Articles

Scuba diving at Cocos Island is only possible through liveaboard diving trips. This is because the island is located far off the coast of Costa Rica, and there are no accommodation facilities or dive centers on the island itself. Liveaboard diving trips offer the best way to explore the island’s underwater world and experience its incredible marine life.

To go scuba diving at Cocos Island, you’ll need to book a liveaboard diving trip with a reputable dive operator. These trips typically last 7 to 10 days and include multiple dives per day, allowing divers to explore different dive sites around the island.

Before you can join a liveaboard diving trip, you’ll need to have an Open Water Diver certification or higher. Some dive operators may also require that you have a certain number of logged dives or have completed a specific type of dive (such as a deep dive or a night dive) to ensure that you have the necessary skills and experience for diving at Cocos Island.

List of liveaboards operators offering trips to Cocos Island:

Scared about the crossing? Some also offers coastal liveaboards expeditions to Costa Rica Rain forest. Learn more.

Scuba diving at Cocos Island is an incredible experience that offers the opportunity to see some of the world’s most amazing marine life in their natural habitat. With proper planning and preparation, it’s an adventure that is sure to be remembered for a lifetime.

Cocos Island is a remote, uninhabited island located in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 300 miles off the coast of Costa Rica. It is one of the world’s premier diving destinations, renowned for its rich marine life and clear waters.

Here are the top 10 reasons why diving in Cocos Island should be on every scuba diver’s bucket list:

1- Incredible Marine Life

The island’s underwater ecosystem is home to a diverse array of species, including large schools of hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, and Galapagos sharks. Other notable marine creatures include dolphins, humpback whales, manta rays, and sea turtles.

Learn more about what there is to see at Cocos here.

2- Shark Diving

The waters around Cocos Island are home to various species of sharks, including hammerheads, whale sharks, tiger sharks, and Galapagos sharks. These sharks are attracted to the island’s nutrient-rich waters, which provide them with ample food and create a perfect environment for them to thrive.

Shark diving in Cocos Island is highly regulated to ensure the safety of both divers and the sharks. Only a limited number of divers are allowed to visit the island each year, and strict guidelines are in place to ensure that divers do not disturb the sharks or their habitat.

Cocos Island is a good place for shark diving because of its diverse shark species, nutrient-rich waters, and strict regulations that ensure a safe and respectful diving experience for both humans and sharks.

3- Pristine Coral Reefs:

The coral reefs around Cocos Island are made up of both hard and soft corals, and the different types of corals provide shelter and food for a wide range of fish and other marine creatures. The reefs are also home to a variety of sponges, sea anemones, and other invertebrates.

One of the most impressive features of the coral reef around Cocos Island is the sheer variety of marine life that can be found there. In addition to the numerous species of fish that inhabit the reef, there are also sea turtles, octopuses, and even reef sharks that can be seen swimming among the corals.

4- Remote and Exclusive:

Cocos Island is considered a remote destination due to its location in the Pacific Ocean, about 300 miles off the coast of Costa Rica. The island is only accessible by boat. The journey to Cocos Island can take several hours by boat, and weather conditions can make travel difficult at times. The remote location of Cocos Island also contributes to its unique and unspoiled natural environment, which is home to a diverse range of wildlife and ecosystems.

5- Drift Diving:

Cocos Island is known for its exciting drift diving opportunities, where divers can experience a thrilling ride while observing the underwater world.

Safety Tip: Make sure your operator provide with you with safety equipment (ie: Nautilus Lifeline).

6- Underwater Photography:

Cocos Island is considered an excellent destination for underwater photography. The island’s clear waters and abundant marine life offer plenty of opportunities for capturing stunning images of sharks, dolphins, rays, and other marine creatures. The island’s remote location has also helped to preserve its natural beauty, and visitors can expect to see healthy coral reefs and an array of colorful fish and invertebrates.

7- Liveaboard Adventures:

Liveaboard trips to Cocos Island offer an all-inclusive experience, including multiple dives per day and the opportunity to explore the island’s rugged terrain.

8- Stunning Topside Scenery:

The rugged and picturesque landscape of Cocos Island is a stunning backdrop to the underwater world.

Cocos Island is home to several waterfalls, including the Chatham Bay Waterfall, which is one of the most popular among visitors. The Chatham Bay Waterfall is located on the southern side of the island and can be reached via a short hike through the jungle.

The Chatham Bay Waterfall cascades down a series of rocky steps, dropping over 50 feet into a clear pool below. The pool is surrounded by lush vegetation, making it a picturesque spot for swimming or simply enjoying the natural beauty of the island.

In addition to the Chatham Bay Waterfall, there are several other waterfalls on Cocos Island, including the Wafer Waterfall and the Golden Lion Waterfall. These waterfalls are located in more remote areas of the island and require a longer hike to reach. However, the effort is often rewarded with stunning views and the chance to see some of the island’s wildlife up close.

