Cocos Island and Costa Rica

Cocos Island is located 300 miles south west of Costa Rica, in the eastern Pacific Ocean and is one the most remarkable and exciting dive destinations in the world.

This small island – approximately 5 miles by 2 miles –  is famous for the thousands of sharks that divers can encounter there. Cocos has a 12 mile no-fishing zone around it to protect it’s waters and on land, the only inhabitants are the marine park rangers and occasional scientists. Cocos Island National Park was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

Cocos is a stunning island, covered in dense jungle with mountains that are usually shrouded in clouds. The elevated summits receive constant rainfall all year round – about 25 feet per year! – resulting in countless waterfalls cascading down the cliffs around the island. The verdant island is a haven for birdlife, with over 85 species, including huge populations of frigate birds and brown footed boobies.

But it is the diving that makes this destination one of hottest ‘must-dive’ places on earth. Schooling hammerheads may be the most famous sharks to see here, but there are also silkies, silver tips, white-tips and tiger sharks. Add to that mantas, marbled rays, tunas, dolphins and whale sharks and you can see why Cocos remains one the top destinations on many divers wish list.

Due to its isolation, Cocos Island can only be reached by liveaboard and the sea crossing to the island takes 32 hours each way from Puntarenus, in Costa Rica. Minimum trip duration on board is 10 days, which will give you 7 full days diving in Cocos.