Question Is the Caribbean side of Costa Rica worth it?

[hazmat]

I'll be in Costa Rica in Jan. and already have some dives booked from Manuel Antonio and to Caño Island. Later on we'll be around Punta Uva on the Caribbean side. How is the diving there?

 

[USdiver1]

Punta Uva diving will not impress, especially if you have visited Isla del Caño. Diving is better in Panama's Bocas del Toro [especially Cayo Zapatilla] but that is a whole day's trip from Punta Uva. If it were me, I'd spend more time diving Isla del Caño and just chill around Puerto Viejo and Punta Uva, maybe taking in a little snorkeling.

 

[hazmat]

Thanks. It's a trip with my non-diving wife, so I'm just looking to get in as much diving as possible.

 

[USdiver1]

I would recommend a visit to Cahuita, which has some nice shoreline, when in the Puerto Viejo area. It was my favorite place to walk along the sea in that area. Take a snorkeling kit along.

 

[hazmat]

Cahuita is close enough to Punta Uva. Is there good diving around there? I'll have a car, so I'm happy to go there.

 

[hazmat]

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[USdiver1]

What you will find in the Cahuita / Puerto Viejo / Punta Uva / Manzanillo shore as far as diving goes is generally coral head out-croppings along a gradually sloping sandy bottom. I recall that the only decent sized islet along the shore being Isla Punta Mona, which is past Manzanillo. I never dove there, but it may have some coral and reef life similar to Isla Pajaro in Bocas del Toro [which I have dove many times and like]. There was an earthquake some thirty years ago that raised the sea bottom about 5 feet in Costa Rica, while lowering it around the same amount in Panama. The quake did break up some of the old reef structure, and even permanently lifted a few coral heads out of the water, especially around Puerto Limon.

 

[hazmat]

Thanks again. I'm mostly into macro lately, but I'm up for anything interesting. I'll contact Punta Uva Dive Center. They seem to be the only game in town in that part.