Diving central America, Best Place?

[sgtsean]

I am looking at trying to dive somewhere in Central America. I am fishing in Costa Rica and thought I would look into some diving. Would love input on where, when and who to dive with, not only in CR but anywhere. Thanks, S

 

[CR Under The Blue]

Go to CRDP, the Association of Costa Rica Dive Professionals. We make Costa Rica a safe dive destination. and then look at the Playa Hermosa shop.

 

[Missdirected]

Go to CRDP, the Association of Costa Rica Dive Professionals. We make Costa Rica a safe dive destination. and then look at the Playa Hermosa shop.

Dang, You beat me to it again. I'm gettin' the next one

sgtsean do follow the above link provided it is a very good one.

Here is a report of mine, if you are interested: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ce...d-opinion-costa-rica-assistance-planning.html

 

[tadeotadeo]

You may want to consider Old Providence Island and or San Andres Island.
A little off the beaten path but definaltly one of the hidden jewels of the Caribbean, Old Providence is. I have info on my website about Old Providence.
There is also a article in this months Sport Diver on Old Providence.
San Andres is a bit easier to get to with just as good diving just not as much. If interested in San Andres I can get you info on places to stay and dive Ops.
Ciao Tad

 

[dashark]

Depending on where you are in C.R, Isla Del Cano has some excellent diving. Aside from the obvious chance of going to Cocos.......

 

[Summer-Salt]

Pura Vida! (that's the first thing to learn when considering to dive central america...)
Finding the best place is a very subjective choice: What would you like to see, what's your experience, ect.
In general the Caribbean Coasts are known for crystal clear and warm water, colorful coral reefs inhabited by even more colorful reef-fishes. The most popular destinations are certainly from Mexico, Belize, Honduras and some other little Islands all the way down to Colombia. Check hurricane seasons for choosing your dates...
The Pacific side is known for big fishes (and Cetaceans) in big amounts in variable conditions with lower vizibility and cooler water for some extra challenge.
For myself, I've chosen the second option for more variation and the thrill with the big ones even if you get spoiled with fascinating small reef creatures as well. The most popular places on the Pacific Coast start at some places in Mexico and then again on the Coast of Costa Rica (in particular the North-Western Coast, that's where I dive) over the Cocos Island - a world famous spot - to Coiba in Panama.
The choice is yours, if you have the time (and money), do it all!

 

[Canuckgirl]

I am looking at trying to dive somewhere in Central America. I am fishing in Costa Rica and thought I would look into some diving. Would love input on where, when and who to dive with, not only in CR but anywhere. Thanks, S

I can only speak to my own experience, but here are my two cents... I have dived in both Honduras (Utila) and Nicaragua (Little Corn Island) and enjoyed them both, but for different reasons.

Utila is a much more established dive destination with multiple dive operations and a wide range of accommodations (price & style). I stayed at Deep Blue Resort and also dove with Deep Blue. Accommodations were very comfortable and the location guaranteed peace & quiet. I only have good things to say able to dive op. Our dives were lead by Tex and two female dive masters (who were great, but I can't remember their names). The owner of Deep Blue also came along on a lot of our dives. We dove three times a day, plus a night dive. Most of the diving was wall diving, but we also did a couple of wrecks. Vis was good (75-100 ft.) and there were lots of fish, eels, corals, lobster, etc. Also saw a few turtles, and a pissed-off octopus. There were also a couple of whale sharks spotted by other dive ops in the week I was there. Nurse and Reef sharks are not very common.

Little Corn (LCI) was fun, but for different reasons. It is a lot harder to get there and as a result, is less established, less touristy and more basic. On LCI, I stayed at Casa Iguana, which is linked to the dive shop Dive Little Corn. Definitely dive with Dive Little Corn. The diving on LCI is all done from pangas and a lot more shallow than Utila. In Utila, the wall drops off to ocean depths. On LCI, I think the deepest we got was about 100 ft., with most diving between 60-80 ft. Shallower diving meant much longer bottom times. In a couple of instances, we dove for 1-1.5 hours, and still came up with lots of air left. The best attraction for LCI diving is the coral. Amazing, very pristine staghead corals, much bigger than I have seen elsewhere. Wildlife was mostly small, with lots of stingrays, small fish and lobsters (main export from LCI). We also saw a large number of nurse sharks and huge eagle rays on a few different dives.

Choose Utila if you are looking for an establish destination with more upscale accommodations. Diving is deeper, and a little more varied with wrecks, walls, mounts, etc. Choose LCI if you are a backpacker and are looking for a bit more of an adventure. Diving is very laid back, with long bottom times and no competition for sites.

Cheers, Canuckgirl