Costa Rica - Last Minute Trip

[divebag]

Our small group dive trip to Cozumel scheduled for Monday Oct 24th was cancelled due to Hurricane Wilma. The tour company was able to rebook a last minute replacement trip to Costa Rica also departing on Monday. We are flying into Liberia and are staying at Allegro Papagayo near Guanacaste. Diving is not included in package.

Anyone willing to share their experience with this resort?
Recommendations on dive operators?
Water temperature (late October)/ wetsuit recommendations
General diving conditions or dive sites
Underwater wildlife
other topside activites in the area

Any information will be helpful. Hadn't had much time to research this unexpected trip. Thanks

 

[kent_1848]

Definately pay the extra money to dive the Catalina Islands, they say they are advanced, but when I was there, I had a friend diving them with us that it was his 7th or 8th dive. Not as scary as many make them sound. In fact I put my gear on in the water it was so calm. Vis varies from day to day, anywhere from 20 ft in some areas to 100 ft. Tons of puffer & porcupine fish, scopionfish, eagle rays, white tip reef sharks, and schools of thousands...oh, and lots of seahorses too. Also saw quite a few octopus in the daytime as well as a few lobster. We stayed and dove out of Playa Del Coco, which was tons of fun, probably not far from where you are going to be. We were also about 25 mins. from the Liberia airport. It will probably be easier for you to just dive out of the resort, it is right there after all. I wore a 3mm full the whole time, and never got too hot, there were several dives when I was glad I had it on. Our dive masters were wearing 5mm suits. Of course, there are more things to do in Costa Rica than any other dive destination I have been to. We took a van ride to the volcano area, and did the Pure Trek Canyoning tour. You get to rappel down 5 or 6 waterfalls, very interesting. The ride was long, and costly, but well worth seeing the volcano erupt and rappeling. If you want info on Playa Del Coco, PM me and I will fill you in.

 

[Missdirected]

We are supposed to go 2 Coz Thurs. Anyway, I love Costa Ric. The people I dive with are BJ Diving Safaris, S.A.. P.M. me and I can give U their phone #. They are 25 min from the airport, which u will find most things are. It is not too deep there so u will get lots of bottom time. I saw a whale last time I was there. Also if you let Bobbi Jo know u r coming in advance, if u r interested of course, she will put u on a list for a night dive. Good luck. Hey pass by the Villa Del Sueno for some dinner...good stuff.