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Costa Rica Diving Reviews:
Dive Resorts & Liveaboards

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Average Overall Ratings
(over last 3 years, 9 of 169 reports
Advanced:  5 stars Beginner:  2 stars
UW Photography:  4 stars
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Page # 1  2  
Rich Coast Divers/ Allegro Papagayo Full report   Guanacaste   We dove 3 times with Rich Coast Divers last week. Basically, it's a reasonably good operation, with a few problems that prevent it... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
5/2009   Randy and Carol Thompson
1000+ Dives 		 
Aquacenter/ Paradisus Playa Conchal Full report   Guanacaste   We did 4 days of 2- tank diving with Aquacenter, located in Flamingo. We stayed at the Paradisus resort in Playa Conchal and were ... Full report  
5 stars
4 stars  
7/2008   Craig Grube
100+ Dives 		 
Rich Coast Divers/ Villas Sol Full report   Guanacaste   This was our first trip to Costa Rica, after hearing from many people that it's a great destination. And we had a blast, from... Full report  
5 stars
4 stars  
6/2008   Timothy A. Kolakowski
250+ Dives 		 
AquaCenter Diving/ Flamingo Beach Resort Full report   Guanacaste   We were treated very well. Anna, with Aquacenter, arranged all of our diving and other tours. The dive operation was very profes... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
7/2007   Sherald Vogt
<100 Dives 		 
Ocotal Beach Resort Full report   Guanacaste   We had a WONDERFUL experience staying at the Ocotal Beach Resort which we had read about in the Divers' Chapbook. We will definit... Full report  
5 stars
2 stars  
5/2007   Cindy Cook
100+ Dives 		 
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Ocotal Beach Resort Full report   Guanacaste   We were concerned about previous negative comments about this resort and their dive staff, but ultimately chose Ocotal Beach ... Full report  
5 stars
5 stars  
11/2006   Richard Himmel
100+ Dives 		 
Ocotal Diving/ Ocotal Beach Resort Full report   Guanacaste   My wife, daughter, and I decided to spend the last week of summer vacationing in Costa Rica, a country we had not had an opport... Full report  
4 stars
5 stars  
8/2006   Craig Wood
100+ Dives 		 
Resort Divers De Costa Rica/ Allegro Papagayp Full report   Guanacaste   Day 1 Thursday - Half day costal Fishing with Resort Divers. Arranged prior to arrival via email with owner Viviane. Captain and F... Full report  
5 stars
5 stars  
1/2004   Jacki Briggs
<100 Dives 		 
El Ocotal Dive Resort Full report   Guanacaste   The diving was great, lots of big critters, sharks, turtles, etc. Also, good macro opportunities including sea horses, harlequin s... Full report  
5 stars
4 stars  
7/2003   Brian
100+ Dives 		 
Summer-Salt Full report   Guanacaste - Playa del Coco   Hotel Puerta del Sol (arranged through Summer- Salt and with no independent website) is clean and comfortable, though hardly posh. ... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
6/2008   Bill DuBois
100+ Dives 		 
Pacific Coast Dive Center/ Tamarindo Diria Hotel Full report   Guanacaste-Catalina Islands   "Catalina Islands boat from Potrero Bay "
Nice resort dive day. Modern van for hotel pick- up at 7am, stop at shop outside Flamingo to do release forms, Ccard check and fitt... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
11/2016   Lee Little Haponski
1000+ Dives 		 
ROCKET FROG DIVERS   Guanacaste/Tamarindo   "Outstanding dive operator!"