9- Wreck Diving:

There are several wrecks around Cocos Island that are popular among wreck divers. One of the most famous wrecks is the Bajo Alcyone, a cargo ship that sank in 1991. The wreck is now home to a variety of marine life, including schools of fish, sharks, and eels.

Another popular wreck dive is the Manuelita, a cargo ship that sank in 1921. The wreck is covered in coral and sponges, and is home to a variety of marine life, including sea turtles, rays, and schools of fish.

Wreck diving at Cocos Island is not for beginner divers, as the currents can be strong and unpredictable, and the dives can be deep. Divers should have advanced open water certification and experience with drift diving before attempting to dive the wrecks at Cocos Island.

Overall, wreck diving at Cocos Island is a thrilling and rewarding experience for experienced divers who are up for the challenge.

10- Conservation Efforts:

Cocos Island is a protected marine reserve, and diving here supports conservation efforts aimed at preserving the area’s natural beauty and marine life for future generations.

Discover more on www.cocosisland.org

Cocos Island is a remote, uninhabited island located in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 300 miles off the coast of Costa Rica. The island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is known for its incredible natural beauty and diverse wildlife. Visitors to Cocos Island can expect to find an array of activities and sights to explore, including hiking trails, waterfalls, and some of the best diving in the world.

Cocos Island Marine Life

Cocos Island is renowned for its rich marine life and is considered one of the best dive destinations in the world. The island is located at the convergence of several ocean currents, creating a nutrient-rich environment that attracts a wide variety of marine species. Here are some of the most notable marine species found at Cocos Island:

1. Sharks: Cocos Island is famous for its abundance of sharks, including hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and tiger sharks. It’s also one of the best places in the world to see schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks, which can number in the hundreds.
2. Whale Sharks: Between November and May, Cocos Island is visited by migrating whale sharks, the largest fish in the world. These gentle giants can grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) in length and can be seen feeding on plankton in the island’s waters.
3. Dolphins: Several species of dolphins can be found in the waters around Cocos Island, including bottlenose dolphins, spotted dolphins, and spinner dolphins. These playful creatures are often seen swimming alongside boats and interacting with divers.
4. Rays: Cocos Island is home to several species of rays, including manta rays and devil rays. These graceful creatures can often be seen gliding through the water, their large wingspans creating a mesmerizing sight.
5. Turtles: Several species of sea turtles can be found at Cocos Island, including green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles. These majestic creatures can often be seen resting on the sandy bottom or swimming gracefully through the water.
6. Fish: The waters around Cocos Island are teeming with an incredible variety of fish, including giant schools of jacks, snappers, and grunts. Other notable species include moray eels, octopuses, and reef sharks.
7. Invertebrates: Cocos Island is also home to a wide variety of colorful and fascinating invertebrates, including sea stars, sea urchins, anemones, and crabs. These creatures can often be found clinging to the rocks and coral formations, providing a colorful backdrop for underwater photography.

Overall, the marine life at Cocos Island is incredibly diverse and abundant, making it a must-visit destination for any scuba diving enthusiast or underwater photographer.

Cocos Island Landscape

In addition to its marine life, Cocos Island is also home to a variety of land-based wildlife. The island is covered in dense jungle, which provides habitat for a range of bird species, including frigatebirds, boobies, and pelicans. The island is also home to several species of lizard, as well as an endemic species of spider known as the Cocos Island tarantula.

For visitors who enjoy hiking, Cocos Island offers several trails that lead through the island’s lush vegetation and offer stunning views of the surrounding ocean. The trails range in difficulty from easy to challenging, with the most popular being the hike to the island’s highest point, Cerro Iglesias, which offers panoramic views of the island and its surroundings.

Cocos Island Waterfalls

Cocos Island is also known for its waterfalls, which are a popular attraction for visitors to the island. The most popular waterfall on the island is Chatham Bay Waterfall, which cascades down a series of rocky steps into a clear pool below. The pool is surrounded by lush vegetation, making it a picturesque spot for swimming or simply enjoying the natural beauty of the island.

Finally, Cocos Island is a popular destination for those interested in conservation and eco-tourism. The island is protected as a national park and UNESCO World Heritage site, and visitors are required to pay an entrance fee, which helps fund conservation efforts on the island. Visitors to the island can learn about the island’s unique ecosystem and the efforts being made to protect it, as well as participate in conservation activities, such as beach cleanups and habitat restoration projects.

In conclusion, Cocos Island is a unique and beautiful destination that offers something for everyone. From its incredible marine life to its lush vegetation and stunning waterfalls, the island is a must-visit for anyone interested in nature and adventure. With strict conservation efforts in place, visitors can rest assured that their visit to Cocos Island will have minimal impact on this delicate and pristine ecosystem.