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Cocos Island is recognised as one of the most outstanding dive locations on earth and offers probably one of the best places to go diving with sharks – bull, scalloped hammerhead, silky, silvertip and white-tip to name a few.

Lying 540 kilometres off the western coast of Costa Rica in the eastern Pacific Ocean, this marine park is a rugged, isolated and incredibly beautiful island, only dived from a liveaboard. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the crown jewel of Costa Rica’s national parks, and is recognised as one of the most outstanding dive locations on earth. The volcanic pinnacles surrounding the island are beacons for large pelagic species and it is probably one of the best places to go diving with sharks –  bull, scalloped hammerhead, silky, silvertip and white-tip to name a few.

The uninhabited island is of volcanic origin and covered in dense jungle with an amazing biodiversity of wildlife. Bajo Alcyone and Dirty Rock are just two of the 20 dive sites surrounding the island. The climate is humid and tropical with and average temperature of 25C both on land and underwater. We recommend a 5mm full body wetsuit and at least 50 logged dives before embarking on this adventure of a lifetime.

Liveaboard trips operate throughout the year and you can expect an abundant and prolific marine life with over 300 species of fish, 30 species of coral and over 60 species of crustaceans living beneath the waves on the reef, on the pinnacles and in the caves. Divers regularly report back about the walls of scalloped hammerhead sharks as they gaze in awe at these magnificent creatures.

For those who prefer calmer seas and better visibility, look to travel Dec-May during the dry season. However the rainy season (Jun-Dec) tends to offer more pelagic visitors due to the plankton rich waters at this time, reducing the visibility to around 20 metres.

Our featured liveaboards all depart from Costa Rica and the trip to this diver’s dream destination takes 32-36 hours each way. Due to the remoteness and difficulty of some dive sites these trips are for experienced divers only.  

View suggested itinerary

Key info

  • Ideal for viewing: scalloped hammerhead shark, Galapagos shark, devil ray, bull shark, giant oceanic manta ray

Dive trips

This dive location is featured in the following itinerary:
Suggested liveaboards are shown below. Please contact us for further recommendations.

MV Sea Hunter

This modern, dedicated dive cruiser has been custom built for long-range expeditions to destinations like the world renowned Cocos Island. A superbly comfortable liveaboard with everything a serious diver could wish for. Find Out More about MV Sea Hunter

M/V Argo

This custom built working boat heads to the remote Cocos Island throughout the year and offers experienced divers plenty of luxury and the unique opportunity to get on board a submersible. Find Out More about M/V Argo