Costa Rica is famous for its incredible biodiversity and beachfront resorts, but its surrounding water is just as impressive. You’re likely to spot a sea turtle or two while dolphins dance in the surf, while watching potentially hundreds of fish species. I'm an avid diver. The Best Places to Dive with Manta Rays in Costa Rica? This is what makes it one of the best places to stay in Costa Rica for convenience at a price that won’t stretch your budget. Scuba diving in Limon is great, with the marine life here varied and diverse. 9 places you must visit in Costa Rica. The number one place to live in Costa Rica is Quesada. If you are someone that is looking to really dive into the local culture, ... Best Places To Retire retire in Costa Rica retire to Costa Rica Where To Retire In Costa Rica. Dive with hundreds of hammerhead sharks at Cocos Island or try an adrenaline-filled dive with bull sharks at Bat Island. It’s home to volcanic rock formations, vibrant coral reefs, shipwrecks and abundant marine life. While it’s now less eruptive, Arenal keeps its iconic conical shape. I've never been there before, but I hear amazing things. However, these landscapes also exist under water. Look no further, here are the best places to snorkel in Costa Rica in 2020, as a bonus we'll also mention the best dive spots in Costa Rica as well. Cano island is known as the best place to scuba dive in Costa Rica, except for Cocos Island.However, Cano is much more accessible, and there are many dive resorts and dive companies that can take you from Drake Bay or other areas in the Osa Peninsula to the dive sites. If you are planning to dive during your visit to Costa Rica, Las Catalinas has to be on your list of places to dive. Sites such as Cocos Islands, Cano Island and Gandoca Manzanillo could even be considered world class. Off the shores of Costa Rica, divers swim among huge schools of fish, giant manta rays, sharks, whales and sea turtles. Our Costa Rican dive resorts also offer enticing manta ray encounters. The only real drawbacks are that good shopping is located about 45 minutes away in the town of San Isidro de El General, and the two major public hospitals serving this area are about 20 miles to the south in Puerto Cortés or 40 minutes inland at San Isidro. The Caño Island Biological Reserve has a number of exquisitely magical dive spots that are teeming with marine life and coral.The pristine waters surrounding the tiny island off the coast of Drake Bay has been rated one of the best spots to go diving in Costa Rica. Cocos Island is considered the best diving in Costa Rica, but the only way to dive it is via (expensive) 8-10 day liveaboard (from CR the options are Aggressor/Peter Hughes & Undersea Hunter Group). This also makes it close to all the neighborhoods in Costa Rica that you’ll want to see. Many retired expats call this area home. Costa Rica, also known as the 'Rich Coast' is blessed with warm Caribbean waters on one side and nutrient filled Pacific waters on the other. Waters are buzzing with hammerhead sharks, white fin sharks, stingrays, dolphin, tuna, sailfish and 27 endemic fish species. Costa Rica is now well situated on the list of popular tourist destinations due its amazing wealth of natural beauty, with many national parks and government protected areas taking up over 24% of the… Dive sites in Costa Rica Manta rays can be found at various dive sites throughout Costa Rica, so going on an excursion with a reliable dive centre will help you target the best sites where the encounter is most likely to happen. Whether you prefer a beach on the Pacific coast, a big city, or a remote mountainous region, there are tons of great places to live in Costa Rica. Diving Costa Rica. San Francisco. Scuba Dive Costa Rica. The Best Diving in Costa Rica. With its beautiful landscapes, tropical climate, and affordable cost of living, you can live any type of lifestyle you want. This is not a Bay area city, but it is a great place to live. Whales migrate here in the winter so you will likely encounter a 35-foot whale shark, Orcas, humpback and pilot whale. Diving in Costa Rica Tips. White sands, turquoise waters and endless wildlife sums up Manuel Antonio National Park. Each dive site offers a different experience, so it is worth visiting several places. Costa Rica – Marine Life Heaven. I've also done a little diving in Cozumel and Belize. Free food for all :). August 18, 2011 Photo credit: Wikipedia. These rich waters are known for Pacific mantas, devil rays, white tip and nurse sharks, as well as many species of fish. Best Places to Dive in Costa Rica Cocos Island is generally ranked top 3 dive sites in the world but out of budget for many people, being visited only by liveaboard. The sea temperature around Costa Rica ranges from 21 o C to 29 o C. The dry season in this area is from November to May, however, if you do visit Costa Rica around this time, prepare for strong winds. It boasts a restaurant, 24-hour front desk, private bathrooms, and a bar, and is within walking distance of several dining options. Boasting the most unexplored dives and the country's best visibility, Drake Bay is in a league... Manuel Antonio. Scalloped hammerheads are the big draw of Costa Rica’s Cocos Island, 342 miles from mainland Central America. To name just a few examples of great places for scuba diving in Costa Rica: Guanacaste Bay; Cocos Island Dive vacations in Costa Rica offer something to satisfy every adventure craving. There is very good