Dive Destinations
Liveaboards
Resorts / Day Trips
Scuba Training
A small outpost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that is teeming with pelagic action, the remote Costa Rica island of Cocos is one of the world’s finest liveaboard dive destinations. It is a remarkable location frequented almost entirely by Costa Rican liveaboard expeditions, drawn by the promise of squadrons of hammerhead sharks, Galapagos, tiger, silky, blacktip, silvertip and whitetip reef sharks and a multitude of numerous species of rays.
This region has been afforded marine park status to protect the thriving rainforest on the island and marine eco-system underwater. The eco-system of Cocos Island has been largely untouched by humans, offering the lucky few liveaboard divers a rare glimpse into a world where nature reigns supreme. The marine life is largely unafraid of humans. Mobula rays even seem to mistake divers for cleaning stations as they gracefully swerve ever closer. It is not by accident that the island was the setting for Jurassic Park.
Located 342 miles (550 km) south west of Capo Blanco in Costa Rica, the closest La Isla del Coco ever came to being inhabited was by the pirates and whalers taking shelter on their route along the Central American coast. Over 20 dive sites are located in close proximity to Cocos Island, offering liveaboard guests varied scuba experiences around the vertical granite walls, volcanic boulders and pinnacles. Diving in the often strong surge and currents, the lure of blue water and distance from the mainland require a certain skill level.
The incredible Cocos Island, the subject of strong conservation efforts, is on the 'To do list' of all sorts of divers who have been scuba diving everywhere else and those who simply wish to visit a genuine natural paradise. Memories of happy people enjoying a delicious evening meal together as the boat is moored in a quiet bay, reliving the day's beautiful underwater sights in this special destination, will last forever. Privileged divers who have treated themselves to a Cocos liveaboard trip all agree that it is an amazing experience and an important entry in any enthusiast's logbook.
Since there are no resort options on Cocos, once you've finished your liveaboard cruise, you'll return to the Costa Rican mainland. The country is both an exciting adventure destination as well as a haven for rest and relaxation. Windsurfing, canyoning, forest canopy tours and many more heart-stopping activities can be added to diving with hundreds of sharks at Cocos Island. There are also beautiful, serene beaches, and relaxing spas for those who prefer idle pampering.
If you're ready for some unforgettable encounters with hammerhead sharks, eagle rays and whale sharks, or you just love to dive in water filled with schools of fish, we recommend liveaboards that operate on Costa Rica's west coast out of Puntarenas to the island of Cocos where the country's best scuba diving is located:
For many people, the prospect of liveaboard diving around Cocos seems like a distant ambition. However it is easily done. You simply need to decide that you deserve to be surrounded by thousands of fish, hundreds of hammerhead sharks, dolphins or silky sharks, in a location in the middle of nowhere with few other divers. Those who have dived Cocos share the opinion that it is one of the very few places on earth that can provide such a treasured experience
Bajo Alcyone is a submerged seamount, unsurpassed as the place to be treated to more hammerhead sharks than you will ever see anywhere else. The marine life at this remote site is mostly unafraid of scuba divers and the sharks and rays will swim within metres of you as they come in to be serviced at the many cleaning stations. The large boulders and pinnacles break the surface at the very popular dive site of Dirty Rock. Below the surface the channel is calmer, protected as it is by the rock formations, making it more accessible to less advanced divers. The hammerhead sharks and marbled rays are the main attractions with large shoals of bigeye jacks followed by hunting tuna.
Scuba divers are expected to be experienced as some of the sites are deep and strong current is often present. Many of the dives will be quite relaxed too. Cocos Island may not be for beginner divers, but as long as you are comfortable in different conditions, you will love the diving here. What's more, thrilling encounters with large and dangerous predators are likely, including tiger sharks, hammerheads and Galapagos sharks; divers must be happy to see them!. [More details on these dive sites: Cocos].
If you have dived several places and feel it is time to treat yourself to somewhere truly spectacular and to somewhere you can look back on all your life, then it is time to give Cocos liveaboard diving some serious thought. For men and women, young and old alike, Cocos Island has become a 'must visit' destination, and it is a very popular destination with limited spaces. So we recommend you book many months in advance of your travel dates to avoid disappointment.
