Have a dream Vacation at Dreams In Costa Rica!

Diving in the Pacific Ocean offers many unique opportunities. Visibilty ranges between 10 to 45 feet and it depends on many factors like tides and mostly the high amounts of nutrients in these waters that attract may different species of fish. The best conditions are present from December through March when we have the best visiblity and the visit of the Giant Manta ray that come to feed and get cleaned by the reef fish.

Temperatures range from the mid 70's to the mid 80's and depths are between 40 to 90 feet. The region has a history of volcanic activity therefore its amazing volcanic rock formations that are home to different species of soft coral and some hard coral. Amongst the creatures that you will find here we have the Whitetip Reef Shark which is a resident in the area and can be found in many of the underwater caves where they rest during the day. Also you will see eels, lobsters, octopuss , schools of snappers, jacks, grunts and puffers.

Our local dive sites are just a 10 minutes boat ride from shore. Eveyday we choose the sites we are going to dive depending on the conditions to offer you the best experience according to your training level.

Local Dive
Every morning from Playa Herradura, a 4 hour tour to dive 2 different sites accompanied by our guides. Depth from 40 to 60 feet, Water temperature in the 80’s. Meeting point is at 8.30 at our shop and we will be back around 12.30.

The dive sites are located in the Herradura Bay and surrounding areas, a region characterized by large volcanic rock formations. Locations are generally just a 15 minute boat ride from shore.

Tortuga Island Dive and Snorkel
Tortuga Island is located 15 miles from Herradura Bay, about 1 hour by boat. It is famous for its beautiful white sand beach, and allows great diving and snorkeling. We dive between 30 to 70 feet there. Visibility at Tortuga is between 20 and 50 feet depending on the season and water temperature is in the 80’s. Meeting point is at 8.00 am at ourshop and we will be back around 16.00, dive 2 different sites both accompanied by a guide and then enjoy lunch on the island.

Diving in the Pacific Ocean offers many unique opportunities. Visibilty ranges between 10 to 45 feet and it depends on many factors like tides and mostly the high amounts of nutrients in these waters that attract may different species of fish. The best conditions are present from December through March when we have the best visiblity and the visit of the Giant Manta ray that come to feed and get cleaned by the reef fish.

Temperatures range from the mid 70's to the mid 80's and depths are between 40 to 90 feet. The region has a history of volcanic activity therefore its amazing volcanic rock formations that are home to different species of soft coral and some hard coral. Amongst the creatures that you will find here we have the Whitetip Reef Shark which is a resident in the area and can be found in many of the underwater caves where they rest during the day. Also you will see eels, lobsters, octopuss , schools of snappers, jacks, grunts and puffers.

Our local dive sites are just a 10 minutes boat ride from shore. Eveyday we choose the sites we are going to dive depending on the conditions to offer you the best experience according to your training level.

Scuba Diving Caño Island, Osa Peninsula / Drake Bay & Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

• Water temperature: Water temperatures are generally in the range of 24 - 29°C (75 - 84°F).
• Suit: A 3mm full wetsuit or 3mm shortie
• Visibility: 6 to 35 metres (20 - 115 feet), 15 metres (50 feet) on average. Variation is due to fluctuating levels of plankton in the water.
• Type of diving: Rocky pinnacles, canyons, walls and caves
• Marine life: Humpback whales, dolphins, false killer whales, bull sharks, white tip reef sharks, manta rays, stingrays, mobula rays, turtles, grunts, snappers, sand eels, moray eels.
• When to go: January to mid-February in order to see humpback whales. The rainy season is from May to mid November which some people may prefer to avoid.
• How to get there: Getting to the Drake Bay area is best achieved by plane, which is an experience in itself on the tiny 12-seater planes used for internal flights. Most people fly into Palmar Sur, then catch a boat down through the mangroves and along the coast to where you are staying, which takes about an hour. Alternatively you can fly to Drake Bay where a small strip of jungle has been levelled to accommodate a narrow gravel runway. On leaving the plane the noise of the cicadas and the birds is overwhelming! From Drake Bay Airstrip a short transfer by car is needed before a journey by boat to get you to where you are staying.

Diving around the Osa Peninsula is done at Caño Island, a small island about 20km (1 hours boat ride) from Drake Bay. Caño, meaning spout or gutter due to the number of waterfalls cascading over the island edges during the wet season, is roughly 5 kilometres wide and is home to mainland Costa Rica's best diving as well as historically being the site of an ancient Indian burial ground. There are five dive sites and a spectacular abundance of marine life. If you could afford it, a trip to Cocos Island would no doubt herald better marine encounters but for those with a smaller budget or wanting to mix in a bit of diving with visits to the beautiful primary rainforest of Corcovado National Park and the surrounding area, this is definitely the place to go.

