Dive Conditions
Costa Rica- Diving seasons in Costa Rica can be split into rainy season (May to November) and dry season (December to April). Each season brings its own advantages. Depending on the area, visibility usually ranges from 15-30 metres/50-100 feet. June through September generally brings the best visibility. Costa Rica has a tropical and subtropical climate and has a year-round diving season. The water temperature from January to March hovers around 27°C/80F and around 28°C/82F from July to September.
Cocos Island - Don't expect colorful reefs and white sandy beaches. Coco's Island is a volcanic island emerging from the ocean, with steep walls, huge submerged rocks, and a few hard corals. Above water, the land is mountainous with rainforests and the climate is humid and tropical.
Belonging to Costa Rica, Cocos Island is the mecca for divers looking for big animals, open ocean, and advanced diving. Sharks are the main attraction. Cocos is not a place with pretty corals or reefs. It is a gorgeous, uninhabited island, approximately 5 x 2 miles (8 x 3 km) in size. The bottom is a sloping rocky substrate without a lot of colors.
What divers do experience is amazing marine life - prolific shark populations including reef whitetip and scalloped hammerheads, plus a chance of many other species. There is also great schooling fish action, and a good chance of seeing true pelagics like wahoo, tuna, and even billfish. If you are comfortable with deep (100ft) nitrox diving in open oceans, and the possibility of swell, strong currents and low vis, Cocos island can be the apex dive trip of your dive career. It is not a place for non-divers or novice divers. Advanced certification and experience are recommended.
Water temperatures at Cocos Island in June/July is usually 81F degrees at all depths. It stays from 80-82F during the summer. The water can get much colder, down in the lower 70s in the winter. Thermoclines are common, and deep down can get into the 60s. Visibility in June through July is usually 50-70ft. Visibility can be variable but 30-50ft is normal, with even better visibility from January through May.