Diving in Costa Rica

Costa Rica offers 767 miles of coastline waiting to be discovered and appreciated. As small as it is, Costa Rica boasts a great variety of incredibly fascinating underwater life unknown to most of us. The Pacific Coast offers the magnificent view of big marine animals in great quantities, while the Atlantic Coast offers an abundance of life forms in and around its coral reefs. Although diving is a recent sport in Costa Rica, the practice is spreading quickly through the country. The favorite exploration spots are coastal islands and underwater rock formations, a few kilometers away from the beach. Some say half of the beauty of Costa Rica lies underwater. Most of the diving schools and equipment suppliers are located on the Pacific coast. Isla del Coco is one of the most famous diving destinations in the world because of its richness in marine fauna, including more than 156 fish species. This spot became famous with Jaques Costeau's visit in 1987. This island also has scientific interest because of the unspoiled ecosystems that make it a living natural laboratory.

Caño Island is also a great spot. It was declared a national park in order to protect the variety of its flora and fauna, and is one of the most known and visited by national and international diving groups. At this island divers are always challenged with whale sharks and other marine mammals. The magnificence of the view of enormous schools of fish will have you trying to get as close as you can.
The central Pacific waters are turbulent and some of the currents are reserved for expert divers.

Other diving spots of importance include the coral reefs between Cahuita and Manzanillo on the Caribbean coast and in the North Pacific region the area around the Santa Rosa National Park (Catalina Islands) and Ocotal.