The diving will see you encounter a stunning array of tropical fish including schools of snapper and grunts that just go on and on. You are also very likely to come across white tip reef sharks (we saw them on every dive) and it is not unknown for tiger and bull sharks to frequent the area, particularly on the deeper site of Bajo del Diablo. Rays are also present, particularly stingrays and for the luckier diver, mantas. Despite our best efforts of tracking down manta rays which we knew to be in the area (a snorkeller had seen a shoal of fifty that morning), we only glimpsed the tail end of one as it glided off beyond the limit of the visibility.

If you are after beautiful coral reefs, this is not the place for you as there is only the occasional fan coral and the odd clump of hard coral, but for sheer numbers of each marine creature and the variety seen, Caño Island will win you over. If you want to do a solid weeks diving Caño may also not be the place for you as with only five dive sites, there is only really enough diving to keep you occupied for three days diving three times a day.

One other important thing to mention is the large number of cetaceans found in the area. Obviously what you spot depends on timing and luck to some degree, but every day you make the boat trip over to Caño Island, be sure to keep an eye open. We dived for three days and on two of them saw nothing, but on the middle day we first came across a pod of maybe fifteen dolphins, then about thirty 'falsas orcas' (false killer whales). We couldn't believe our luck. The dive boat stopped for us to take a good look and after about twenty minutes it was time to head off to get on with the diving. But then the captain exclaimed "Humpbacks!" and sure enough in front of us were five humpacks swimming together near the surface, one of the most amazing sites of my life.

Normally on dive site directory we concentrate more on the diving than on the land-based activities, but in the Drake Bay - Corcovado area it simply is not possible to do this. Corcovado National Park is home to Costa Rica's final sect of primary rainforest and is a must visit for anyone who even vaguely likes wildlife. You can see scarlet macaws all along the coastline feeding on almonds, tiny hummingbirds sipping nectar from flowers, and toucans with their distinctive calls. There are a number of mammals in the park, but the only ones you are likely to come across are howler, spider and white-faced monkeys and the coati, a racoon-like creature, due to the remainder being nocturnal. You also get a large number of beautiful butterflies, the most impressive being a 'morphus', a very large butterfly with iridescent blue wings.

There is also the rainforest itself that is spectacular to see with its beautiful tall trees and endlessly singing cicadas. Insects such as army ants and leafcutter ants are everywhere and you also get tree frogs. In the stunning rivers near one of the many waterfalls you may find crocodiles and caymans basking in the sunlight and we were treated to seeing a boa constrictor catch and slowly consume a chicken that alerted us to its own death by screaming at the top of its voice after being caught.

We stayed at Punta Marenco Lodge on the outskirts of the national park. This was an eco-friendly lodge without air conditioning and limited electricity. The service was second to none and the rooms very comfortable with some spectacular views out towards Caño Island and as much wildlife as we saw in Corcovado National Park right in front of our rooms. If you visit this area please, please, please stay in similar accommodation. Even whilst we were there, there were rumours of plans for a 200-guest hotel just along the coast in some pristine rainforest that a North American had greedily bought up in order to develop. This coastline will not stay as beautiful for as long if these numbers of visitors are introduced and I can only imagine the amount of building work necessary to develop the infrastructure a hotel of this kind would need to run. Our advice would also be visit the Osa Peninsula now whilst it still retains its wonderful natural beauty.

Scuba Diving in Cocos Island

Cocos Islands Scuba visibility is great all year round. Experts say that rainfall or currents does only slightly affect the visibility. Charter Include:

• Accommodations aboard the vessel
• Diving
• Compressed air tanks, weights & weight belts
• Airport and/or Hotel transfers on day of charter
• All meals and snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, local beer and wine (We are happy to accommodate most special dietary requests)
• Fuel surcharge on charters after 1/09

Charters Do Not Include:

• Airfare (international and domestic)
• Insurance
• Equipment rentals
• Nitrox fills
• Certification or specialty courses
• Hotel stays/day rooms
• Dinner on final evening
• Crew gratuity
• Port/park fees and/or taxes (when applicable)
• Fuel surcharge on charters before 1/3/09

1. Where is Cocos Island?
Cocos Island is located 600 km (approximately 300 miles) off the western coast of Costa Rica, in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

2. What is included in the scuba charter?
Accommodations aboard the vessel, diving, compressed air tanks, weights and weight belts, transportation from the San Jose host hotels (there are two) to Puntarenas on day of arrival and departure, meals and snacks, non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages are include in the charter rate. (Fuel surcharge will be included in the charter price starting 1/3/09)

3. How many days is the charter and how many dives can I make?
The Okeanos Aggressor offers 8-day, Saturday to Sunday, charters with 5 days of diving and 10-day, Tuesday to Friday charters with 7 days of diving. Most guests make up to three dives a day.

4. When should I arrive in Costa Rica?
You should arrive in Costa Rica the day before your charter begins and plan on spending the night in San Jose. We recommend the Alta Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott in San Jose which are the host hotels. The Okeanos provides pick up and transportation services from these hotels to Puntarenas. The pick up transportation times from the host hotels and departure times from Puntarenas are located on the destination page.

