|
Costa Rica Underwater Photo Sites
School of golden cownose rays
| Facts about Big Scare, Bat Island It is in Costa Rica- Big Scare, Bat Island is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-10 Metres 0-30 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types |  |
| Marine Life |  |
| Diving facilities |   |
|
N/A.
| Facts about Dirty Rock, Cocos Island Nationalpark- It is in Costa Rica
- Dirty Rock, Cocos Island Nationalpark is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-30 Metres 0-100 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types |  |
| Marine Life | |
| Diving facilities |  |
| Photo facilities |  |
|
Beautiful blue water. Great viz .
| Facts about Catalinas- It is in Costa Rica
- Catalinas is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-30 Metres 0-100 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 10-30 Metres 30-100 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Diving facilities | |
| Photo facilities | |
|
Caiman was hunting for lunch, seemed to be very interested in the turtles and turtle eggs, length was about 5 foot. D4, focal length 700 mm.
| | Facts about On the beach by Tortuguero National Park |
|
| Dive types |  |
|
One of the best large animal dive sites I've ever been to. We had schooling hammerheads, whale sharks. galapagos sharks and possible one tiger shark.
| Facts about Alycyone- It is in Costa Rica
- The typical depth is 0-30 Metres 0-100 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Photo facilities | |
|
Great dive site. Rough surface conditions. The tunnel is the main attraction. Can be hammerhead sharks but we didn't see any. Be ready to go underwater as soon as you hit the water.
| Facts about Dos Amagos Grande- It is in Costa Rica
- The typical depth is 0-30 Metres 0-100 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 10-30 Metres 30-100 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Photo facilities | |
|
Perhaps the greatest underwater universe on Earth....?..... and lots of sharks!
| Facts about Isla del Coco (Cocos Island)- It is in Costa Rica
- Isla del Coco (Cocos Island) is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-50 Metres 0-160 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 10-30 Metres 30-100 Feet.
|
|
| Diving facilities | |
|
Costa Rica - boat dive - around monkey heads
| Facts about Costa Rica - monkey heads- It is in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica - monkey heads is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-20 Metres 0-60 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 3-10 Metres 10-30 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Diving facilities | |
| Photo facilities |  |
|
It is on the Pacific Ocean side of Costa Rica, west of the Península de Osa. It has been established as a protected national park, with a permanent ranger station on the island. It is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors for its beaches, coral beds, and sea life.
Marine life includes manta rays, sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, whales, and a wide variety of fish.
Evidence of preColumbian human activity on the island is substantial, with some of the most interesting artifacts being stone spheres evidently carved by early civilizations.
| Facts about Caño Island- It is in Costa Rica
- Caño Island is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-20 Metres 0-60 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 3-10 Metres 10-30 Feet.
|
|
| Photo facilities |  |
|
4000 words is not enough to discribe Coco's Island. The most beautifull place on earth above and underwater. If I look at my footage I Hammerheads; White-tips reefsharks and Marbled Rays in one shot. Just amazing. A must see before 'you're last journey'!
| Facts about Dirty Rock Alcyone etc. Coco's Island- It is in Costa Rica
- Dirty Rock Alcyone etc. Coco's Island is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-40 Metres 0-130 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 30+ Metres 100+ Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Photo facilities | |
|
There are a series of great Dive Sites just off the coast of Playa Coco in Costa Rica in the Guanacaste province. Highly recommend diving with the local dive operators there.
| Facts about Playa Coco- It is in Costa Rica
- Playa Coco is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-10 Metres 0-30 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 10-30 Metres 30-100 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Photo facilities | |
|
My first roll of film had 36 (different) big critters, one on each frame!
Isla del Cocos is a small island (8 sq miles) 255 miles off the Costa Rican coast and is one of the top 10 dives worldwide.
Sharks galore! Hammerheads (famous for schools), oceanics, whalesharks - you name 'em, they're here. I did get spooked on one dive when one big feller gave me the eye and I got out quick!
water temp was 75F so a thick wetsuit was needed.
