Hammerhead Shark in Costa Rica It has long been noted that Costa Rica is ripe with hammerhead sharks all over its waters. 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. 4. Part of the Santa Rosa National Park, the waters here are a protected marine park, and patrolled by rangers. Top Province of Guanacaste Shark Diving Activities: See reviews and photos of shark diving in Province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica on Tripadvisor. The bull shark is a medium to large-sized shark belonging to the family Carcharhinidae. Cocos Island, Costa Rica HIGHLIGHTS OF SHARK DIVING IN costa Rica. This has given marine life the chance to flourish in these nutrient packed waters. If you still want to try and find sharks, have a boat take you … All our dives are in small groups and guided by a PADI professional. Their tolerance for fresh water is what sets them apart from other sharks. 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. It's located about an hour or two offshore from Domincal/ Uvita. According to reports, they’ve attacked creatures as big as hippopotamuses and are even thought to have attacked a racehorse in Australia. It is very common to see a great variety of many species in different sizes and colors, like sharks, manta rays and more. more > This site is located at the outer most island of the chain and is where you will find the often feared bull shark which can easily reach 6 to 7 meters in length. Whale sharks can be found year-round in Cocos Island, Costa Rica, especially at sites like Dirty Rock and Manuelita Deep. While they are aggressive to their prey they are just the opposite with divers. Costa Rica is a beautiful country! Phone: 01962­ 302 087 Choose regional phone number. Your email address will not be published. Shark Diving Trips in Costa Rica. Web Design and Marketing by, Costa Rica Divemaster Internship Hall Of Fame, Techniques and Tips for Mastering Mask Clearing, Costa Rica Removes Negative Covid Test Requirement, Costa Rica Is Open For Diving! In the 30+ years the Bat Islands has welcomed divers, there have been no attacks. 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. This Central American nation is an adventurer’s paradise, dotted with reefs, islands, caves and canyons. They have been very aptly named for the distinctive and highly unique shape of their heads which is related to their species alone. You have to be extremely lucky to seeone. Great diving in Cocos Island (Costa Rica), with a lot of hammerhead-, tiger- and white tip sharks. The clear sea offers visibility for scuba diving between 30 to 100 feet, guaranteeing you’ll spot all kinds of marine life. There you will see rays and reef sharks. If, however, you are diving in Costa Rica there is a good chance you will see some shark… ScubaDiveMarketing.com started in 2013 by Jon Rowe while completing his divemaster internship with Rocket Frog and has grown every year since! Article written by Ashley Taylor for ScubaDiveMarketing.com. The hammerhead sharks belong to the shark family Sphyrnidae. Dive Areas in Costa Rica. Coco’s Island. If you’re a fan of sharks, Cocos Island should be your top choice for Costa Rica scuba diving. Just beyond my dive buddy, I think I see spots. All Rights Reserved. Scuba Diving in Tamarindo, Costa Rica The Catalina Islands, only a 40-minute boat ride away from Tamarindo, are a true diving paradise. There IS one spot in (off) Costa Rica where you can dive and see sharks easily - Cano Island. Website services and marketing for Rocket Frog Divers is provided by ScubaDiveMarketing.com. From macro life, to visiting pelagic species, Bat Islands offers you the chance to experie… While the diving is superb everywhere, here are the top dive spots in Costa Rica. Another one of the best shark diving destinations in the world is Cocos Island, Costa Rica, particularly if you’d like to see massive schools of hammerhead sharks, for which the island is famous.Because the waters are so rich, you’ll also see whale sharks, Galapagos sharks, silky sharks, and silvertip sharks. Our Costa Rican dive resorts also offer enticing manta ray encounters. Known to jump salmon-like through river rapids to reach inland lakes. Caño Island – The reef shark island … Required fields are marked *. The beache… It’s an unrivaled destination for oceanic pelagic enthusiasts. The best time of year to see bull sharks is between May and November during Costa Rica’s rainy season when waters are calmer and rain drives sharks closer to shore. Travel, experience, conserve with. Bull sharks are found worldwide in the warmer coastal waters of hemispheres close to the equator. Costa Rica Shark Diving: Check out Viator's reviews and photos of Costa Rica tours Safe from development, these primal islands and their surrounding reefs have likely changed very little over time. Scuba diving in Guanacaste is superb as the water conditions here are near perfect most of the year. On the Pacific side, offshore islands defined by their underwater pinnacles offer enticing shark and manta ray encounters. From humpback whales to manta rays, this coast is suitable to all diving levels. Explore the Pacific and swim amongst big schools of fish. 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. They have a short, broad and blunt snout. We make websites and run SEO and marketing campaigns for scuba diving shops around the world. Join us in September 2021 for shark diving in Cocos Island - https://www.galapagossharkdiving.com/en/cocos-liveaboard/! This string of magical islands sits off the tip of Santa Rosa National Park and is void of all human life except for a lone ranger station and environmentalists. Bull Shark Diving in Costa Rica Isla Murcielago | Bat Islands Undisputedly, the best location in Costa Rica to dive with bull sharks is thirty miles off the coast of Playa Ocotal at Islas Murcielagos, otherwise known as The Bat Islands, where bumping into one is a … White-Tip Reef Shark White-tip Reef shark hiding under rocks for protection, these sharks can be found in Costa Rica, Image credit: Unsplash. Costa Rica is known to have schools of bull sharks living in various areas, and can be seen by divers who like to live on the wild side. 2019 Rocket Frog Divers. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea. 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. Bull sharks are an aggressive shark species typically recognized by their stocky build. 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. The Jersey Shore attacks of 1916 were thought to be bull sharks and inspired the infamous shark movie. Costa Rica has a diverse marine habitat ranging from rocky islands and outcrops, sandy beach areas, tocalm bays and two large gulfs. Whale Shark Fast Facts: Each whale shark’s pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint. The Bat Islands have become a hot spot for advanced divers due to deep sites, crystal clear visibility and a host of large sea species. 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. 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. Join Rich Coast Diving team on our daily 2 tank local dives. Many of the shark species found below are found primarily in the Cocos Island region. Dive vacations in Costa Rica offer something to satisfy every adventure craving. Here are some tips to make sure your next bull shark dive is a good one. A whale shark in Costa Rica. Come And Make Some Bubbles, Awaken Your Senses, Why Is There So Much Noise Underwater. Widespread coastal and fresh waters. At Coco’s Island, every dive is a shark dive. Costa Rica is home to a range of shark species and a ton of other marine life. If you are interested in diving with some of these shark species found off the mainland of Costa Rica, we will have a group visiting the Riu Guanacaste and diving with Rocket Frog Divers from October 5-12, 2019. When you reach the Bat Islands you will likely be diving a dive site called Big Scare. Jump to main menu. 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. Its waters support a huge amount of marine life, with large schools of fish and numerous pelagics. 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. The Pacific coastline is also known for pelagic life. The rocky islands and its outcroppings are favorite hangouts for sharkslike the bull shark, black tip and white tip reef sharks and hammerheads. Diving with bull sharks is very common and safe. 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. Bull Sharks aren’t the only creatures you will see in the Bat Islands. This gentle giant is a shark, NOT a whale. Hundreds of hammerheads, mighty tiger sharks, gigantic whale sharks, dolphins, mantas and more. With an area of approximately 23.85 km 2 (9.21 sq mi), the island is more or less rectangular in shape. One of the best scuba diving zones in Guanacaste has to be the Playa del Coco, located in the north of the Nicoya Peninsula. And then my trip to Costa Rica came up and I knew I wanted to go diving with sharks. And it is the door to a diver's paradise - Cocos Island! The bull shark is more or less a garbage disposal and will eat just about anything it deems food, though fish, turtles, crustaceans birds. Dive with hundreds of hammerhead sharks at Cocos Island or try an adrenaline-filled dive with bull sharks at Bat Island. Bat Islands (Islas Murcielagos) are a small group of uninhabited, rocky islands off the coast of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast line. Top Costa Rica Shark Diving Activities: See reviews and photos of shark diving in Costa Rica, Central America on Tripadvisor. The Best Diving in Costa Rica Isla del Cocos . Solo hunters, bull sharks are masters of the bump-and-bite technique when hunting prey. Rich Coast Diving Dive Costa Rica! Choose from our group tours and tailor-made trip ideas in Costa Rica for a fantastic shark diving experience. Bull sharks are not mindless man-eaters, but are still wild creatures to be treated with respect. ... Other Places to See Whale Sharks in Costa Rica. This area is the only location in Costa Rica that you will be able to dive with the Bull Sharks. Excellent for: Liveaboard diving, Shark diving, Hammerhead shark; Gulf of Papagayo. Graceful manta rays, devil rays, eagle rays, nurse sharks, and even the elusive whale shark can be seen along the Bat Islands dependent upon the time of year. The chance of encountering a shark by accident is quite rare. Divers may even find themselves distracted from the underwater beauty by ‘big animal’ sightings — including whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, sea turtles, and the occasional humpback whale. A whale-of-a-shark, if you will. It constitutes the 11th of the 13 districts of Puntarenas Canton of the Province of Puntarenas. For an experience that will get your heart pounding, visit “The Big Scare.” The site averages out at 90ft landing on a sandy bottom where bull sharks This spot is the place to get up close and personal with the bull shark, with many reaching up to nine feet. Shark dives have become increasingly popular and for those wanting to see sharks up close in their natural habitat, Costa Rica is the place do it. They are grey in color with a white under side and possess small, dark eyes. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Undisputedly, the best location in Costa Rica to dive with bull sharks is thirty miles off the coast of Playa Ocotal at Islas Murcielagos, otherwise known as The Bat Islands, where bumping into one is a common occurrence. UK North America. The area is known for its range of species due to its location along migratory routes. We drove through Costa Rica's Pacific Coast to discover the best dives in the country. 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