Shark dive for the Bat Islands. Great facility north of Tamarindo. Very well set up shop, fleet of fast boats, Incredible dive ma... Full report  
5 stars
2 stars  
11/2023   William Hubbarth
1000+ Dives 		 
Diving Safaris de Costa Rica/ Four Seasons Full report   Guanacaste: Gold Coast   As part of a special birthday celebration we were staying at the Four Seasons resort at Peninsula Papagayo. The resort was wonder... Full report  
3 stars
2 stars  
3/2009   Dorothy McDonald
500+ Dives 		 
Rich Coast Diving/ Villa del Sol Full report   Guancaste   I went to Costa Rica with modest expectations for the diving and was blown away by the great dives I had. I choose Rich Coast Div... Full report  
5 stars
5 stars  
11/2010   Brent Woods
250+ Dives 		 
Deep Blue Diving/ Hotel Puerta del Sol Full report   Gulf of Papagayo   Diving in Costa Rica is a big departure from the Caribbean. . . there is almost no coral, and the visibility is considered excellen... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
9/2011   Sandy Falen
1000+ Dives 		 
Deep Blue Diving Adventures/ Coco Verde Full report   Gulf of Papagayo   We started off intending to stay at an RCI timeshare trade but we were switched to another resort (with bad reviews) and cancelled... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
8/2006   Jack M. Bernstein
100+ Dives 		 
Ocotal Resort Full report   Gulf of Papagayo   This is a decent resort, and I'd probably return again. The restaurant is consistently good, and the rooms very clean and well- ma... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
9/2003   Carl Scott
100+ Dives 		 
La Perla del Sur/ Crystal Ballena Full report   Isla Cano   My buddy and I had limited time in Costa Rica and made arrangements to dive through "Meetings Horizonte" travel agency. They arran... Full report  
4 stars
1 stars  
7/2013   Mary K Wicksten
1000+ Dives 		1Helpful vote(s) received
Cano Divers Full report   Isla de Cano   Dove with Cano Divers, and stayed at their bungalows overlooking the ocean, which is at Pirate Cove: piratecovecostarica. com C... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
12/2006   Terry Anderson
500+ Dives 		1Helpful vote(s) received
Cocos Aggressor Full report LiveAboard Isla del Coco   Traveling to/ from Costa Rica was easy; airport operations were smooth and secure. Plan on spending a night or two in a hotel befo... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
7/2014   David Schwab
250+ Dives 		 
Sea Hunter Full report LiveAboard Isla del Cocos   "Cocos Effect: Anything can happen "
This was my 6th- 7th trip to Cocos. Several trips were on the Argo with the Turtle Iland Resortation Network foks. They conduct tru... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
10/2021   James Smith
1000+ Dives 		Photos available 
Sea Hunter Full report   Malpelo & Cocos   The Best big animal diving ever! Consistantly more marine life than I have ever seen. This was the trip of a life time!!! Malpelo ... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
7/2006   Dave & Susan Eckenberger
1000+ Dives 		 
Oceans Unlimited Full report   Manuel Antonio   The trip was about 2 hours beacsue the ocean was initially a bit choppy. we arrived at Cano Island and our first dive site was Ba... Full report  
5 stars
4 stars  
7/2007   Divegirl80
1000+ Dives 		 
Dive Safari/ Villas Sol Full report   northwest   Nice relatively easy diving. Dive Safaris put us (more experienced divers) on a separate boat so most days there were 4 divers and... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
6/2006   william Wittman
250+ Dives 		 
Ocotal Divers/ Ocotal Hotel Full report   Ocotal, Guanacoste   Spent 11 days here with my non diving wife. Contrary to most reports on the diving here, this diver was very disappointed. However... Full report  
2 stars
2 stars  
3/2009   Don Hoft
500+ Dives 		 
La Paloma Full report   Osa Peninsula   Our 1 hour flight from San Jose, 45 minute van ride and 15 minute boat ride landed us in La Paloma. After climbing a steep hill w... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
8/2008   anne warburton
250+ Dives 		 
