Diving in Costa Rica

[scubadvngrl]

I'm off to Costa Rica in July and would like to get in a few days of diving. Where is the best place to go? I'll be leaving from San Jose and have no preference as to which coast.
Thanks.

 

[dweissnj]

Outside of Cocos Island, CR diving is rather uninspired. The Catalina Islands in the North Pacific or Caño Island in the South are your best best.

 

[szohn]

As a second opinion, I loved diving in North Pacific, Guanacaste region. The viz can be hit or miss, but we saw a TON of life there. Highlights include giant mantas, bull sharks, schools of bat rays, clown shrimp, sea horses, and so many eagle rays you didn't even bother to point them out to your buddies..

There is little coral or pretty underwater views, totally definitely different than the caribbean, but it is one of my favorite dive destinations.

 

[CR Under The Blue]

check out CRDP, the Association of Costa Rica Dive Professionals. We make Costa Rica a safe dive destination. for dive shops in the Playa Hermosa area.

 

[Summer-Salt]

How comes that nobody has mentioned the Bat Islands? All the way up in the North of Guanacaste, at the tip of the Santa Rosa National Park. It's easiest reached with one of the Operators in the area of Playas del Coco (check CRDP, the Association of Costa Rica Dive Professionals. We make Costa Rica a safe dive destination.), just like the Catalinas.
July is part of the best period for diving in the Gulf of Papagayo anyway: you have best chances for good viz (around 15m/50ft up), warm water (around 27C/high 70ies F) and calm sea...! A natural fresh water shower after the dives is occasionally included ;-D!

 

[Murloc]

Human Botfly, Bot Fly, Botflies, Torsalo, Dermatobia hominis

something for ya to read before your trip...enjoy

 

[Rich Coast Diving]

I totally agree with the others, Playas dle Coco is great for diving, especially now,hardly any winds. Tomorrow we have a bat island trip planned, le tyou know how it went.

CRDP, the Association of Costa Rica Dive Professionals. We make Costa Rica a safe dive destination.

 

[ScubabunnyCR]

The catalina islands are very nice with lots of large rays and around that time of year you stand a good chance of seeing bull shrks at Bat islands. If you only go to one place i would suggest playa del coco but if you want to try different spots you should come afterwards further south towards manuel antonio where there are trips down to cano island as well as some offshore diving depending on your experience level.

 

[FreeSpirits]

I too will be visiting Costa Rica in July 2008. We are staying at The Sanctuary Resort in Playa Azul / Marbella. Who can we dive with in this area? Do you know if they go to The Bats and Catalina from this area? Or do we have to drive a long way north to catch a dive op that does both Bats and Catilina? Just how "Advanced" are the Bats and/or Catalina? We are both Advanced and Nitrox.
We are a bit overweight...but we dive regularly here in Florida....just did the Rebel in Fort Lauderdale two weeks ago at OceanFest...it was the strongest current we ever experienced to date!
Straight-lined in the current holding on the anchor line on the way down and on the way up!
It is my 50th in July and I would like to dive with the BullSharks for my birthday...........Just how dangerous is it?

 

[Rich Coast Diving]

We did the Bat islands last week and t is not the perfect time yet. Hopefully the bulls will be coming this month. We saw one in a distance. We do still do alot of Catalina trips, but there are no more mantas, however we did encounter a whale shark a few days ago. The ocean is unpredictable. In order to do the Catalinas and the bat islands your best place to go is Playas del Coco.

Happy Diving.