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Hawksbill turtle underwater at Caño Island

DIVING AND SNORKEL

Diving and snorkel tours in Costa Rica: mantas, bull sharks and sea turtles

Compare dive and snorkel trips with local divemasters, see the odds for each animal by month and book on Lyferr.

WHERE
Guanacaste and Caño Island
LENGTH
Half day, two tanks
LEVEL
Snorkel to advanced
GROUP
Set by each dive center

THE SHORT ANSWER

  • WHERE

    Papagayo, Bat Islands, Caño Island

    Plus Cahuita and Cocos Island by liveaboard

  • WHEN

    All year, a different star each season

    Mantas Nov to Apr, bull sharks May to Nov

  • WHY GO WITH A GUIDE

    Sites change with the current

    Divemasters pick the site and the time. The Bat Islands need a park permit for each boat.

  • IS IT SAFE?

    Yes, within your level

    Dive within your certification. Bull shark dives are for advanced divers.

DIVE AND SNORKEL TOURS FROM LOCAL GUIDES

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We only list guides who pass our checks, and none of them sells a dive or snorkel tour on Lyferr yet. Tell us your dates and we will match you with a local divemaster.

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  • Deposit protected
  • Verified trips
  • No paid ranking
How booking works

Prices are set by each guide. The price you see is final. Lyferr's commission comes out of the guide's price, not on top. Each card opens the tour's page on Lyferr.

DIVE AND SNORKEL GUIDES

Dive and snorkel guides on Lyferr

WHAT LIVES UNDER THE SURFACE

What you can see diving and snorkelling

Odds are for one two-tank dive at the best site for each animal, in its best month. They are Lyferr estimates from dive center seasons and published records, never a promise.

WHERE TO GO

The best places to dive and snorkel

RANKED BY WHAT YOU CAN SEE

Seven places to dive or snorkel

  1. DIVING: YES

    Playas del Coco

    Base for the Catalinas and the Bat Islands. Two-tank boats leave each morning.

  4. DIVING: YES

    Cuajiniquil

    The closest port to the Bat Islands. Small boats and a short ride.

  7. DIVING: YES

    Golfo Dulce

    Calm water, dolphins on the way and whale sharks in some years.

WHEN TO GO

Diving and snorkelling, month by month

Mantas visit the Catalinas from November to April and bull sharks the Bat Islands from about May to November. Papagayo winds close many Bat Islands trips from December to April.

Diving and snorkelling, month by month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov (this month)Dec
SeasonDrierDrierDrierDrierWetterWetterDrierDrierWetterWetterWetterDrier
Mantas *Very likelyVery likelyVery likelyLikelyGood chanceRareRareRareRareRareLikelyLikely
Bull sharks *RareRareRareGood chanceLikelyVery likelyVery likelyVery likelyVery likelyLikelyLikelyGood chance
Humpbacks *LikelyLikelyLikelyGood chanceRareGood chanceLikelyVery likelyVery likelyVery likelyLikelyGood chance
Caribbean snorkel *Good chanceGood chanceLikelyLikelyGood chanceGood chanceGood chanceLikelyVery likelyVery likelyGood chanceRare
  • Very likely
  • Likely
  • Good chance
  • Rare
  • Drier months
  • Wetter months

All rows are Lyferr estimates (*) from dive center seasons and published records. Wind and swell change conditions week to week.

DIVE AND SNORKEL BASICS

What divemasters tell every group

Pick a topic. The first one is open.

DIVE SITES BY LEVEL

Pick a site that fits you

  • Catalina Islands

    Level
    Open water
    Depth
    12 to 25 m
    Water
    20 to 28 °C
    Visibility
    6 to 15 m

    Mantas pass the outer pinnacles from November to April.

  • Bat Islands

    Level
    Advanced
    Depth
    15 to 30 m
    Water
    20 to 28 °C
    Visibility
    5 to 15 m

    Bull sharks. One park permit per boat and only three sites.

  • Caño Island

    Level
    Open water
    Depth
    10 to 25 m
    Water
    26 to 29 °C
    Visibility
    10 to 20 m

    Daily diver cap. Book a few days ahead.

  • Cocos Island

    Level
    Advanced, liveaboard
    Depth
    20 to 35 m
    Water
    24 to 28 °C
    Visibility
    15 to 30 m

    Hammerhead schools. Trips of 8 to 10 days.

  • Cahuita reef

    Level
    Snorkel
    Depth
    1 to 5 m
    Water
    27 to 29 °C
    Visibility
    3 to 15 m

    Inside the national park, with a guide.

  • Marino Ballena

    Level
    Snorkel
    Depth
    1 to 4 m
    Water
    27 to 29 °C
    Visibility
    3 to 10 m

    Go at low tide at the Whale's Tail.

Typical ranges from dive centers. In the north, the Papagayo winds bring cooler, greener water from December to April.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

For fun dives, yes. Without a card you can do a Discover Scuba day with an instructor, or snorkel. Most centers also teach Open Water in 3 to 4 days.

Mantas visit the Catalinas from November to April, best January to March. Bull sharks are at the Bat Islands from about May to November. Neither is guaranteed.

With an advanced certification and a guide who knows the site, yes. Groups stay close to the rocks and the sharks pass by. Follow the divemaster's briefing.

Caño Island for turtles and reef sharks, Cahuita on the Caribbean for coral, and Marino Ballena at low tide. The water is clearest in calm weather.

No. Costa Rican law bans swimming with whales and dolphins. Boats keep 100 m from whales and 50 m from dolphins.

The dive center moves you to another day or site, or cancels. Each listing shows the guide's weather policy before you book.

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Lior Berman Fernandez

WHO WROTE THIS

Lior, founder of Lyferr

Wildlife photographer and guide who grew up in Guanacaste, and a finalist in the Sony World Photography Awards and Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Lior has spent years on night walks across Costa Rica. This guide is what he tells friends before they go.

  • Sony World Photography Awards finalist
  • Wildlife Photographer of the Year finalist
  • Born in Guanacaste

Fact-checked by founder Lior Berman Fernandez · Data: eBird checklists via GBIF and published studies, linked on each animal page