Best sites - Manuelita islet and dirty rock
| Facts about Cocos Island- It is in Costa Rica
- Cocos Island is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-20 Metres 0-60 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 3-10 Metres 10-30 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types |  |
| Photo facilities | |
|
One of the best land based dives in Costa Rica is at the Catalina Islands between the months of November and May. That is the best time to have an opportunity to see giant Pacific manta rays. These are not just ordinary manta rays but Manta birostris . This species of manta ray can have a wingspan of up to 24 feet (about 7 meters) and weigh up to nearly 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg). These enormous animals feed primarily on the microscopic plants and animals found in the plankton that is so plentiful at Catalina Islands.
They glide by you in no particularly hurry allowing you to get a good view and take prized photographs. The distinctive patterns on their bodies provide a personal signature for each manta. Some are nearly all black, while others sport white chevrons on their backs. The patterns and sometimes scars make the mantas easy to recognize.
The manta’s mouths are bracketed by two flexible cephalic lobes that look almost like horns when rolled up. During feeding, these lobes unfurl in a downward direction like two arms and appear to sweep plankton toward the mouth. When not feeding the lobes roll back up or are held in a relaxed gesture beneath the mouth with the tips nearly touching. Mantas do have teeth. To be more precise, they have rows of tiny pinhead-sized teeth along the lower jaw. The teeth are probably no rougher than the sandpaper hide of the manta are useless as a defensive tool. During mating the male grasps one of the female’s wingtips in his mouth as he swims under her for a brief belly-to-belly 90 second interlude in which the eggs are fertilized. It probable that the teeth help hold the female in position much like sharks do during mating.
During the manta ray season at Catalina Islands the water is cooler than normal and you should wear a full 3MM wet suit or maybe even a 5MM if you chill easily. If the water is not cold enough for a 3MM then it is probably not cold enough to see schooling, giant manta rays. You should make reservations in advance for Catalina Islands as you don’t want to miss this opportunity to swim with the giant manta rays.
Bill Beard click here
| Facts about Gulf Of Papagayo- It is in Costa Rica
- Gulf Of Papagayo is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-30 Metres 0-100 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 3-10 Metres 10-30 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Photo facilities | |
|
Great site with lot's of surprises. Manta's; giant schools of Rays (Mobula; Pacific Stingray, Eagle etc.); Schooling Jack's. If you're lucky you've got the dive of your life! Dive with "Summer Salt".
| Facts about Catalina Islands- It is in Costa Rica
- Catalina Islands is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-40 Metres 0-130 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 10-30 Metres 30-100 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Photo facilities |  |
|
Murcielago or Bat islands
This dive spot is for experienced divers and really worth taking the 1 hour and 15 minutes boat trip.
A free decent and you are in a wonderfull place. In the season May - November this place is famous for it's bull sharks.
My firts trip to these islands was awesome.....16 bull sharks!
The biggest Murene eels and big schools of rays. It's just a magnificent place to dive!
Your saftey stop has to be made in mid water without reference, this can be tricky because sometimes the currents are strong; therefore the experienced dive certification.
If you plan to go, be prepared, bring a saftey tube for the boat to spot you.
Bat islands is a national park and an entrance fee of $6 needs to be paid, make sure you take a diveshop that has legal permission because alot of divecenteres will take you on this trip and then you end up returning without any dives because the coast guard interfered with the plans.
One of the dive shops with a permit is Rich Coast Diving in playa del Coco.
click here
| Facts about Bat Islands- It is in Costa Rica
- Bat Islands is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-30 Metres 0-100 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 3-10 Metres 10-30 Feet.
|
|
On the Sea Hunter Liveaboard. Dirty rock is a dive site near to Cocos Island which attracts large species: Mantas, Whale Sharks, Hammerheads, Killer Whales, False Killer Whales, Dolphins and large shoals of Jacks. Because it is round, you can stay in the same place and photograph the same animal/s several times as they swim round and round the rock.
| Facts about Roca Socio (Dirty Rock)- It is in Costa Rica
- Roca Socio (Dirty Rock) is in the Pacific.
- The typical depth is 0-20 Metres 0-60 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 10-30 Metres 30-100 Feet.
|
|
| Dive types | |
| Diving facilities |  |
| Photo facilities |  |
|
|