Costa Rica Dive
GG-115-09
Package Includes
- Transfers Airport – Hotel – Airport
- Transfers San José – Ocotal Resort – San José in private services.
- 1 night in Sleep Inn Hotel San José
- 7 nights in Ocotal Resort Hotel
- Local dives( 2 tanks each dive)
- Boat for diving
- Guides
- Beverages and snacks on board
- Weights
- Unlimited beach dives
- Standard room
- Daily tropical breakfast and taxes.
8 days / 7 nights |
Non diver |
6 days diving |
5 days diving |
Single |
1.206.00 |
1.595.00 |
1.530.00 |
Double |
764.00 |
1.126.00 |
1.058.00 |
Triple |
565.00 |
947.00 |
920.00 |
Why Diving in Papagayo Golf, Costa Rica
Over 12 000 divers visit the Gulf of Papagayo annually. This makes Costa Rica a very popular dive destination. With more than 22 dive sites, multiple dive operators and boats dropping their anchors daily creates a unique stress in the underwater environment.
Most of the reefs along the coast of the Gulf are formed by volcanic rock formations that provide the foundation for corals, sponges, plants and algae to live and grow on.
WATER TEMPERATURES & VISIBILITY REPORT
During the month of May water temperature in the Gulf of Papagayo has been around 80F / 28C, with slightly peaks of cold water around 75F / 26C.
There is no secret for any body that visibility is one of those things we can not predict, but at least you can see how mother nature gave us in the month of May. Water visibility averaged around 35ft / 12m all around. There were days with good peaks around the 80ft / 25m and other days around the 20ft/ 6m.
Most divers seize the opportunity to arrange for special diving safaris to the Bat or Catalina Island. These islands chains, located 21 and 14 miles from Ocotal, present unique challenging Pacific Ocean diving.
Add on for Catalina Islands (long range dive), min. 4 divers
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24.00
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Add on for Bat Island (long range dive), minimum 4 divers
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54.00
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Bat and Catalina Islands
For trips to the BAT ISLANDS, divers must have dived with us at least once locally. These are advanced dives with Bull Sharks, Black Tips and Tigers. We must feel confident that we are letting competent divers on these excursions, as these can be challenging dives. The entry procedure at the Bat Island consist of a back roll with a completely deflated BCD and a cleared mask. Upon entering the water, divers descend straight to the bottom. If a diver is unable to equalize, the dive for that person is usually aborted. The boats do not anchor at the dive sites at the Bats. Once at the bottom, a depth of approximately 50 feet, we hover for up to 15 minutes and view the sharks. Of course we cannot guarantee sharks on any given day. After this viewing, divers continue along the “wall” as the bottom gives way to a depth of 130 to 140 feet. The maximum depth here is about 100 feet, if everyone is comfortable with that. Although the dive itself is not difficult, the entries and exits can be tricky. It is vital that divers stay with the group and are able to deal with a high “excitement” level. The divers should be relatively fit. All in all the Bat Islands are great diving and we guarantee a good time. The diving is pristine and you can also expect to see bridges, caverns, coral and sponges and of course lots and lots of fish!
The CATALINA ISLANDS are similar in that there is no boat anchorage at some of the islets and one must descend immediately and away from the rocks. The Catalinas are famous for rays, rays and more rays! Giant Manta Rays, Bat Rays, Mobley, Spotted, Bull’s-eye and Stingrays abound. Occasionally, we find ourselves lost in huge migratory schools of various species of rays. Sometimes, a Tiger shark is spotted. White tips are not uncommon. A checkout dive is not mandatory for this trip but recommended.
The trip to the Bats via power boat takes about 1 ½ hours where the Catalinas are closer and takes only about 45 minutes to arrive. Of course, thorough briefings are given or both locations.
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