diving on the north Paciific coast of Costa Rica at the Catalina Islands. I'm going to Costa Rica from Dec.22-Jan.6. While Costa Rica is not regarded as the best destination for scuba diving, there are excellent places to dive if you visit the right locations. Parque Nacional Cahuita. We are Scuba Dive Costa Rica (SDCR), a multilingual PADI 5 Star Center located at the heart of Costa Rica's diving region in Playa Potrero.With the closest launch point to Las Catalinas Islands at just 15 minutes, SDCR is the only beachfront Dive Center in Costa Rica featuring our very own onsite training pool, restaurant and full bar. Why Manta rays love Costa Rica? Scuba diving in Costa Rica is a must on every trip! In Southern Limon, you will find some of the most amazing coral reef in Costa Rica, which is protected inside the Parque Nacional Cahuita.Among the most frequented national parks in the country, the scuba diving is incredible with over 123 species of fish and many coral species found here. Dive Spots / Front Page Featured / Guanacaste. Contact us to plan your trip in Costa Rica. With a popular of under 45,000 people, you will... 2. The best diving in Costa Rica, though, is arguably at the Cocos Islands, 300 miles off the mainland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best place to dive in Costa Rica. San Jose. The town of Ojochal is famous for some the best gourmet dinning in Costa Rica. Sites with names like Lobster Wall, Froggie Lair, Barracuda Point and Turtle Cave basically say it all. The Best Places to Dive with Big Animals. Go with a slightly thicker wetsuit than average water temperatures might suggest, as many sites have thermoclines, with colder water below. The 20 Best Places to Live in Costa Rica 1. Part of the allure of diving vacations in Costa Rica is choosing where to begin your deep-sea adventure. That’s why in Costa Rica Divers you can take advantage of the many locations and try diving in a place that suits you best. Isla del Caño. The best mountain towns, beach towns and cities in Costa Rica are detailed below. Because of its remoteness, the only way to dive at Cocos Island is a liveaboard diving trip. If Cocos is not an option the next question is Pacific vs Caribbean diving (note that CR is known more for Pacific diving). The better diving is on the Pacific coast, particularly in the Northwest: Catalina Islands, Bat Islands and the Gulf of Papagayo.In the Southwest check out Cano Island.. 9 November 2020 Costa Rica sits between the Pacific and the Caribbean. The Devil’s Pinnacle, rock formations up to 45m deep where the giant manta ray and many other species are often seen. It is one of the best spots in the world for scuba divers. In this video we will look at the TOP 5 areas or best places to Live in Costa Rica. Cano island is known as the best place to scuba dive in Costa Rica, except for Cocos Island. Until recently, Arenal Volcano was one of the most active volcanoes in the region. With one of the widest forms of biodiversity in Central America, Costa Rica offers a range of species and difficulty levels to dive into. Choose a fast boat for trips to sites in the Catalina and Bat Islands, which can be 20 miles or more from dive centers. Las Catalinas Islands are home to some of the best coastal diving in Costa Rica with a fantastic variety of marine life. The best months for scuba diving in Costa Rica at the Bat Islands are March to November, were you might see a 15-foot Bull sharks, Eagle rays, pompanos, Horse-Eye jacks, and Wahoos. The Best places to live in Costa Rica including five top expat havens where you can live in your dream in this beautiful country and take advantage of all it. Want to experience the amazing diving world of Costa Rica? It has a popular of just over 24,000... 3. https://www.costaricarios.com/13-best-places-in-costa-rica-for-scuba-diving Arenal Volcano National Park: For walkers and nature lovers. Costa Rica is a wonderful place for retirees for a number of different reasons. The height of the volcano is 1670 m above sea level. Picking the Best Place to Live in Costa Rica. Some of the best diving spots on Caño island are: The Shark Cave, where you can observe a cave with white tip reef sharks. Cocos Island – One of Costa Rica’s most well known dive spots. ... Costa Rica. Most dive pros (including the legendary Jacques-Yves Cousteau) agree that the numerous sites found around Sipadan Island deserve to be listed among the world’s best places to Scuba dive. I have over 2,500 dives, mostly in Thailand, Indonesia and the Maldives. Quesada. Don't miss our travel recommendation for the "Best Place To Scuba Dive" when planning your trip. DIY Costa Rica A "best of Costa Rica" content portfolio documenting firsthand travel experience, tips, photos, and recommendations for do-it-yourself Costa Rica vacation planners. Scientists measure Cocos concentration of marine life as 5 times greater than the Caribbean Sea mostly attributed to the volcanic pinicles jetting out from deep ocean waters. Costa Rica, the heart of Central America, is known for its beautiful and natural landscape. Costa Rica does not disappoint. Costa Rica Scuba Diving Caño Island in Drake Bay. Of diving vacations in Costa Rica, Barracuda Point and Turtle Cave basically it. Water temperatures might suggest, as many sites have thermoclines, with colder water.. And diverse and the country 's best visibility, Drake Bay is in a league... Manuel Antonio Park! 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