Catalina Islands, Costa Rica

The Catalinas

The Catalina Islands are some of the best spots to scuba dive in all of Costa Rica. There are several dive sites located around these islands which protrude from the Pacific in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica. The islands are a fair distance off shore and are the home of the Pacific Giant Mantas among other marine life.

If you are visiting Costa Rica with the intention of scuba diving, you will not want to skip the Catalina Islands. In addition to the Pacific Giant Mantas, we also frequently see sharks, turtles, eels, and huge schools of fish.

With the distance which you must travel to visit the Catalinas, there is no better dive company to take you there than ours. Our boat is the fastest in the industry. Our two 250 horsepower Yamaha 4 stroke engines will have you to the islands and back in about half the time of any other dive shop in the Coco Beach or Playa Ocotal region of Costa Rica.

Our dive shop also dives the Catalina Islands year round, meaning there is never a down time. If you are a diving enthusiast you owe it to yourself to experience these dive sites in addition to our local dive sites.

Information on Diving the Catalina Islands in Costa Rica

The Catalina Island chain is an archipelago of rocky islets which can be found 2-15 miles off the northwest coast of Costa Rica. The islands themselves are completely uninhabited and their location, the currents, and their formation make them perfect locations for large quantities of marine life to gather.

The visibility in the Catalinas is similar to that of other areas in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. Scuba divers will notice that conditions change frequently and without warning. Water temperatures are usually coldest during the dry season (January and February) and warmer in the rainy seasons. The visibility can range between 15 and 80 feet. The currents also fluctuate with the dive site, the tides, the season and the winds. Occasional strong currents are found, but our experienced group of dive masters who have been diving the Catalina Islands for years can usually plan to minimize the effects that these currents will have on your dives.

Click dive map to expand

Things To Consider When Scuba Diving the Catalinas Islands, Costa Rica

While it is easy to find a dive shop that will dive the the Catalinas, we feel strongly that we offer the best possible experience to our customers. We have experienced divemasters who will navigate the waters and point out all of the possible marine life to you. Our boat captain who not only knows the water from above, but has also worked as a divemaster. Knowing the dive sites and what sites will be the best on any given day is something that only comes with experience.

In addition, our boat is the best in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. It is a purpose built dive vessel which gets you there and back quickly and safely.

We will work with you to pick you up from your hotels in the Hermosa, Coco Beach, or Playa Ocotal regions of Guanacaste Province.

Marine Life You Will Encounter In The Catalinas

Devil Rays Jumping At The Catalinas

The marine life which you will encounter on your trip to the Catalinas is nothing short of amazing. There are of course the Pacific Giant Manta Rays which can be found at several of the dive sites. The area is also well known for finding schools of devil rays, spotted eagle rays, bullseye rays, bat rays, mobley rays, and various other forms of stingrays. There are also huge schools of tropical fish ranging in the size from micro to massive. There are quite often sharks (most common the white tip reef shark) and several varieties of eels as well.

Located not too far off of the famous Playa Grande, it is also not uncommon to see several species of turtles swimming about the islands.

Less common, but possible, there are sometimes whale sharks, tiger sharks, humpback whales, and in a few instances even orca whales have been spotted in these waters.

During your surface intervals you will be amazed by the devil rays which use the waters around the Catalina Islands as a playground. You will frequently see these creatures launching and flipping several feet out of the water coming down with a splash. It is thought that these rays are using this practice to knock parasites off of their skin.

The Catalina Islands are one of the most beautiful places to dive in all of Costa Rica. Please consider Rocket Frog Divers when diving the Catalinas. You may also want to look at our trips which are offered to the Bat Islands.