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Specialties: Big Animals (Hammerhead sharks, giant manta
rays, whale sharks, humpback whales, sting rays and eagle
rays), Live-aboard Diving, Ecotours to rain forests,
volcanoes, natural “hot springs,” cascading waterfalls, and
canopy tours through jungle tree tops.
Costa Rica is
located in Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and
the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama. The
Pacific has the country's best diving, with plenty of big marine
life.
Costa Rica's waters are teeming with
graceful sting rays, eagle rays, and giant manta rays, sea
turtles, colorful angel fish, spiny puffer fish, silvertip
sharks and an occasion, humpback whales and whale sharks.
Most
operators offer day trips to Bat Island (Islas Murcielagos) and
Catalina Island where there is a greater chance of seeing
sharks, whales, and giant manta rays. It’s important to note
these dives are more advanced due to the strong currents.
Costa Rica,
meaning “Rich Coast” is a largely agricultural county with a
terrain of coastal plains separated by rugged mountains. Costa
Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and
tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high and
residents are well educated. Costa Rica's basically stable
economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics
exports.
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Cocos Island
Cocos Island, a national park located 330 miles southwest of the
Costa Rican mainland, and is best reached by live-aboard. It
takes about 36 hours to reach Cocos. Cocos Island is known for
its huge schools of hammerhead sharks, giant manta rays and pods
of dolphin. The visibility at Cocos is good year round. Rainy
season is from June through December. Records indicate that
sharks are seen more often during this rainy season.
Best Diving Months: May
through October is generally considered prime diving but
conditions are very good year-round.
Water Temperature: Water
temperatures vary greatly during a single dive with common
thermoclines, ranging from 72°F to 85°F. A 3 mm. wet suit is
recommended.
Underwater
Visibility: Water clarity varies greatly from day to day,
hour to hour. Visibility can range from 20 feet to100 feet,
regardless of season. Best visibility on coast of Cocos Island.
Airport
Info: Juan Santa Maria airport is in San José, the capital
of Costa Rica. Direct service is now available into Liberia,
saving approximately 2 to 3 hours of driving time for Pacific
coast diving.
Documents
and Customs Regulations: A passport is required and a
tourist card (available at the Costa Rican airport). All
travelers should have a round-trip or onward ticket.
Language:
Spanish is the official language, some English is spoken.
Health:
A small pox vaccination certificate is required for all but US
and Canadian citizens. Imported pharmaceuticals are expensive.
Climate:
Costa Rica climate is tropical and subtropical; and the climate
is nice year round, making air conditioning unnecessary. During
both the dry and wet seasons, the water temperature and
visibility are prone to fluctuations. The rainy season is from
May through November. During the rainy season, Costa Rica is
much greener with lush vegetation topside with generally good
underwater conditions.
Government:
A republic.
Electrical
Current: 120 volts, 60 cycles AC and compatible with
American appliances. Surge protectors are recommended for
sensitive equipment.
Current Weather:
Get current weather from Weather.com
Currency:
Costa Rican Colón (CRC). Get
current exchange rate from XE.com
Current
Time: he
time in Costa Rica is Central time (GMT-6).
Get current time from WorldTimeServer.com
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