Deep Blue Diving Adventures/ No resort, but packages available Full report   Pacific Coast   "Professional dive operation out of Playas del Coco on the west coast"
Over two days, I went on two, two- tank dives. The dive boat is small (capacity ~8), but so are the groups. One day 1, we had 3 div... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
12/2018   A J Underbrink Jr
500+ Dives 		 
Diving Safaris/ Occidental Grand Papagayo Full report   Pacific Coast Guanacaste regio   The Dive outfit, Diving Safaris (Not Bill Beards) with Bobbie Joe and Earl, were excellent. The dive masters and boat captains wer... Full report  
4 stars
4 stars  
8/2006   David McDougall
250+ Dives 		 
Rich Coast Diving Full report   Pacific Side   "Left Out at Sea"
Though I had confirmed our reservations 3 times directly with Rich Coast's owner, upon arrival we were greeted with the comment "O... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
12/2003   Douglas
500+ Dives 		 
Aggressor Fleet Full report LiveAboard Pacific-Guanacaste/Bat Islands   "Guanacaste and Bat Islands aboard the Okeanos Aggressor II"
We've done close to 30 liveaboards and do not do shore diving. This Aggressor franchise was top notch and had a stellar crew. Ca... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
6/2017   Ronald JOhnson
500+ Dives 		2Helpful vote(s) received
Aqua Center/ Paridisus Resort Full report   Playa Conchal, Gunacaste   Our trip was set up by Bill Beard's Travel who recommended both the hotel and the dive operator. This was our first trip to Coast... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
4/2009   Steve Giles
1000+ Dives 		 
Deep Blue diving adventures/ Hotel La Puerta del Sol Full report   Playa del Coco   Lots of puffer fish, jelly fish, eels, and octopus. Went to Bat island one day. Miserable trip. Small boat with rough waters tu... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
5/2013   Bill Markley
100+ Dives 		 
Rich Coast diving Full report   playa del coco   We fell in love with Costa Rica. Both under and above the water it's beautiful, we've even changed our plans and are getting read... Full report  
5 stars
5 stars  
8/2005   Brenda van Gestel
1000+ Dives 		 
Aquacenter Diving Costa Rica/ Flamingo Beach Resort Full report   Playa Flamingo   "Playa Flamingo, Catalina Islands, Costa Rica"
We dove with Aquacenter for three days. There is a limited number of sites off the Playa Flamingo, all centered on the Catalinas I... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
5/2017   Paul Fitzpatrick
250+ Dives 		 
Aquacenter Diving Costa Rica/ Topical Homes Full report   Playa Flamingo   Good dive shop; owner picked me up every day, was friendly and professional, most days dive started on time with 3 – 9 divers. Two... Full report  
3 stars
2 stars  
5/2011   GAIL THOMAS
250+ Dives 		 
Scuba Dive Costa Rica Full report   Playa Flamingo Las Catalinas   "Great Diving, Great Operation"
Just came back from my second trip to Costa Rica. The first time (May) we used SDCR and were very pleased. The diving was great, v... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
8/2016   Kevin W. Meyer
250+ Dives 		 
Diving Safaris Costa Rica/ Villas del Sueno Full report   Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste   The staff at Diving Safaris were friendly and professional. Even though I was the only diver registered for 2 days, they didn't ca... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
1/2012   Christopher Hunter
100+ Dives 		 
Rocket Frog Divers/ Bosque del Mar Full report   Playa Hermosa]   "A fish parade"
While there is no coral to speak off (mainly volcanic rocks), there are loads of fish. While you are diving and it gets dark, you ... Full report  
5 stars
4 stars  
8/2021   Susan M Fuchs
250+ Dives 		1Helpful vote(s) received
Herradura Divers/ I stayed with Family Full report   Playa Jaco   "Lack of safty or concern for divers."
rough surf we should not have gone out. one of the other divers in the front of boat dropped and air cylinder and they were not n... Full report  
1 stars
1 stars  
1/2016   Victor Eizenga
<100 Dives 		1Helpful vote(s) received
Rocket Frog/ Los Almendros de Ocotal Full report   Playa Ocotal, Guanacaste   "Not the best visibility but big stuff!!"
