Costa Rica translates from Spanish to English to “Rich Coast”. The name fits perfectly given the amazing beaches and ocean that surrounds both sides of the country.

The most famous dive sites in the country are on the Pacific side with offshore islands that include underwater pinnacles, including Cocos Island and Bat and Catalina Islands in the Guanacaste area. These locations often include shark and manta rays, but also typically have heavy currents which makes the diving more suitable for advanced divers.

The Pacific coast is also famous for humpback whales and boasts many protected biological reserves. When diving along the coast, you’ll often see large schools of fish swimming on almost every dive.

If you get a chance to dive on the Caribbean coast, you will encounter vibrant reefs full of marine life, many of which have not been fully mapped by divers. The reefs make this region great for beginner divers.

WHEN TO VISIT COSTA RICA FOR SCUBA DIVING

Diving seasons in Costa Rica are normally split into the rainy and dry season. The rainy season normally ranges from May until November. The dry season usually starts in December and ends in April. Depending on the area, visibility for diving usually ranges between 50-100 feet (15-30 meters). Starting in June through Sept/October usually brings the best visibility for diving.

Water temperature will range from 78-84ºF. From Late November through the end of March, colder water currents bring temperatures to as low as 68ºF but with that it also brings large animals such as humpback whales, pilot whales, giant manta rays, whale sharks and much more.

The outside air temperatures along the coast will generally stay around 82ºF in the winter time and 92ºF during the summer months. If you move to higher elevations in the mountain regions, you will enjoy temperatures that consistently stay between 68ºF and 84ºF each day, year round. If you are coming to Costa Rica to dive, we highly recommend including a few days inland to enjoy the rain forest, river rafting and many other incredible activities that make Costa Rica one of the fastest growing countries for travel and tourism in the world.

The Slow Season – May to November – The Rainy Season

This is considered the rainy season for Costa Rica, but most of the time this means you should expect a few hours of rain late in the afternoon. Don’t let the word “rain” scare you away!  The word rainy season scares people away sometimes, but what you will normally find is the rain clouds will clear out by 8:00 AM in the morning and don’t come back until 4:00 PM or later. This leaves nearly the entire day with blue sky to enjoy activities and the best part is there will be few people at many of the hotels and resorts. As an added benefit, nearly all the hotels will charge “off-season” pricing so your money will go further. This is a fantastic time to visit Costa Rica but don’t tell too many people because we love having hotels to ourselves during this time of the year!

This is the best time of year if you are an advanced SCUBA diver who is looking to see for large mammals, whales, bull sharks, hammerhead sharks, etc. Some of the best locations include Bat Islands and Cocos Island on the Pacific side.

The Caribbean diving and snorkeling is best from August to December when the seas tend to be calmer and there is less wind.

The Busy Season – December to April – AKA The Dry Season

This is the also called the dry season. During this time period, very little to no rain falls along the Pacific Coast. This is the best time to visit if you are looking to spend time laying on a beach.

Most of the large sea life that you will find during May to November will be replaced by a large variety of fish. This is the best time of year for beginner divers who are looking for easy, colorful diving. Visibility often will reach 100 feet during this time. December to April is also the best time to dive on the Pacific coast in some of the popular tourist locations of Manuel Antonio/Quepos and the northern Guanacaste areas.

Planning your Trip

If you are looking to come to Costa Rica for a scuba diving trip or other vacation, our team at Amazing Vacations Costa Rica specializes in planning and organizing all aspects of your trip.

We take care of planning and arranging transportation, lodging, activities, and everything else you might need or want from the time you step off the airplane until the time you head home. We have relationships with nearly all the awesome boutique hotels in the country and use our local knowledge to setup tours with the best guides, best tour providers and best things to do while you are in the country. Our custom trips are often “high touch” with very small groups, or just your group depending on the activities you select.

Don’t stress over trying to find each hotel, figuring out transportation, worrying about using google maps and renting a car, or wondering if the trip advisor hotel review will be accurate. We do this every day and are in and out of hotels with our travelers daily. It’s what we do, and it makes a huge difference when you work with local experts who love what they do.

We pride ourselves on five star reviews and over 90% of our business continues to come from referrals and word of mouth advertising. Just read our reviews on Facebook, Google, Trip Advisor, etc. if you are curious what people are saying about us.

If you are looking to visit Costa Rica, let our experts take care of all the details and allow yourself to come and relax.