or on a complete dive vacation package including
lodging, diving and transfers; or take a course
and discover the marine life.
We will be glad assisting you, contact
us for scuba travel information: dive resorts,
full diving packages or vacation packages with
diving tours.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
Paddle & Volcano
A full adventure
package of 11 days-10 nights, that
will take you to run |
| the whitewater
rafting at the Pacuare River, experience the sea
kayaking on the North Pacific and explore ... See
more |
|
|
 |
Body, spirit & mind
Relax, renovate
and pamper yourself in a package of 7 days-6 nights. |
In a calm atmosphere, surrounded by the rain forest and sand
beaches, enjoy the spa facilities, the hot springs
and thermo mineral water pools ... See
more |
|
|
 |
Costa
Rica Elements
A
complete package of 9 days-8 nights that takes you to La Paz Waterfall |
Garden and Poas Volcano, continues
through the rain forest of Tortuguero, the active Arenal Volcano
and the North Pacific beaches in Guanacaste... See
more |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
