Diving in Costa Rica -mid Oct. Suggestions?

[Groobie85]

Ill be going to Malpias, Puntarenas for a wedding on the 11th of Oct but plan on staying in costa till the 19th. Im interested in doing some diving and will have a car. Would like to do some on both coasts if possible. From reading on here I gather Cocos Island, Bat Island and Catalina Island are all nice dives on the Pacific side.

Any other suggestions for dives or dive ops?

Also what about diving the Caribbean side? Any suggestions? I heard its underdeveloped but is very good.

Thanks for any and all advice.

-Sean

 

[ScubabunnyCR]

I would head north and head towards playa hermosa/coco to dive. About the best diving in Costa Rica for that time of year.

 

[Groobie85]

great! Thanks!

 

[Shark Whisperer]

I am sitting on my balcony at my hotel in Playa Hermosa after an awesome week of diving with Rocket Frog! I highly recommend them! They have a super fast boat that will get you to Bat Island in about 45 minutes whereas other ops it takes about 2 hours. It's a little more expensive to go to Bat Island but sooooo worth it! We had two bull sharks and a manta ray circle around us for a bit. The other sites around Playa Hermosa are full of sea life! We did a total of 14 dives and only three of those dives we did not see sharks.

 

[USdiver1]

If you go the Caribbean route, just continue on down the coast past Limon, Puerto Viejo, etc until you get to Sixaola. There cross the border into Panama, drive to Almirante and take a ferry to Bocas del Toro. Some ok caribbean diving in Bocas. On second thought, keep it on the Pacific in Ticolandia and you'll be fine.

 

[Groobie85]

Just got back from a trip to CR. Did get to dive both coasts. Diving with Rocket Frogs out of Playa Occital (pacific side) was awesome. Went to Catalina Island and saw 2 manta's one about 8ft wing span the other about 12ft. nice schools of fish. over a dozen white tip's. Vis was around 50ft. All in all Great boat, Op. and dives. Dove out off Purto Viejo (atlantic side) diving was...better than working. warm water. nice life in the shallows below 30ft not much to see. They need to start "removing" the lion fish there saw some quite large ones which means to me that they are well fed.

 

[jzorbas]

Could you explain just how difficult of a dive bat islands are? dive operators keep stressing strong currents but do not say if it means you just need to be in shape and have the sense to swim out of a current, or if you have to hold on to rocks and hide behind formations and washing machine currents. My wife and I are going at the end of july.