Costa Rica - Caribbean side

[pelan-pelan]

Is there any diving Caribbean side? If so - where?

 

[rexman24]

There is a dive shop in Puerto Viejo-Reefrunners. My experience the diving is not so great there. Ive heard the pesticide runoff from the banana plantations kills the reef and the fish. Ive heard it is better just south of there in BDT cause there are no plantations down there. Out of 6 dives I did out of PV, I would call 1 of them good.
I also was not particularily impressed with the safety of the dive shop. PV is a very very nice and fun place but not a dive destination IMO.

 

[drbill]

My housemate is a native Costa Rican. She says the Caribbean side is not the place to go in her country.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Thanks. Spent some time on the web and came to same conclusion. Perhaps in a couple of years' time.

 

[Deep Blue DIving]

Best diving in Costa Rica you'll find in the north pacific area around Playas del Coco.

 

[bubba105]

I second the North Pacific as some awesome diving. I've always dove with Diving safaris, only because that's who I know. I always stay in Hermosa so it's convenient. Visibility is less than the Carribean side but that's due to the micro life that brings fish in swarms, not just schools. If you go really slowly, you can actually get enveloped by the fish, very cool. Great sportfishing also. You can rent a panga and catch tuna, wahoo and all kinds of other gamefish. This is who I used for fishing in Hermosa www.northpacifictours.com. We had a blast. Going back in June.

 

[danktex]

I have spent some time on the southern Caribbean side of Costa Rica. Native Costa Ricans do not like that side for reasons I will not go in to with out violating the TOS. Which is what keeps it one of the best kept secrets. It is absolutely beautiful. The diving is not well established and there is a lot of reef damage. Try contacting Aquamor http://www.greencoast.com/aquamor2.htm. I did not get a chance to dive with them the last time I was down there because I was there during some severe weather and they were not going out. They are in Manzanillo which is close to Panama surrounded by a Wildlife refuge (no banana plantations). It would not be a spectacular dive only vacation but is one of my favorite places in the world.