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Dive Review of Rich Coast Diving/Villa del Sol in
Costa Rica/Guancaste

Rich Coast Diving/Villa del Sol, Nov, 2010,

by Brent Woods, ON, CA (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 22 reports with 13 Helpful votes). Report 5848.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 3 stars Food N/A
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments 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 Divers based on Undercurrent reports and the websites of the various dive operations. I booked my accommodation and car rental through them. All were very satisfactory. They asked me questions to be sure that I got what I was looking for in my hotel.
Rich Coast Divers has a large, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly staff. The level of service surpasses anything I have encountered elsewhere. I was there when the owners were away at DEMA.
They have the largest dive boats in Playa de Coco. The boats they use to ferry divers form the beach (there is no dock in Playa de Coco) to their dive boats are the same size as other operators use to get to the dive sites.
Dive conditions are vary day to day. I was lucky with the visibility. It was bad the week before. The ratio of divers to dive masters is never more than 4 regardless of the visibility.
Most divers would want a 5 mm wet suit here.
I dove for 4 days and got trips to both the Bats and the Cats. The first day was to the Bats. The first dive was to the Bull Shark Cleaning station. We were for half an half with a half dozen sharks. The second dive had two mantas, and schools of spotted eagle rays, surgeonfish, triggerfish and pompanos. It reminded me of the Galapagos for the numbers of fish.
The resident mantas were not in the day we went to the Cats but there was a school of white tips (one obviously pregnant)along with lots of other fish.
All dives had lots of fish. Rays and morays were seen on every dive. Schools of sergeant majors, jacks, grunts, snappers and trumpetfish were common. There were lots of puffers on all of the dives. I even saw them packed in groups into crevices in the rocks. Octopuses were also found.
One whale and several pods of dolphins were spotted from the dive boats.
Websites Rich Coast Diving   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Thousand Islands and Great Lakes, Cuba, Bonaire, Jamaica, Roatan, Red Sea, Palau, Galapagos, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Sea of Cortez, Guam
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 78-72°F / 26-22°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 25-40 Ft/ 8-12 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions All guides were guided. Time limits applied on some dives.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins Schools Whale Sharks None
Turtles 1 or 2 Whales 1 or 2
Corals N/A Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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