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Costa Rica Dive Sites

27 mapped sites

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Destination guide

Scuba diving in Costa Rica

Costa Rica diving is two different worlds. Cocos Island, an uninhabited national park roughly 550 km offshore, is one of the planet’s great big-animal destinations — schooling scalloped hammerheads at seamounts like Bajo Alcyone and Dirty Rock, reached only by multi-day liveaboard. Along the Pacific coast, sites around the Catalinas and Guanacaste offer rays, reef sharks, and volcanic rock reefs on day trips.

Open map viewCheck condition context
Public sites
27
Indexed destination pages
Regions
3
Browsable areas
Rating
Building
Reviews are still growing
Common access
Boat
12 dive sites

Seasonal patterns

Best months, historically in Costa Rica

Typical conditions by month across dive sites in Costa Rica— historical patterns, not a forecast.

  1. Jan75%29°C
  2. Feb87%29°C
  3. Mar87%30°C
  4. Apr73%30°C
  5. May45%30°C
  6. Jun47%29°C
  7. Jul61%29°C
  8. Aug75%29°C
  9. Sep58%29°C
  10. Oct53%29°C
  11. Nov59%28°C
  12. Dec73%28°C

From 27 sites’ typical conditions · historical typicals, not a forecast

Best time to dive Costa Rica: full month-by-month data →

Where divers start in Costa Rica

Best dive sites in Costa Rica

Showing 1–24 of 27

Map of La Cueva

La Cueva

La Cueva is a dive site located in Costa Rica.

Plan a dive in Costa Rica

Choose the right area

Popular starting points in Costa Rica include Cocos Island, Guanacaste, and Puntarenas. The region list helps you narrow the country before comparing individual site pages.

Explore sites on the map

Match depth and difficulty

Difficulty labels vary by site. Depth details vary by site. Boat is the most common listed access type. Use those signals as a starting point, then confirm the plan against training, equipment, and current local guidance.

Check conditions close to the dive

PickADive can help with research and comparison, but it does not certify that a dive is safe today. Weather, current, visibility, entry, boat traffic, and local rules can change quickly.

How condition context works
Cocos Island (12)Guanacaste (4)Puntarenas (4)

Common questions about diving in Costa Rica

Where is the best scuba diving in Costa Rica?

Cocos Island is Costa Rica’s world-class destination — an offshore national park known for schooling scalloped hammerheads at seamounts like Bajo Alcyone and Dirty Rock. It is reached only by multi-day liveaboard. Coastal Pacific sites around Guanacaste offer day-trip diving with rays and reef sharks.

How do you get to Cocos Island?

Only by liveaboard — Cocos lies roughly 550 km off the Pacific coast, about a 30–36 hour crossing, and trips run around 8–10 days. The island is an uninhabited national park with no land accommodation; book with the operators licensed for the marine park.

When is the best time to dive Cocos Island?

Cocos is dived year-round. The rainier months roughly June through November are widely associated with the biggest hammerhead schools, at the cost of rougher crossings and more surge; the drier season typically brings calmer seas. Confirm expectations with your liveaboard operator.

Is Costa Rica diving suitable for beginners?

Coastal Pacific day-trip sites suit a range of experience levels — ask local operators to match sites to your certification. Cocos Island is an advanced trip: strong currents, blue-water crossings, and remote logistics mean operators typically expect substantial logged experience.

Can PickADive tell me if conditions are safe today in Costa Rica?

No. PickADive helps with destination research and site comparison in Costa Rica, but it does not certify that a dive is safe today. Check current conditions, your training limits, equipment, local rules, and operator guidance before diving.