Scuba Diving in Costa Rica

Saguaro Scuba is constantly looking around the globe at scuba diving destinations to offer our customers. Costa Rica recently has been added to the list of places which we can help build a package for interested travelers. Costa Rica is a growing destination for all sorts of adventure travel in Central America and has really caught on as a great scuba travel destination. Costa Rica’s diving is done mostly on the Pacific Coast in the province of Guanacaste.

Pacific Diving versus Caribbean Diving

The diving here is quite different than the Caribbean in that the visibility is certainly not as great and the water temperatures are highly variant. The Gulf de Papagayo is full of nutrient and plankton rich waters which is what can sometimes limit the visibility but also provides food for an abundance of sea life. There are all kinds of marine creatures which frequent these waters. On any given day you could see manta rays, dolphins, octopus, eagle rays, sting rays, eels, turtles, sea horses, whales, whale sharks, bull sharks, reef sharks, and a huge assortment of fish.

Best Months To Visit

The Guanacaste area of Costa Rica has two very distinct seasons. Dry season and wet (or green season). During the dry season, which runs from December until early May, there is no rain. None. The daily high temperature ranges from about 88-95 degrees. Dropping to around 80 during the overnight hours. The diving this time of year is highly variant. The water can be relatively clear (for the area) with visibility in the 60 foot range and the water at 75 degrees one day. The next day the vis can drop to 15 feet and the water temperature in the mid 60’s. It is certainly wet suit diving during these months with most people wearing 3mm full suits. On colder days, sometimes a 5mm is the better choice. During the months of January to March is the best time to see Manta Rays which are seen most commonly in the Catalina Islands. These giants can reach widths of 20 feet and are a huge favorite of most divers.

In my opinion the best time to dive in Costa Rica is in the summer months or during their wet season. Wet season sounds much worse than it is. Most days consist of sun throughout much of the day, generally followed by a heavy downpour in the later afternoon or early evening which lasts for an hour or so and then clears up. During the summer months in Costa Rica, the water warms up to the point where most people dive with either a shorty or no wet suit at all. The visibility also clears up substantially in the wet season most days. The ocean is much calmer during these months, which make trips to the Bat Islands more frequent and more rewarding. The Bat Islands are a remote series of islands which are a protected from fisherman. HUGE schools of fish, rays, and other life is seen at these dive sites, unlike you will find anywhere else in Costa Rican waters. The Bat Islands dive sites are perhaps best known for their encounters with Bull Sharks. One dive site, called Big Scare, is frequented by a population of bull sharks which aren’t seen at any other dive sites in Costa Rica. The sharks here aren’t baited or fed, and have never had a bad encounter with a diver. The months of July and August are quite possibly the best time to experience the Bat Islands and have the most sightings of bull sharks.

Other Things To Do

What makes Costa Rica a great destination is not only what there is to see below the water, but the number of options you have to keep you busy when you are above the water. There is a wide range of activities to keep you busy on your deco day or in the afternoons. There are jungle riverboat tours, volcano and hot spring trips, ziplines, waterfalls, and a range of cultural type tours.

Ask Us Your Scuba Travel Questions

Our web developer, is currently wintering in Costa Rica, doubling as a divemaster at a local shop and booking tours and accommodations for the shops customers, so we have plenty of insider knowledge. Ask us questions regarding your trip to Costa Rica and we can help you arrange your diving, accommodation, and day tours.