Diving in Nicoya
Quick Facts
- • Entry types: Mostly shore entries
- • Expect: Varies by conditions visibility
- • Highlights: Discover Nicoya's dive spots
Explore the underwater wonders of Nicoya, ecoregion. This region features 35 documented dive spots, each offering unique underwater experiences. Whether you're seeking calm snorkeling bays, challenging freediving depths, or exciting scuba adventures, Nicoya has something for every underwater explorer. Browse detailed spot information, check current conditions from recent dive logs, and connect with the local diving community to make the most of your visit.
Regional Context
🏛️ Marine Hierarchy
🌍 Associated Countries
Countries in Nicoya (2)
Popular Spots in Nicoya (35)
Bajo Piñon
Bajo Piñon is located in the Canales de Afuera area, adjacent to Isla Afuerita. Divers can identify the entry point by a rock at the surface, leading to two distinct rock formations. The dive begins in a shallow region before progressing to deeper and more challenging areas. Marine life at this site includes turtles, white tip reef sharks, and a variety of reef fish. Additionally, the top of the reef offers opportunities for macro photography, making it a suitable spot for divers with cameras.
Brumel deep
Brumel Deep is accessible via a 20-minute boat ride from Marina Flamingo. This dive site is suitable for both novice and certified divers, particularly favored during periods of strong winds due to its sheltered location compared to the main Catalina Islands. Divers can choose to explore either the southern or northwestern sections of the site. Marine life includes a variety of tropical reef fish such as angelfish, barber fish, cornetfish, damselfish, and wrasses. Additionally, sightings of whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, and mobula rays are possible.
Buffet
Buffet is a shore entry dive site where divers can descend along a buoy line to reach depths of approximately 12 meters, leading to a reef that extends down to about 28 meters. The area is characterized by various rock formations, providing habitat for a diverse range of marine life. Divers can expect to encounter numerous sharks, a variety of moray eels, large schools of barracudas, and different species of jacks throughout the dive.
Cadena
Cadena is a dive site characterized by a flat sandy bottom interspersed with rubble patches, providing two distinct habitats that support a variety of marine life. The site is sheltered from currents, making it accessible for divers of all experience levels. The maximum depth reaches 15 meters, allowing for a diverse underwater experience. Commonly observed species include reef stingrays, whitetip reef sharks, lobsters, octopuses, damselfish, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, grunts, and snappers.
Catalinas Island, Clásico
Catalinas Island, Clásico is located 11 kilometers west of Potrero and Flamingo. This dive site is situated on the western side of the islands and offers a variety of diving options, accommodating different certification levels. Depths range from 10 meters to over 30 meters, featuring successive ripraps. Divers can encounter a diverse array of marine life, including white tip sharks, schools of various fish, moray eels, octopus, stingrays, eagle rays, mobula, manta rays, groupers, and turtles.
Catalinas Island, North
Catalinas Island, North is situated 11 kilometers from Flamingo on the eastern side of the island. This dive site is characterized by its sheltered conditions, making it suitable for beginner divers. The dive extends from the center of the island to its northern tip. While the site is not particularly known for diverse marine life, divers can encounter a variety of reef fish. With some luck, sightings of rays and sharks may also occur.
Cuatro piedras, Catalina Islands
Cuatro Piedras, located at the Catalina Islands, features a dive site that is well-suited for novice divers due to the presence of a shallow sandy area nestled between rocks. However, divers should be aware that currents can occasionally make it challenging to remain in this sandy patch. The dive site includes various channels, particularly towards the southern end, which may complicate navigation. Depths range from 7 to 28 meters. Marine life commonly observed here includes tropical reef species such as angelfish, barber fish, cornetfish, damselfish, and wrasses. Additionally, sightings of whitetip reef sharks and mobula rays are possible.
Devil Pinnacle
Devil's Pinnacle rises from a depth of 40 meters (130 feet) to just 4 meters (12 feet) below the surface. You will encounter various marine life including jacks, barracudas, snappers, moray eels, and both bull and whitetip reef sharks. The site features black corals, gorgonians, and fan corals.
Don Juan
Don Juan is a suitable dive site for beginners and those looking to build confidence in their diving skills. The area features expansive sandy sections on both sides of the reef, minimizing the risk of coral damage. Divers can enjoy a vibrant view of the surrounding reef life. The site is home to colorful snappers and a significant school of small bigeye jacks, making it an engaging experience for divers. The entry to the site is from the shore, providing easy access for divers.
El Secreto
El Secreto is located a short 20-minute ride from La Pescadería de Malpaís, situated just beyond the Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve. This dive site offers a variety of conditions depending on the current; divers may experience strong currents that allow for a dynamic exploration of the area or calmer waters that facilitate a more leisurely dive. The site is accessible from the shore, making it convenient for divers looking to explore the underwater environment.