5. Are there any taxes or fees not included in the charter price?
Yes, US $175 Park fee for an 8 day trip or US $245 Park fee for a 10 day trip, and a fuel surcharge of $100 per person. These fees are collected at the end of your charter when you settle your tab. The park fee and dive tax must be paid in cash (no traveler's checks) and the fuel surcharge may be paid by cash, travelers checks or credit card (MC/Visa). A departure tax of $26 US per person will be collected upon your departure from San Jose. (Starting 1/3/09 fuel surcharge will be included in charter price)

6. Do I need a passport?
U.S. citizens are required to have a passport for international travel. For details on travel requirements for U.S. citizens, please visit the U.S. State Department's web site http://www.state.gov/. Non-U.S. citizens should check with the appropriate consulate.

7. How do I meet the Okeanos Aggressor on the day of departure?
We recommend staying at one of the host hotels in San Jose; the Alta Hotel or the Marriott Courtyard. On the day of departure, if you are staying at either the Alta or Marriott hotels, you will be met by the Okeanos Aggressor to transport you to the vessel. Pick up times are posted on the Okeanos Aggressor web page. If you are not staying at the Alta or Marriott, please make your way to either one of the above mentioned hotels prior to the scheduled pick up time. If you have any questions, you may call the Okeanos Aggressor phone numbers which are located on the Okeanos Aggressor "Know Before You Go". You will be transported to the port town of Puntarenas (about two hours by bus) to board the boat. Please download the Okeanos "Know Before You Go" PDF for more information.

8. Where does the Okeanos Aggressor dock?
The Okeanos Aggressor docks at the Muelle Coopeinpesa in Puntarenas.

9. What is unique to Cocos Island diving?
Lots of large pelagic animals, particularly the schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks. White tip reef sharks are also abundant, as are schools of tuna, jack and snapper. Whales sharks and dolphins are frequently sighted.

10. What is the diving like around Cocos Island?
Lots of large pelagic animals, particularly the schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks. White tip reef sharks are also abundant, as are schools of tuna, jack and snapper. Whales sharks and dolphins are frequently sighted.

11. What is the water temperature? Will I need a wet suit?
During the winter, water temperature ranges between 73 and 78F, while in the summer it warms up to 78 - 80F. A wetsuit is highly recommended. A 3mm inch suit with hood and booties is generally sufficient for most divers. For current water temperatures, please refer to the Captains log.

12. Is there dinghy diving?
Yes, all dives are made from a dinghy.

13. Is there night diving?
Night dives are scheduled at the discretion of the dive master since sharks are so plentiful in the area.

14. Are there any land tours?
Weather permitting, guests will be taken to the island for a hiking tour.

15. What type of topography can I expect to see in Cocos Island?
The island is volcanic in origin, and is therefore mountainous. Dense jungle covers the land. Numerous waterfalls, rivers and ponds are created by the regular rains.

16. Is it customary to offer a crew gratuity?
We believe gratuities should be voluntary and based upon the quality of the service the crew has provided. When setting your account, the Captain will have an envelope for gratuities to be divided equally among the crew. Gratuities may be left by cash, credit card, or travelers checks.

17. What is the best time of year for diving?
May through October is generally considered prime diving, but conditions are generally very good all year round.

18. When is the rainy season?
The rainy season is from May through November. Cocos Island supports a true tropical rain forest and receives an abundance of rain, particularly around the mountain peaks. Overcast skies and frequent showers are common.

19. When is check out time on the vessel?
Check out is between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m on the morning of departure. The crew will transport you and your luggage back to the Alta Hotel, Marriott Courtyard or the airport.

20. As a single traveler, do you offer single supplement rates?
Yes, the cost is 1 1/2 of the normal charter rate.

21. If I book as a single traveler, who will I room with and who will I dive with?
As a single traveler, you will be booked in a stateroom with someone of the same gender. If you are traveling as a group, the group leader determines the rooming list. If you need help finding a dive buddy, the Captain and/or crew will gladly assist you or you can find one once onboard. Normally, there are many other single travelers.

Scuba Itineries
Eat. Sleep. Dive. The typical Aggressor scuba cruise itinerary revolves around one goal, maximum bottom time. Most dive schedules permit four, five, possibly six dives each day with delicious meals and snacks served in between.

Here’s a sample of a week aboard the Kona Aggressor II:

• Board the boat Saturday evening, followed by dinner and the Captain’s briefing.
• Sunday morning, diving briefing, then the first dive of many dives, including night dives.
• Between dive snacks, meals, soft beverages, local beer and wine are included.
• Diving ends Friday before lunch.
• The boat returns to port Friday at lunch for shopping and sight-seeing.
• Guests return to the boat for an afternoon cocktail party. Dinner is not served on board Friday, however, the crew can recommend a local restaurant.
• After a good night’s rest.
• Everyone says good-bye at the Saturday morning check-out.
• Transportation to the local airport is provided.

If you would like to design your own schedule, we recommended chartering the entire boat, which is great fun.

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