Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua (3/27 - 4/10) - Adventure Advice?

[Scuba Scotty]

Hey everyone,

I'm headed to Costa Rica next week. I'll be solo and on a backpacker's budget. I'm 25, fit, and open to anything. Panama and Nicaragua are within easy striking distance...

-Not to be missed Dive Sites?

-Best Dive Shops?

-Cheap but good lodging recommendations?

-Best Land-based Adventures?

-3/27 through 4/10 any consistent turtle nesting? Where?

-Best place to try surfing?

-Other recommendations?

-Travel by bus advice? (particularly helpful)

Is Isla del Cano worth the travel time and high dive cost? Should I take time for the Cahuita reef? Sounds like Catalina and Bat island are great, Bocas del Toro also sounds good. What do you think? I've got about 12 full days, I'd like get around 5 days of diving in...

THANK YOU

-Scotty

 

[Beachlover]

Pura Vida! Ah, I am jealous. I had the good fortune to spend one week( not enough time)in Costa Rica in 2002. We stayed on the pacific side, Guanacaste, to be exact. I did some diving at Catalina islands, yes, there are two of them side by side and very small. Saw lots of reef sharks, huge schools of jacks circling all around us, sixty+ visibility, lots of fish. Did a night dive, saw my first and only sea snake, very cool. I dove with flamingo diving and one small private operator.Both were knowledgable and fair priced.South of where we stayed is a surf town Tamarindo, good surf, check it out.The locals are really kind people.Check out the Arenal volcanoe if possible, it is active and awesome! .the rainforests are beautiful. I'll get back there someday. Enjoy your trip !!!!! "Pura Vida "

 

[Beachlover]

Pura Vida! Ah, I am jealous. I had the good fortune to spend one week( not enough time)in Costa Rica in 2002. We stayed on the pacific side, Guanacaste, to be exact. I did some diving at Catalina islands, yes, there are two of them side by side and very small. Saw lots of reef sharks, huge schools of jacks circling all around us, sixty+ visibility, lots of fish. Did a night dive, saw my first and only sea snake, very cool. I dove with flamingo diving and one small private operator.Both were knowledgable and fair priced.South of where we stayed is a surf town Tamarindo, good surf, check it out.The locals are really kind people.Check out the Arenal volcanoe if possible, it is active and awesome! .the rainforests are beautiful. I'll get back there someday. Enjoy your trip !!!!! "Pura Vida "!

 

[CR Under The Blue]

check out CRDP, the Association of Costa Rica Dive Professionals. We make Costa Rica a safe dive destination. for dive shops in the area

 

[NTSilver]

Arenal volcano area has lots of stuff: Volcano hiking, zip lines, horseback riding, and white water rafting.

 

[Missdirected]

check out CRDP, the Association of Costa Rica Dive Professionals. We make Costa Rica a safe dive destination. for dive shops in the area

Definitely follow this link.

Rafting down the Pacquari is incredible but you will have to head from Guanacaste toward San Jose to get to the good stuff. Flights are relatively cheap - roundabout $80. Swiss Travel can set you up on a lot of adventures - very good company IMO. Ziplines were okay. After the first two times I was done but you have to finish it out which got kind of boring. ATV was good fun as well.

Tamarindo has your surfing which I don't know much about. I do know it is a younger more touristy town. Not really my cup of tea but they do have the closest surfing to Guancaste.

 

[Missdirected]

Be sure to let us know how your trip went, please Oh and piccers - we need piccers It is an SB requirement, you know? :54:

 

[floridanewbe]

I just got back from corn islands Nic last week . If your going to that side of Nic tell me if you want a detailed reply on the 3 dive opperations on the islands and I will post. however generally not a great fish population (compared with florida keys) in my limited experience. Vis was 30 feet. dive boats were all pangas. Beaches and water quality were great. If you need more information just ask.

 

[night729]

If you go to Panama I would highly recommend going to Santa Catalina. It has world class diving, especially if take a 1 hour boat ride out to Coiba National Park, it also has world class surfing. It is pretty easy to get to by bus and there are very cheap accommodations that are good quality.
Forgive my overuse of "world-class", but it is true!

Here is my trip report
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/central-america/227050-santa-catalina-coiba-report.html

Santa Catalina, Panama - Surf, Scuba Dive, Fish, Chill