Having done liveaboards on my last two vacations, I went to the Guanacaste area of Costa Rica to do a little bit of diving, see so... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
11/2014   Adam Hartnett
500+ Dives 		 
www.almacodiving.com/ www.villavistazul.com/costa_ Full report   Playa Ocotel   Villa Vista Azul [. . . ] ) is a gem of a location. It's a short walk to the beach and dive... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
8/2006   Gregg Gaylord
1000+ Dives 		 
Rich Coast Diving/ Villas del Sol (hotel) Full report   Playas Del Coco   I chose Rich Coast Diving based on positive reader reports. Unfortunately, I found the operation has apparently changed since the... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
12/2006   Bob Sivak
100+ Dives 		 
Manuel Antonio Divers Full report   Quepos   We dove with Manuel Antonio Divers of Costa Rica. Raymond & Mindy Passavant are the owners of Manuel Antonio Divers. We had boo... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
3/2007   Jeffrey Levin
100+ Dives 		 
Aquacenter Diving Costa Rica/ Tamarindo Diria Full report   Tamarindo   "Great diving in Catalina Islands with huge numbers of fish!"
I was unsure about diving in the Tamarindo area because I have read the water can be cold with thermaclines and that the vis... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
10/2014   Paula Flori
500+ Dives 		1Helpful vote(s) received
Agua Rica/ Cala Luna Full report   Tamarindo   Agua Rica is located in Tamarindo on Pacific coast. Dives only at Santa Catalina Islands (which is good). THe marine life there is... Full report  
4 stars
2 stars  
11/2002   Martin Raffauf
100+ Dives 		 
Aqua Rica/ Hotel Diria Tamarindo Full report   Tamarindo, Guancaste   A trip report about my diving experience in Tamarindo, Costa Rica during early January 2014. We booked this holiday through a tra... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
1/2014   Christopher Watt
250+ Dives 		 
Ocotal Beach Resort Full report   West Coast   Two of us took in an early May week of Costa Rican west coast diving at Ocotal Beach Resort on the Gulf of Papagayo – with reduced... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
5/2008   James Filipczak
500+ Dives 		 
Dive Safari/ [s Full report   [N/   Costa Rica, Pacific Coast, upper northwest corner, February 8- 15, 2003. Bill Beards’ Diving Safaris Water temp 70 to... Full report  
1 stars
1 stars  
2/2003   C.F.Ward
500+ Dives 		 
Aggressor Fleet LiveAboard     "Cocos Island - Great Trip"
Went to Cocos Island for the first time on the Cocos Island Aggressor, actually it is being called the Okeanos III per the boat al... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
8/2023   Lisa Vitale
1000+ Dives 		2Helpful vote(s) received
Sea Hunter Full report LiveAboard     "Comfortable boat, safe tenders, big fish."
The dive guides took good care of us in cool, swift currents. There were so many hammerheads that they started to look normal. Som... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
12/2020   Kathleen Poole
500+ Dives 		 
Aggressor Fleet Full report LiveAboard     "Thirty Years Later"
I did four trips about thirty years ago on the Aggressor I and the Sea Hunter. After that time, I discovered Socorro, which was e... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
3/2020   DONALD MCCOY
1000+ Dives 		Photos available
1Helpful vote(s) received
Argo Full report LiveAboard     "Extraordinary Diving in Liveaboard Luxury...supporting Shark Research"
At Cocos, an "okay" dive involves white- tip reef sharks, marble rays, and schools of reef fish. A great dive includes tuna, school... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
4/2019   David Stoll
250+ Dives 		4Helpful vote(s) received
Aggressor Fleet Full report LiveAboard     "Warm Above, Cold Below"
I was looking forward to my week on the Costa Rica Aggressor I. A few days before the trip I received a text saying that the water... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
3/2018   Charles Beilman
250+ Dives 		 
Rocket Frog Full report       "Good Diving, Disappointint Operation"