El Secreto 2
El Secreto 2 is a dive site with a maximum depth of approximately 18 meters. The relatively flat bottom creates an ideal habitat for smaller fish species. Its proximity to the open ocean attracts larger pelagic species, including sharks, which can often be seen following the currents. Marine life at this site includes humpback whales, false killer whales, whitetip reef sharks, hawksbill sea turtles, octopuses, lobsters, and various reef fish.
Faro
Faro offers divers a unique experience with shallow areas at both ends for easy entry, leading to a reef that descends to approximately 30 meters. The site is known for the presence of large sharks, and divers often encounter sizable schools of big eye jacks, groups of Pacific dog snappers, and curious barracudas. Additionally, sightings of scorpion fish, octopus, and seahorses are not uncommon, enhancing the underwater exploration.
Frijoles
Frijoles offers a dive that begins at approximately 10 meters, where divers can choose to explore the shallow reef or venture along the gravel-covered sand bottom leading to the deeper reef, which exceeds 25 meters. The underwater landscape is characterized by large boulders that create an elongated reef structure. Marine life is abundant, featuring a variety of colorful reef fish, schools of blue spotted and big eye jacks, and occasional sightings of barracudas, sharks, and turtles.
Herradura
Herradura is located near Jaco, Costa Rica, adjacent to Los Suenos Marina. This dive site offers the opportunity to encounter various shark species. The second dive site is also in proximity to the marina and involves a descent to the island known for its snake population. The entry to the dive is from the shore.
Iglesia
Iglesia offers divers the opportunity to explore depths ranging from 12 meters to 30 meters. The site features a variety of separate rock formations interconnected by sandy areas, providing diverse diving experiences in both shallow and deeper waters. Marine life commonly observed here includes reef sharks, turtles, lobsters, and large schools of big eye jacks, as well as snapper, machetes, spadefish, barracudas, scorpion fish, frogfish, and even seahorses.
Isla Frijoles
Isla Frijoles is a dive site characterized by its proximity to an island, which is visible from the dive entry point. Divers can navigate around the site either clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on the current, while exploring the sandy bottom. The marine life includes various species such as sharks, schools of snappers, machetes, and jacks. Additionally, divers should be attentive to the reef, where scorpionfish and frogfish can occasionally be spotted.
La lengua
La Lengua is a dive site located in the Canales de Afuera area of Coiba National Park. The dive begins at a shallow depth of 8 to 10 meters, providing a comfortable entry point for divers. This site is typically sheltered from currents, allowing for a relaxed diving experience. Divers can expect to encounter a variety of reef fish, enhancing the underwater experience.
La Pared
La Pared is characterized by a prominent rock wall that offers a vertical dive experience. The site reaches a maximum depth of 18 meters, making it accessible for divers of varying skill levels. Divers can expect to encounter a variety of marine life, including reef fish, eels, small invertebrates, as well as sharks and rays. The entry to the site is from the shore.
La Pared pinaculo
La Pared Pinaculo features a prominent rock wall that descends to a maximum depth of 18 meters, making it accessible for divers of varying experience levels. The vertical structure attracts a diverse range of marine life, including whitetip reef sharks, reef stingrays, lobsters, octopuses, and various reef fish such as angelfish, butterflyfish, and surgeonfish. Divers should be prepared for frequent currents at this site, which adds to the overall diving experience.
Las tetas
Las Tetas is located approximately 2 kilometers southeast of the Catalina Islands and consists of a larger rock and a smaller rock that together form a pinnacle. The northern rock descends underwater to a depth of around 10 meters, creating a wall diving experience along the rocks. The maximum depth at this site reaches approximately 35 meters. Divers can expect to see a variety of marine life, including whitetip reef sharks, schools of grunts, butterfly fish, puffer fish, and moray eels. Manta rays may also be encountered in the area.
Los Sombréros
Los Sombréros is situated approximately 9.5 kilometers from Playa Potrero, characterized by its distinctive shape reminiscent of Mexican hats. The site features a volcanic island with varying depths, particularly on the northern side where the drop-off occurs rapidly. Divers can find suitable depths that accommodate different experience levels around the island. Marine life includes white tip sharks, schools of fish, and during certain seasons, an abundance of devil rays. Hawksbill turtles are also known to frequent this area, and divers can explore several canyons along the site.
Mali - Mali
Mali is characterized by an underwater mountain with a triangular shape, starting at a depth of 13 meters. The top of the reef is submerged during high tide, making it less visible. Divers can explore the area around the reef, where they may encounter various marine life including reef sharks, turtles, seahorses, frogfish, moray eels, snappers, and jacks. Currents should be assessed before diving to ensure safety.
Pailas
Pailas is situated approximately 20 minutes from Potrero Beach. The dive begins on the western side of the island, progressing southward along the rock formations. The typical depth is around 14 meters, but it can reach depths exceeding 30 meters with slight deviations from the main path. A notable feature of this site is a cleaning station where mantas may be observed during the appropriate season. Divers can expect to see various species of schooling fish, and during cooler water conditions, numerous stingrays are often present.