Most Cocos liveaboards run 10 night trips as the tour includes a 1½ days cruise out there, and the same on return. This gives you plenty of time to make sure your equipment is in order, to get to know the other boys and girls on board and learn more about the island's history and eco-system from the on board information. The boats tend to be relatively high-spec to cope with the potential demands of operating in such a remote location and aim to provide a comfortable experience with fine food and beverages to compliment the fabulous scuba diving.
An exciting option on some of the Cocos liveaboard boats is to take a deep sea submersible down to the ocean depths of Cocos on a once-in-a-lifetime dive to see deep sea creatures and landscapes way beyond recreational scuba limits. Imagine looking up through the glass viewing bubble of the submersible to the ocean's surface 328 ft (100m) above and witnessing the silhouettes of a school of hammerheads or a squadron of mobula rays overhead!
> [More details: Cocos Island Liveaboard Trips]As an alternative in Costa Rica, some liveaboards operate scuba cruises to sample the diving delights of Caño Island which is much closer to the mainland. This can be an option if your visit is between January through early June. You can expect more color here and more in the way of coral reefs. There is a greater variety of tropical reef fish here than in Cocos but less in the way of large pelagic action. You may however encounter sharks, rays, turtles and maybe even dolphins and whales if you are lucky. [More details on these dive sites: Caño].
> [More details: Caño Island Liveaboard Trips]
Customer rating: Very good!
Customer rating: Good
Customer rating: Be first to rate!
Costa Rica's climate is described as mild and subtropical year-round. Rainy season is approximately May through November, with more showers and lower water visibility, but this is also the time when there is most action underwater around Cocos Island. Dry season occurs between December and April. The temperature does not vary a great deal, with the average range being between low 70s to low 80s°F (23 to 28°C) although a few degrees either side would not be a rare occurrence, especially in the higher altitude locations such as San José.
Truly there is no best time to go to Cocos as the island offers great diving all year round and the weather is very changeable. June through December sees more rains and rougher seas, carrying more plankton, attracting the big fish but also reducing visibility. There are more hammerheads, whale sharks and manta rays at this time. December through May is drier and the seas calmer while still having great pelagic sightings. As always, open ocean conditions can vary so these Cocos liveaboards are not recommended for those who suffer badly from motion sickness.
The water temperature ranges between 75-86°F (24-30°C). We recommend you take a 5 mm full length wet suit, hood, globes and boots on your Cocos liveaboard safari to be comfortable at all times, depending on the presence of thermoclines. These can cause a drastic 43°F (6°C) drop in the water temperature. Visit our Cocos dive sites page for more details on the seasons.
If you are visiting during January through early June you may want to consider a dive cruise to Caño Island. This is a destination visited by some of the Costa Rican liveaboards at this time of year.
Costa Rica, is one of a number of small nations that comprise the isthmus of Central America. Its eastern shore is lapped by the Caribbean, and its western shore by the Pacific. The land border to the north is Nicaragua and to the south is Panama.
Major airlines with regular direct flights to Costa Rica from North America are: Air Canada, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Grupo Taca, Mexicana, Spirit Air, and US Airways. From Europe: Iberia, Condor Air, Martin Air, American Airlines and British Airways have established routes to San José, some direct and others with one connection. Most routes pass through the US, meaning non-US passengers have to comply with US entry requirements for transiting the country. It takes between 3 and 7 hours to fly there from most U.S. cities.
International flights land either in San José's Juan Santamaría International Airport or in the city of Liberia's Daniel Oduber International Airport. Cocos liveaboard charters pick up from San Jose hotels and transfer guests to the departure port of Puntarenas (a 2 hour ride), so we recommend you fly into Juan Santamaria. The cruise from Punteranas to Cocos Island takes roughly 35 hours.
Protect yourself with insurance for health, diving, and travel (including trip cancellation). Our insurance program offers competitive rates.
Extending your stay in Costa Rica before or after your liveaboard diving trip? Explore accommodation options through our trusted partner, HotelsCombined.com. Browse their selection, chat online for assistance, or book instantly with your credit card - all backed by their Low Price Guarantee for the best value:
For additional answers about traveling to Costa Rica, check out our FAQs page.
I was very impressed with all aspects of Dive The World. The speed at which I received answers to my inquiries was impressive as was the security in paying for my trip using PayPal. My only suggestion would be to include more pictures of the resort
