Sharks live off both coasts, but bites on swimmers and surfers are very rare. Here's the honest picture beach by beach, and where to dive with hammerheads, bull sharks and whale sharks with certified local dive guides, compared and ranked.
By Lior, wildlife photographer and guide from Guanacaste
Reserve with a 25% deposit on secure WeTravel checkout · Refundable up to 60 days before trips, 48 h before day tours
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We don’t run tours. Licensed local guides and operators list them, we rank them openly, and you reserve through Lyferr’s secure checkout on WeTravel.
How it worksSighting odds
Sharks are seen on dives, not from the beach. Some sites show them on most dives, others take luck. Here's the honest picture for a dive in season.
| Spot | Chance | Who you’ll likely see |
|---|---|---|
| Cocos Island550 km offshore, liveaboardHammerhead, White-tip reef shark | Very likely | Hammerhead, White-tip reef shark |
| Caño IslandOsa PeninsulaWhite-tip reef shark, Sea turtles, Rays | Very likely | White-tip reef shark, Sea turtles, Rays |
| Catalina IslandsFlamingo, Playas del CocoWhite-tip reef shark, Rays | Very likely | White-tip reef shark, Rays |
| Bat IslandsGuanacaste, May to NovBull shark, Big schools of fish | Good chance | Bull shark, Big schools of fish |
| Papagayo reefsPlayas del Coco, HermosaWhite-tip reef shark, Rays | Good chance | White-tip reef shark, Rays |
| Marino BallenaUvitaWhite-tip reef shark, Rays | Small chance | White-tip reef shark, Rays |
| Golfo DulceOsa, some yearsWhale shark, Dolphins | Rare | Whale shark, Dolphins |
| Beach townsTamarindo, Jacó, NosaraStingrays, Rarely a shark | Very rare | Stingrays, Rarely a shark |
Our local dive guides' estimate for a two-tank dive in good conditions. As guests report what they saw on Lyferr tours, these become measured rates.
Each dive page shows what guests actually saw, once reports come in.
Compare shark divesTown by town
Sharks live offshore but bites are very rare. Avoid the estuary mouth, where crocodiles are the real risk.
Surfers rarely see one. Rip currents are the danger here, so learn to spot them.
Rarely seen. Stay away from the river mouths and watch for rips on big swell days.
Surfers at Guiones rarely see one. Keep clear of the Nosara river mouth.
The dive base for the Catalinas and Bat Islands. White-tips most days, bull sharks May to Nov.
Dives at Caño Island show white-tip reef sharks on most trips.
White-tips on some reef dives in Marino Ballena. Caño Island trips also leave from here.
Whale sharks visit Golfo Dulce in some seasons. Guides know if they're around.
White-tips on some dives from Quepos. Swimmers at the beaches rarely see sharks.
Nurse sharks sometimes show up on reef snorkels in Cahuita. Swimmers rarely see sharks.
No. Dive trips start in Playas del Coco, about 3.5 hours away, best as an overnight.
No. Cocos liveaboards leave from Puntarenas, about 2 hours away.
Species expert program
Lyferr certifies guides one species at a time. A Shark Expert has the strongest proven record on Lyferr for finding and photographing sharks, which makes them your best odds for a good sighting and a good shot.
At launch, we award Founding Expert badges to guides with several years of premium tours focused on this species. Each one is confirmed or removed once the guide has logged 20 trips on Lyferr. After that, the badge is earned with logged trips and score.
No guide can promise a sighting. The badge shows the strongest track record for this species, not a guarantee.
See Shark Expert guidesDay tours from local guides
Day tours run by independent local guides, all held to the no-touch, no-feeding standard.
Ranked by sighting success, verified reviews and licence
Sharks tours from local guides are being added. Tell us your dates and where you’re staying, and we’ll match you with a guide.
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When to go
Sharks are around all year, but the rainy season, roughly May to November, is best. Bull sharks gather at the Bat Islands, the hammerhead schools at Cocos are biggest, and whale sharks turn up in some years. In the dry season, strong Papagayo winds can close the Bat Islands, so dives move to the Catalinas.
Why a guide matters
Sharks can be anywhere on a big reef. A good dive guide makes the dive work:
Not sure where to go? Send us your dates and where you're staying, and we'll suggest the right guide.
Ask Lyferr a questionDive early: calmer water, better visibility and sharks that are often more active.
Ethical wildlife watching
Yes, for the most part. Costa Rica has very few recorded shark bites, and the rare serious cases have involved divers far offshore at Cocos Island, not swimmers or surfers at beach towns.
Rip currents cause far more accidents. Swim where there are lifeguards and ask locals where the rips are.
Avoid river mouths and murky water, especially at dawn and dusk. Don't swim near boats cleaning fish, and leave the water if you see bait fish jumping.
At Tamarindo, Jacó and Nosara, crocodiles in the estuaries are a bigger concern than sharks. Swim and surf away from the river mouths.
Dive with a certified guide
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Who wrote this
Wildlife photographer and guide, and a finalist in the Sony World Photography Awards and Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Lior grew up in Guanacaste, on the Pacific coast, a short drive from the dive boats that run out to the Catalinas and the Bat Islands. This guide is what he tells friends before they go.
FAQ
Yes, on both coasts. Most are seen on dives around Pacific islands like the Catalinas, Caño Island and Cocos. Swimmers and surfers rarely see one, and bites are very rare.
No. Lyferr is a marketplace. Licensed local guides and tour operators list their tours here, and we rank them by sighting success, reviews and client experience (and photography expertise for photo tours). You book and pay the deposit through Lyferr, and the operator you choose runs the tour.
Cocos Island is the best, with schooling hammerheads, but it's a 10-day liveaboard for experienced divers. For a day trip, the Catalina Islands and Caño Island show white-tips on most dives, and the Bat Islands have bull sharks from May to November.
Yes, for the most part. Shark bites on surfers are very rare in Costa Rica. Rip currents, big swell and crocodiles near river mouths are the risks to plan for.
Bull sharks live in the region, but bites are very rare and surfers rarely see one. Avoid the estuary at the north end of the beach, where crocodiles live.
Sometimes, when they visit Golfo Dulce or Caño Island in some years. Guides keep a respectful distance and never touch or chase them. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Not for snorkelling. For the Catalinas and Caño Island you need Open Water. The Bat Islands and Cocos are for Advanced divers with experience in currents.
By liveaboard only, from Puntarenas. The crossing takes 30 to 36 hours each way and most trips last about 10 days.
Yes, but they're rarely seen. Nurse sharks sometimes show up on reef snorkels in Cahuita. The Caribbean has no shark dive sites like the Pacific islands.
Tiburones. A hammerhead is a tiburón martillo, a whale shark is a tiburón ballena and a bull shark is a tiburón toro.
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