Costa Rica, where, worth the trip?

[gypsyjim]

My girl friend suddenly has the itch to visit Costa Rica. Probably this coming Feb or March.

Last evening I searched threw these SB threads, looking for info on diving in Costa Rica, and did not find very much, so.......

I figured that I would start a new thread and ask my fellow SB for help, observations, and suggestions, both for myself, and for anyone else who might search for info on this country and it's diving opportunities and quirks.

Can anyone share their insight on diving here, and especially during those two months? She is also interested in visiting volcanoes, jungles, archeological site, etc, as well as diving. I just want to dive, for the most part.

Thanks for any help.

 

[ScubaSam]

Hi, Jim.

I've been to Costa Rica twice, once was pre-diving life (2005) and once as a diver (2008), but neither of those times were during Feb or March. Both times we went to the Pacific side of the country because we heard that the Carribean side was not as developed.

You're going during their dry season whereas I went during their rainy season. It rained for an hour or two in the afternoon or the evenings and it would stop. We were treated to many beautiful thunderstorms, one time in a restaurant whose power had gone out so we ate by candlelight and the thunderstorm...beautiful.

1st Trip, Pre-diving trip: Arenal Volcano is an active volcano area but worth a visit cause on a clear night you can see the flowing lava and hear the hissing sound. There is a huge resort and spa at the base of the volcano called Tabacon if Colleen is interested in getting treatments.

We did the canopy tour in the rain forest. If you don't want to zip-line through the rain forest you can do their suspension bridge tour above the forest. We visited Manuel Antonio National Park and drove around that area and the Jaco Beach area. We rented a 4X4 and drove ourselves around to all the different locations. Watch out for stray dogs and chickens which dart out onto the road. A lot of dirt roads with huge pot holes large enough to drive your vehicle into it. Poorly signed and lit so advise not to drive too far in the dark and drive mostly in the daytime.

Bring binoculars cause it's a bird-watchers paradise. We saws sloths, tree frogs and porcupine. We kayaked in the mangroves and saw a HUGE python wrapped around a tree trunk, frogs, crabs and sleeping bats. The entire country is a living biology class.

2nd Trip, Diving Trip: Stayed and dived with Ocotal Beach Resort. Costa Rica underwater is more volcanic rock formations rather than the pretty tropical reefs of the Carribean. Viz was generally any where from 15 ft - 30 ft at the most because of all the plankton in the water.

Bats Island and Catalina Island are worth the boat rides out but dive ops will want to see you do a local dive with them to gauge your skills before allowing you on the boat to those islands. I've seen you in the water and you'll be fine at both locations.

You will encounter surge and currents during your dives. There will be a lot of marine life, white-tipped sharks, bull sharks, manta rays, morays, eels, parrot fish, nudi branches, puffer fish. I saw a sea hare during the night dive and it squirted maroon-color ink at us.....very cool. A few evenings we ventured into the local town for dinner, casino and one night a big rock concert in the local Park.

This is just my perspective and I'm sure others will chime in with their Costa Rica experience. You can PM or call me if you have any questions.

 

[ibj40]

We went to Costa Rica a couple of years ago, and I will second the Arenal experience. There are several resorts around the volcano, and you can check Arenal Volcano Flow Map to see where the best views are. When we went, we booked the Arenal Paraiso, because at the time we booked, the flows were on that side. By the time we got there on our vacation, they had moved to the other side, but still well worth it.

And I will also second the Bats and the Cats as must do dives.

 

[HerraduraDivers]

gipsyjim,
below a list of things you "must" see:
Volcanos: Arenal, Poas and the Rincon de la Vieja Volcanic Park
Jungle & Parks: Cabo Blanco, Barra Honda (if you like caves), Monteverde, Carrara, Manuel Antonio, Osa and on the caribbean coast Cahuitaand the Bribri indian reserve.
Costa Rica National Parks - MINAE and SINAC
San Jose: Museo del Oro, Teatro Nacional, shopping at Multiplaza, Asian dinner at Tin Jo or in one of the restaurants high up in Escazu to see San Jose by night.
Cool stuff: surfing, canopy, atv and horse riding, rafting, kite surfing, kayaking, mangrove tours, spelunking, snake and butterfly farms, and and, and ...
Beaches: Tamarindo, Playa Azucar, San Juanillo, Samara, Playa Cojote, Jaco, Playa Hermosa, Manuel Antonio, Uvita, Bahia Drake, Carate and on the caribbean side Cahuita and Manzanillo
Diving: (from north to south) Playas del Coco or Tamarindo/Flamingo, Samara, Herradura, Manuel Antonio and Bahia Drake

February and March are one of the best months to dive on the pacific coast of Costa Rica and we can almost guarantee you to see tha giant manta rays as they stay around Herradura roughly between mid February and end of April.

Feel free to ask more!

Chris

This list is not complete and in Costa Rica are still a half million other breathtaking things to see and do...