Just came back from a 9 day trip to Costa Rica which included 7 days of diving, 2 of which were with Rocket Frog. Initial reaction... Full report  
4 stars
4 stars  
8/2016   Kevin W. Meyer
250+ Dives 		1Helpful vote(s) received
Rich coast/Rocket Frog/ Villa del sol Full report       It was late may and maybe not the best time of year for diving the Playa Coco area. The water was murky on local dives and vis... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
5/2013   Gary Bohner
250+ Dives 		 
Rich Coast Diving/ Villas Sol Full report       Great time diving with Rich Coast Diving – we dove 6 days in a row with them in early November, 2012. The staff were all very frie... Full report  
3 stars
5 stars  
11/2012   Patricia MacSween
250+ Dives 		 
Aggressor Fleet Full report LiveAboard     The cabins were small as were the shower/ bathrooms. I took my showers sitting on the toilet when the seas were rough because spac... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
5/2012   Leona M Holaday
1000+ Dives 		 
Peter Hughes' Debbie Messina, travel agent Full report       I made hotel reservations with Debbie Messina, Peter Hughes in SanJose, Costa Rica. We were told we had to arrive the day before... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
12/2010   Mary L. Long
<100 Dives 		 
Undersea Hunter Full report LiveAboard     I recently had the opportunity to visit the Cocos Islands aboard the Undersea Hunter in early June. As most of us here at the foru... Full report  
2 stars
1 stars  
6/2010   MAX WEINMANN
500+ Dives 		 
Rich Coast Divers Full report       I've been diving Playa del Coco three times in the last 5 years, all with Rich Coast Divers. They have changed owners, and althou... Full report  
2 stars
3 stars  
12/2007   Terry Anderson
500+ Dives 		 
COSTARICA DIVERS/ JINETES DE OSA Full report       FROM PAST REVIEWS I EXPECTED GOOD DIVING. I DONT KNOW WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM ?EL NINO BUT THERE WERE MINIMAL FISH AND CORALS WERE PO... Full report  
1 stars
1 stars  
1/2007   BEN GLICK
1000+ Dives 		 
Undersea Hunter Full report LiveAboard     This trip to Malepelo Island and then to the CoCos Islands was the best dive trip that we have ever been on. The Seahunter a... Full report  
5 stars
3 stars  
8/2006   Chris Cozzi/Lisa Anderson
500+ Dives 		 
Cocos Aggressor Full report LiveAboard     The Okeanos Aggressor is the worst Aggressor I've ever been on. Other than great meals, the overall quality of service was sadly l... Full report  
5 stars
1 stars  
11/2005   jean miller
500+ Dives 		 
Can`o Island Divers/ Casa Corcovado Full report       The bad: Variable abilities of divers necessitated strict guiding practices and depth limits. One diver could not maintain bouyanc... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
12/2004   LeRoy Anderson
250+ Dives 		 
El Ocotal Full report       Hotel El Ocotal and the dive operation were first rate in every way. The service was consistently friendly and of extremely high q... Full report  
3 stars
2 stars  
10/2004   Bud
100+ Dives 		 
Ocotal Resort Full report       I'll never return to Ocotal, but if you choose to stay there, REVIEW YOUR BILL THOROUGHLY!! The room charge is billed to your car... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
9/2004   Diane May
100+ Dives 		 
El Ocotal Full report       We were looking for a destination where my husband and I could do some good diving, and also have some fun with our kids (12, 9 an... Full report  
3 stars
1 stars  
6/2004   Elizabeth Hilla
100+ Dives 		 
Ocotal Beach Resort Full report       Very intimate hotel. Great service everywhere. Most rooms are set in buildings spaced out hillside. Some beachfront rooms. The... Full report  
4 stars
3 stars  
9/2003   A. Segal
250+ Dives 		 
Diving Safaris/ [same]Sol Playa Hermosa Full report       Nitrox was promised but was unavailable. Lame excuse was given for not being available. Night dives and trip to Bat Islands ... Full report  
3 stars
3 stars  
7/2002   Brian Bolton
<100 Dives 		 
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