Pelicanos/Elephant rock
Pelicanos, also known as Elephant Rock, is located approximately three-quarters of the way from Potrero to the Catalinas. This dive site is accessible from the shore and offers depths suitable for divers of all levels, ranging up to around 25 meters. The underwater environment is typically bustling with marine life, including large schools of grunts, jacks, and butterfly fish that often accompany divers. Additionally, reef sharks are frequently observed in the area, enhancing the diving experience.
Punta Catalina
Punta Catalina is situated at the southern tip of the Catalinas Islands. This dive site is notable for the presence of Oceanic Manta Rays, particularly during the winter months. The underwater topography descends to approximately 30 meters (100 feet) if divers venture out a bit from the shore. In addition to Manta Rays, divers may encounter various species such as Devil Rays, Eagle Rays, White Tip Reef Sharks, and Moray Eels. The site is favored for its diverse marine life, especially when conditions are optimal.
Punta Deseo
Punta Deseo, also known as Wish Point, features a sandy area at the beginning of the reef where divers typically anchor at depths of 6 to 7 meters. This site is suitable for Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) participants and Open Water students in the shallower sections, while experienced divers can explore depths reaching up to 18 meters. Marine life commonly encountered includes sharks resting in the sand and turtles foraging for food. When currents are favorable, plankton can attract various marine species, enhancing the diving experience.
Rio Lajas
Rio Lajas is located at the mouth of the river, approximately a 30-minute ride from La Pescadería in Malpaís. This dive site features a sandy bottom, making buoyancy control essential for divers. It is an ideal location for practicing buoyancy skills while observing a variety of fish species. Divers should stay close to their guide to avoid descending to the sandy areas.
Roca Peligrosa, Danger Rock
Roca Peligrosa, also known as Danger Rock, is located approximately 3 kilometers south of the Catalina Islands. This dive site features a pinnacle with both shallow and deeper areas, making it unsuitable for novice divers but accessible for those with more experience. The typical dive route involves circling the rock that is visible above the water's surface. Divers can expect to encounter a variety of common reef fish, and with some luck, they may also see large schools of mobula rays and possibly sharks in the area.
Roca Sucia, Dirty Rock
Roca Sucia, also known as Dirty Rock, is situated approximately 8 kilometers from the coast, between Potrero Flamingo and the Catalinas. The dive site features a shallow area ranging from 8 to 13 meters near the eastern pinnacle, while depths of 35 meters can be found to the north and 27 meters to the south. This site is accessible for diving year-round, although divers should be aware that strong currents can occur. Marine life is abundant, with notable sightings including barber fish, king angelfish, and chancho surgeonfish, as well as sharks, rays, and turtles.
Ship wreck
The Ship Wreck is a shrimp fishing vessel that succumbed to a storm and now rests at a depth of approximately 30 meters on a sandy bottom. The wreck's structure remains largely intact, providing a habitat for various marine life. Divers can expect to see small invertebrates, octopuses, reef fish, whitetip reef sharks, and goliath groupers in the area. This dive site is designated for advanced divers due to the depth and potential conditions.
South Point shallow
South Point Shallow is located on the southeast side of the Catalina Islands. This site primarily offers shallow diving opportunities, with depths generally remaining less than 25 meters. Divers may encounter a variety of reef fish, including butterfly fish and angelfish. Additionally, spotted eagle rays and sharks can be observed, particularly towards the deeper end of the dive site. The entry to the site is from the shore, making it accessible for divers looking to explore the underwater ecosystem.
Tiburon
Tiburon features substantial rock formations that provide habitats for white-tipped reef sharks, which utilize the area for both resting and hunting. Divers can also observe large schools of grunts and snappers, among other species. The site reaches a maximum depth of 15 meters, making it accessible for divers of all experience levels. Notable marine life includes reef stingrays, butterflyfish, angelfish, moray eels, boxfish, and lobsters.
Tortilla
Tortilla is located on the west coast of the peninsula and features a seabed primarily made up of complex rubble and rock formations. The site reaches a maximum depth of 20 meters, making it accessible for divers of varying experience levels. This underwater environment supports a diverse range of habitats, which are home to various invertebrates, small reef fish, as well as sharks and rays. The entry to the dive site is from the shore.
Wahoo
Wahoo features a prominent rock formation that rises above the water's surface, aiding in navigation both above and below the water. The dive site includes sandy shallows as well as steep rock faces that can reach depths of 30 meters. Divers should monitor their dive computers closely due to the potential for rapid depth changes. This area is known for plankton accumulation, which attracts larger marine species. In addition to the possibility of encountering larger fish, divers can expect to see a variety of reef fish, moray eels, and turtles throughout the dive.
Wahoo Rock
Wahoo Rock, located off Coiba Island, offers a dive starting at 13 meters (40 feet) and descending to rocky terraces and sand channels at about 30 meters (100 feet). Divers can encounter giant manta rays, whale sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and large schools of jacks, snappers, and barracudas, especially at several cleaning stations. Humpback whales may also be spotted occasionally.