 

[gypsyjim]

gipsyjim,
below a list of things you "must" see:
Volcanos: Arenal, Poas and the Rincon de la Vieja Volcanic Park
Jungle & Parks: Cabo Blanco, Barra Honda (if you like caves), Monteverde, Carrara, Manuel Antonio, Osa and on the caribbean coast Cahuitaand the Bribri indian reserve.
Costa Rica National Parks - MINAE and SINAC
San Jose: Museo del Oro, Teatro Nacional, shopping at Multiplaza, Asian dinner at Tin Jo or in one of the restaurants high up in Escazu to see San Jose by night.
Cool stuff: surfing, canopy, atv and horse riding, rafting, kite surfing, kayaking, mangrove tours, spelunking, snake and butterfly farms, and and, and ...
Beaches: Tamarindo, Playa Azucar, San Juanillo, Samara, Playa Cojote, Jaco, Playa Hermosa, Manuel Antonio, Uvita, Bahia Drake, Carate and on the caribbean side Cahuita and Manzanillo
Diving: (from north to south) Playas del Coco or Tamarindo/Flamingo, Samara, Herradura, Manuel Antonio and Bahia Drake

February and March are one of the best months to dive on the pacific coast of Costa Rica and we can almost guarantee you to see tha giant manta rays as they stay around Herradura roughly between mid February and end of April.

Feel free to ask more!

Chris

This list is not complete and in Costa Rica are still a half million other breathtaking things to see and do...

If you had one week only, and one of you wanted to see active volcanoes and jungle stuff, while the other wants to dive, period, with maybe just a bit of land stuff, for variety.....any suggestions?

 

[HerraduraDivers]

I would suggest:
2 days 4 Dives with us, 2 half day local dives and 1 full day trip to Isla Tortuga check the pix: Herradura Divers | Facebook
1 Day full day tour to the Manuel Antonio National Park 1 hour south from Herradura
1 Day atv, sport fishing, horseback riding, canopy or snake and butterfly farm (what you like)
1 Day a/c Van to La Fortuna, hot springs/Spa and stay overnight in a Hotel to see the Arenal Volcano
1 Day trip back to San Jose

The non-divers can join the full day trip to Isla Tortuga to snorkel and enjoy the snow-white beach.
For the other day there is enough to do around that they will have problems to deceide what to do...

This is a hypothetical schedule and depend on your wishes and flight schedules.

Please send me a email to info@herraduradivers.com with group size, any needs/wishes for accomodation and your budget,
so that i can work on a more in-deep planning.

Chris

 

[vladimir]

My girl friend suddenly has the itch to visit Costa Rica. Probably this coming Feb or March.

Last evening I searched threw these SB threads, looking for info on diving in Costa Rica, and did not find very much, so.......

I figured that I would start a new thread and ask my fellow SB for help, observations, and suggestions, both for myself, and for anyone else who might search for info on this country and it's diving opportunities and quirks.

Can anyone share their insight on diving here, and especially during those two months? She is also interested in visiting volcanoes, jungles, archeological site, etc, as well as diving. I just want to dive, for the most part.

Thanks for any help.

Cocos Island could quite possibly be the best diving you'll ever do. It's a 36-hour boat ride out, but it's worth the trip--and the expense. It's not going to fit into a one-week trip though, but it would be worth reworking your schedule for.

 

[gypsyjim]

I appreciate the info. Too bad it won't fit into a week, and a week where she and I can do various things. I won't be doing more than a week at a time for quite a while, as my boss would keel over if I toke two weeks straight.

 

[ibj40]

If you had one week only, and one of you wanted to see active volcanoes and jungle stuff, while the other wants to dive, period, with maybe just a bit of land stuff, for variety.....any suggestions?

When we went, we did three days of diving at Guanacaste (including a trip out to Bat Island for the Bull Sharks), staying at the Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa, while we were there, we took a one day guided trip into Nicaragua, and then once we finished our time there, we hired a private car to take us up to Arenal where we spent another three days. It was a very complete, yet thorough week's worth of immersion into Costa Rica, which we can't wait to duplicate soon.

 

[mbs]

We went november 2004 and I had just certified a week or 2 before. It literally changed from rainy to dry on our drive out to Ocotal! I actually had to ask the wife (gf at that time) how to do the backroll off the boat We loved the Ocotal resort and dive op. The walk up and down the hill was pretty nasty, best to stay further down the hill near the dive shop. All kinds of wildlife right there. raccoons harassing you at dinner, at dusk we would go watch the monkey's cross the road thru the trees heading from the beach back up into the hills!! We did a day trip to a local "volcano" and had a good time doing the zip lines, horseback riding, mudbath thing, but I was very disappointed that we did not go to the real thing - Arenal!!! I think it would be a crime to go all the way to Costa Rica and miss out on the rain forest. I need to get back and do it right the next time. The diving was great though. Unbelievable amount of sea life. Viz varied, but after just certifying in Dutch Springs I was more than happy with it We went out to catalina a couple of times, but did not do the bats. I will never forget one dive. We were the last 2 up with the dm and when we reached the sandy bottom getting ready to head up the dm pointed and a massive school of jacks and all kinds of other fish came overhead. We settled down into the sand and waited for them to pass over. It got dark the school was so thick! We enjoyed the people and the food very much. I'd do it again. Would like to try further south towards Drake bay sometime. No idea if this was a helpful post, but I enjoyed reminiscing!
mike