The beache… The Pacific coastline is also known for pelagic life. 2019 Rocket Frog Divers. 4. Your email address will not be published. Whale sharks can be found year-round in Cocos Island, Costa Rica, especially at sites like Dirty Rock and Manuelita Deep. It constitutes the 11th of the 13 districts of Puntarenas Canton of the Province of Puntarenas. Excellent for: Liveaboard diving, Shark diving, Hammerhead shark; Gulf of Papagayo. Just beyond my dive buddy, I think I see spots. It is very common to see a great variety of many species in different sizes and colors, like sharks, manta rays and more. While the diving is superb everywhere, here are the top dive spots in Costa Rica. While they are aggressive to their prey they are just the opposite with divers. The Jersey Shore attacks of 1916 were thought to be bull sharks and inspired the infamous shark movie. Though they prefer the salty shallows of bays and estuaries, bull sharks have been found as far inland as Illinois as well as hundreds of miles in open ocean. Travel, experience, conserve with. Known to jump salmon-like through river rapids to reach inland lakes. The Gulf of Papagayo is a large bay on the north Pacific coast; its striking panoramic views and sweeping beaches have made it one of Costa Rica’s top destinations. Required fields are marked *. Website services and marketing for Rocket Frog Divers is provided by ScubaDiveMarketing.com. We make websites and run SEO and marketing campaigns for scuba diving shops around the world. They have a short, broad and blunt snout. Cocos Island (Spanish: Isla del Coco) is an island in the Pacific Ocean administered by Costa Rica, approximately 550 km (342 mi; 297 nmi) southwest of the Costa Rican mainland. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea. On the Pacific side, offshore islands defined by their underwater pinnacles offer enticing shark and manta ray encounters. If you still want to try and find sharks, have a boat take you … Come And Make Some Bubbles, Awaken Your Senses, Why Is There So Much Noise Underwater. Bat Islands (Islas Murcielagos) are a small group of uninhabited, rocky islands off the coast of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast line. The ­water isn’t so clear — soupy is good when you’ve crossed 350 miles of open ocean in search of pelagics — and my eyes are playing tricks. We drove through Costa Rica's Pacific Coast to discover the best dives in the country. Widespread coastal and fresh waters. The chance of encountering a shark by accident is quite rare. Article written by Ashley Taylor for ScubaDiveMarketing.com. Dive vacations in Costa Rica offer something to satisfy every adventure craving. Great diving in Cocos Island (Costa Rica), with a lot of hammerhead-, tiger- and white tip sharks. If, however, you are diving in Costa Rica there is a good chance you will see some shark… And it is the door to a diver's paradise - Cocos Island! All Rights Reserved. They have been very aptly named for the distinctive and highly unique shape of their heads which is related to their species alone. Part of the Santa Rosa National Park, the waters here are a protected marine park, and patrolled by rangers. A whale shark in Costa Rica. Our Costa Rican dive resorts also offer enticing manta ray encounters. One of the best scuba diving zones in Guanacaste has to be the Playa del Coco, located in the north of the Nicoya Peninsula. This Central American nation is an adventurer’s paradise, dotted with reefs, islands, caves and canyons. Many of the shark species found below are found primarily in the Cocos Island region. UK North America. Phone: 01962­ 302 087 Choose regional phone number. In addition, the Cocos marine park supports a vast biomass of fish from the very small through a range of sharks, including Galapagos, tiger and whale shark as well as mobula, eagle and giant pacific manta rays, crowning the Cocos Island as one of the top diving sites of the World. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Here are some tips to make sure your next bull shark dive is a good one. Costa Rica translates to “Rich Coast,” an apt name for a country surrounded by oceans. Last modified November 15, 2012, The blue whales in the Pacific Ocean are majestic creatures, Inhabiting the worlds tropical and subtropical waters, tri, The green sea turtle, also known as Chelonia mydas, belong, The Pacific Ocean is host to a variety of different scorpion, Easily mistaken as sea snakes, eels are actually elongated f, Mobula Ray are cartilaginous fishes that belong to, Spadefish belong to the fish family Ephippidae, an, The Ballistic Nature of Costa Rica’s Triggerfish, The Colorful Life of Costa Rica’s Nudibranch. Top Costa Rica Shark Diving Activities: See reviews and photos of shark diving in Costa Rica, Central America on Tripadvisor. Whale Shark Fast Facts: Each whale shark’s pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint. … The bull shark is more or less a garbage disposal and will eat just about anything it deems food, though fish, turtles, crustaceans birds. Explore the Pacific and swim amongst big schools of fish. If you’re a fan of sharks, Cocos Island should be your top choice for Costa Rica scuba diving. Its tropical waters make an ideal location for both divers and sharks alike and is home to one of the most heart pounding species – the bull shark. It's located about an hour or two offshore from Domincal/ Uvita. The bull shark is a medium to large-sized shark belonging to the family Carcharhinidae. It’s an unrivaled destination for oceanic pelagic enthusiasts. Join Rich Coast Diving team on our daily 2 tank local dives. Bull sharks are found worldwide in the warmer coastal waters of hemispheres close to the equator. Their tolerance for fresh water is what sets them apart from other sharks. Famous for its schools of scalloped hammerheads, hammerhead shark diving in Costa Rica on this uninhabited island is considered some of the best in the world. With plenty of beaches accessible to everyone, you do not have to worry about overcrowded diving zones as well, as you have miles and miles of remote coastline to dive in. Solo hunters, bull sharks are masters of the bump-and-bite technique when hunting prey. The clear sea offers visibility for scuba diving between 30 to 100 feet, guaranteeing you’ll spot all kinds of marine life. They are grey in color with a white under side and possess small, dark eyes. Hammerhead Shark in Costa Rica It has long been noted that Costa Rica is ripe with hammerhead sharks all over its waters. Shark attacks in Costa Rica are extremely rare, especially when unprovoked however a Tiger shark may attack if you are swimming or diving and it feels threatened. I wasn’t scared at all, since I know by now that it’s more likely to get killed by a vending machine than by a shark. There you will see rays and reef sharks. This gentle giant is a shark, NOT a whale. 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