Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Cocos Island National Park was designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997. It is about 36 hours off shore from Puntarenas, off the west coast of Costa Rica. It is only accessible by liveaboard for trips lasting 10 nights. The uninhabited island is situated on the equator and formed from volcanic rock, boasting 13 different dive sites. Many consider this lush island to look like a real life Jurassic park!

Isla del Coco restricts the number of boats allowed for diving at the same time, so there are currently only 3 companies that go. The plus side of this is that you will likely have no other boats crowding your dive sites! However, this means there are very rarely any last minute openings available, as spaces fill up years in advance (especially if you don't want 2 twin beds). 

Cocos is the center point of the 'Hammerhead Triangle' between Socorro and the Galapagos. You will see many species of sharks to start (whitetip, blacktip, Galapagos, possibly tigers)! Cocos is notorious for finding massive schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks. Depending on the time of year, you will see migrating groups of whale sharks, giant mantas, dolphins, bait balls, and sometimes whales as well. Weather permitting, all guests are brought ashore to hike through the jungles and swim in the waterfalls. 

Cocos is great to visit year-round! Dry season (December-May) typically sees calmer seas and visibility of over 30m. Rainy season (June-November) is when the nutrient upswells attract manta rays and whale sharks. The surface is rougher during this period making for a rougher crossing. Visibility drops to 10 - 25m, more so due to plankton than rainfall. June and July are popular since they tend to have both calm seas and a good chance to see big creatures. 

You will need to fly into San Jose (SJO) in Costa Rica and then take a transfer to Puntarenas. Cocos is only accessible by liveaboard and takes about 1.5 days to transit to each way, hence why it is 10 days versus the typical 7. Your liveaboard company will pick you up from your hotel the morning of your trip.

It is recommended to have logged at least 40 dives and have your advanced before taking this journey, as the diving is typically at 25m depth and currents can be quite strong. Nitrox certification is also available onboard to use nitrox during the week. This is a necessity for maximizing your bottom time with the wildlife and to minimize DCS risks. Dive gear is available to rent.