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Trip details | Dates & prices | Itinerary | Costa Rica | Panama | Trip Reviews | Dive Guide to Costa Rica |
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| Diving, Wildlife & Volcanoes of Costa Rica | |||
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Costa Rica has a huge amount to offer in terms of marine life, terrestrial wildlife, coastal and volcanic scenery, and opportunities to experience lowland rainforest and highland cloud forest. This journey incorporates highlights of all these, which for near shore diving, the best is found along the Pacific coast. In the south west this is at Caño Island Biological Reserve, whilst in the north west the best diving locations are the Catalina and Bat islands, and the Gulf of Papagayo. This is a coast best known for its pelagic life including sharks and rays, migratory humpback whales, dolphins, marine turtles and some huge shoals of fish. Caño Island and the Corcovado National Park Caño Island lies 17 km off the coast of the Corcovado National Park which has been described by National Geographic magazine as '… the most wildlife intense place on Earth'. In the water, this is one of the easiest places in the world to see dolphins - something which is an almost daily affair in travelling out to the island. Humpback whales are also a regular sight since both northern and southern Pacific populations migrate through, extending the period over which they are likely to be seen. Under the water, sharks such as white tips are a common sight, in amongst some very large shoals of fish which are protected within a 5,800 hectare marine reserve. Barracuda and manta rays can make an appearance, with the latter sometimes seen breaching. Marine turtles usually come in the form of olive ridleys, whose conservation we support through donations to the Corcovado Foundation with every visitor we send to the park. Above the water, our charitable support goes towards anti-poaching patrols. These patrols have been vital in maintaining the Corcovado National Park as one of the best places in Latin America to see rainforest wildlife. North West Pacific The northern Pacific has some similar diving highlights, but it is particularly well known for rays. Between December and April, the Catalina Islands can be a good place to see schools of Giant Manta Rays, with wingspans of up to five metres. Diving in the Gulf of Papagayo is sometimes enhanced with hundreds of mobula, or devil rays, and literally thousands of cow nose rays. Bull sharks are regularly seen in these waters and tiger sharks make the odd appearance. Arenal Volcano & the Cloud Forest From the heat of the lowlands we take you to the cloud forests around the Arenal Volcano, Monteverde and the Santa Elena Community Rainforest Reserve. Arenal is Costa Rica's most famous volcano because is in a regular state of activity. Red hot lava flows can often be seen at night when we take you up to the edges of the volcano, and by day sulphurous gases often smoke from its crater. There is some stunning scenery around Arenal, including cloud forests which we take you to explore by means of one of the most exciting systems of canopy zip lines you will find anywhere. We first take you up into the forests via a cable lift and here you will experience ten sets of zip lines, the longest of which is 765m. You will spend more time in the cloud forests of Monteverde - an area made famous by one of the Americas most beautiful birds: the Resplendent Quetzal. We guide you in these forests at canopy level along some 3 km of aerial walkways. We also take you on a guided natural history trek through the Santa Elena Community Reserve.
Photographs kindly provided by Natalia Lizano, the La Selva Research Station, ICT, Ralph Pannell, Casa C., Jinetes, Sky trek, Il Ocotal,
Humpback Whales and Dolphins – Whale sharks and Manta rays – Dive liveaboards – live a boards - Family – Hammerhead, Bull, Tiger Sharks – Manta and Golden Cow nosed ray – SCUBA diving holiday tour and travel - Wildlife & Conservation - Responsible Travel - Explore - Dive - Wildlife - Holiday - Tour - Journey - Adventure Travel - Scuba Diving |
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