Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Where?: Almost anywhere along the southern Pacific coast, rivers, river mouths, or in the Golfo Dulce. The best places for diving will be found in the Ballena National Park (Uvita), Drake Bay, or off of Caño Island.

Who to contact?:

In the drake bay area, you have two options: one is Drake Bay Resort. Phone: (506) 770- 8012, www.DrakeBay.Com and the other is "Corcovado Explorations",where they offer a lot of activities : Phone: (506) 818-9962. www.CorcovadoExpeditions.net

Prices: Snorkeling - $50 to $95 pp
Scuba Diving - $100 to $145 pp

Golfo Dulce and the Bay in Uvita are excellent places for scuba diving or snorkeling, as the water is calm and home to numerous species of marine life that can be seen at a shallow depth and not very far from the beach.

There are several special spots for diving, some located in Puerto Jimenez (Osa Penninsula, Corcovado National Park) and others in the Ballena National Park. This park is protected by a natural barrier of rocks that is also home to numerous marine species, such as corals, fish, manta rays, and shellfish like shrimp and lobster.

At the bay in Uvita, you can explore the tide pools at low tide. Here you can find thousands of fish, starfish, mollusks, crabs, lobsters, and many more marine creatures, which are always a delight to those who love nature. Imagine being able to observe so much biodiversity which will cost you nothing!

If you would like to take a guided tour, there are many places along the southern coast to rent a boat for scuba diving or to observe dolphins and whales, which will also be an incredible experience. But without a doubt, the best points for diving are in Drake Bay, and Caño Island.

Scuba Diving around Caño Island

Caño Island is a National Biological reservation, and most activities are restricted, but thankfully, diving is allowed, and  is an exceptionally good place for it. The magazine, Skin Diver, has named it one of the best diving spots in the world and one of the hottest places in Costa Rica for this sport. Only 10 divers at a time are allowed at each spot and there are 5 dive sites open to the public. The taking of any type of marine life is prohibited (shells, corals, etc.).

Here you can dive at 15 ' to 16 ' and there are coral reefs of 80 ' in which corals of all type are plentiful: hammer head, fan, in glass form, etc. The sharks in this area are also plentiful with some being up to 6-10 ' as well as sea turtles, dolphins, manta rays, red snapper, barracudas, mackerel, rooster fish and others.

Best time to go:

The visibility in the waters around Caño Island is usually ranging from 50 to 100 ft plus;  however, it does vary from site to site. The water temperature ranges from the upper 80`s to the low 70`s due to thermo clines and therefore minimizing the need of exposure protection to a 3 mm full or shorty. The best time to go is the rainy season (May through November), even though runoff can affect the water visibility. The water clarity may be better during the dry season, but the wind blows up enough to make it almost impossible to get out to the best dive sites, which are small islands or rock outcroppings an hour's boat ride from the mainland. Visibility varies any time of the year, but even more so during the rainy season. However, even during the wet months there is a slight chance that offshore sites can reach a visibility of almost 100 ft, although less than forty is more common. The best time to go would probably be May, when the wind has died down and the rain hasn't started yet.

Scuba diving sites around Caño Island:

BAJO DEL DIABLO
Depth: 20 to 80 feet
Skill Level: Intermediate
The area's main attraction, this site consists of volcanic mounds and canyons and is often patrolled by white-tip reef and bull sharks. Manta rays with 15-20' wingspans, visit the site during the summer months (February to June). Schools (in the hundreds) of horse-eye jacks, barracudas, cubera & dog tooth snappers (40+ lbs.) are most likely seen, as well as tropical fish like puffers, king angel fish, damsels, etc.

THE SUNKEN SHIP
The sharks here are plentiful, mostly white-tip reef sharks. You may also see a giant stingray (up to 6ft. wide) or sea turtles. The very observant diver may spot a scorpion fish camouflaged among the rocks.

THE CORAL GARDENS OF THE SUNKEN SHIP
Here you will find many types of corals at a depth of 15 to 30 feet (5-10m), giving you plenty of time to enjoy the many and fascinating creatures found in the coral reef.

PARADISE
Depth: 65 to 70 feet
Skill Level: Intermediate
The name speaks for itself! The main part of this site is usually packed with huge schools of blue striped snappers. Drop in on hundreds of circling barracuda, eyeing schools of horse-eye jacks. Four-foot amberjacks stare boldly into your mask. Five rocky mounds are separated by sandy crops of garden eels, Parrotfish, triggers, eels, puffers, and occasionally sting rays. Mobile rays and barracudas are regular residents.

SHARK CAVE
Depth: 50 feet
Skill Level: Intermediate
Located in front of the ranger station, "Shark Cave" - seven feet high, 40 feet long - houses white-tip sharks, but expect diamond stingrays and boxfish as well. Watch for pilot whales and sailfish during the safety stop. Puffers, damsels, Moorish eels, boxfish, goatfish and other tropical fish are most likely to be seen.

EL ARCO (The Arch)
Depth: 60 feet
Skill level: Intermediate
Similar marine life as "Shark's Cave"

ROCA MARENCO
Depth: 50-60 feet
Skill level: Intermediate
This is the closest site to the mainland. Black corals, snappers, grunts, and the occasional big jellyfish (non-stinging) will float by.

CAMPANARIO (Torre de la Campanilla)
Depth: 40 feet
Skill level: Beginner-Intermediate
Close to Corcovado National Park, this site has a set of pinnacles filled with schools of fish. Rocks are sedimentary, which regularly house lobsters. Horse-eye jacks, barracudas, grunts, snappers, and roosterfish greet divers.

If you would like additional information on Caño Island, please visit the main page for “Caño Island“.

Does this information help?
Did you find what you were looking for?
Please write and give us your input:

{moscomment}