Scuba diving in Costa Rica begins by gliding over living coral reefs and leads deeper for the stunning sight of Manta Rays swimming by like a formation of underwater hang gliders. As the political situation worsens around Indonesia and other parts of Asia, more people visit Costa Rica for scuba diving, which is some of the best on the planet.
For the finest in Costa Rica, Guanacaste is highly recommended. Divers may take PADI-certified scuba courses here, including beginner lessons and open water diving certification. Playas del Coco and Playa Ocotal are among the top places for having fun under the waves.
World-class beach resorts and hotels endow the Pacific coast with a variety of luxury accommodations. And in 2007, many more flights from the US now go directly into the Liberia airport, 20 minutes away from Playa Coco
Prime Areas for Scuba Diving
The top spots are off Guanacaste on the northwest Pacific coast, the southern Caribbean coast around Cahuita, Canos Island off Drake Bay on the south Pacific, and Cocos Island, eight hours away by boat.
Visibility off Guanacaste is superb virtually all year 'round, and the assortment of marine life amazes even longtime scuba veterans.
Other parts of the country offer excellent scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities, including Manuel Antonio, Nicoya, Drake Bay and Golfito, but visibility can be erratic, particularly during rainy season. Manuel Antonio Scuba Diving is our pick for the Central Pacific area.
The Gold Coast of Guanacaste features more dive shops than any other area, and rightfully so. Boats head out regularly for the Catalina Islands and the Bat Islands, where visibility is from 40-80 feet.
Clouds of Eagle Rays, sharks, schools of dolphins and billfish, even the occasional whale can be seen among the rock pinnacles and canyons encircling these islands.
Playa Ocotal, Playas de Coco, Flamingo and Tamarindo are some of the most popular beach towns with certified facilities, many of which offer nitrox
Isla del Cano
On the southern Pacific coast, Canos Island presents a picture perfect view of exotic fish, with visibility from 60-80 feet on most days.
From a hotel or resort in nearby Drake Bay, you can go scuba diving at Isla Canos to explore its friendly waters via a small boat. Snorkeling is also great here, as the plateaus and canyons are not as steep as the islands to the north
Isla del Coco
For the ultimate in Costa Rican scuba diving, however, Coco Island remains the top choice for serious underwater adventurers. Live-aboard boats make the eight-ten hour trip from Guanacaste to Cocos, whose steep rock walls and canyons give shelter to an overwhelming variety of sea life. Currents are heavy, visibility usually 60-100 feet.
Cahuita
On the balmy east coast of Costa Rica, Cahuita offers the best beach dives, and with a small boat you can reach the giant barriers reefs of Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge and Cahuita National Park for scuba diving in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. Expect visibility up to 150 feet here, and the warm water off the Caribbean side is nearly always over 80 degrees.
