Cocos Island
Located some 340 miles (550 km) off the Costa Rican Pacific Coast, the World Heritage Site of Cocos Island is the most remote commercial liveaboard diving destination in the world. But that 36 hour boat crossing is worth it once you arrive at the island that was used to film Jurassic Park. Experienced divers seek out this destination for the guaranteed encounters with huge walls of hammerhead sharks, Galapagos, tiger, silky, blacktip, silvertip and whitetip reef sharks, and a multitude of ray species.
Whale sharks also come here to feed on seasonal plankton blooms. And if the scuba diving is not thrilling enough, then why not take a once-in-a-lifetime deep sea sub tour to explore the ocean depths and the rarely seen creatures that inhabit this rarely seen part of the marine world.
Recent Cocos Island Articles
Cocos Island National Park: Costa Rica’s Remote Kingdom of Sharks
Aerial view of Cocos Island, Costa Rica. Photo courtesy: Argo The Cocos Island National Park is located in the Pacific Ocean, 330 miles (535 km) southwest of Cabo Blanco in Costa Rica. It covers 9 miles² (24 km²) of land and 760 miles² (1,977 km²) of ocean. It has a...
Diving with Trevallies – Apex Predators of the Reef
Trevally are among the more common fish encountered by divers, in a variety of species. These powerful silvery predators patrol the reefs and are often seen preying on smaller fish, making exciting, sudden dashes around the reef and thrilling any on-looking scuba...
Diving with Turtles – Underwater Ninjas
Turtles are among the best loved of sea-dwelling creatures. This is due both to their cute appearance and personality, as well as their declining numbers and their need for human protection, turtles are among the best loved of sea-dwelling creatures. Everyone loves an...
Diving with scorpionfish: Motionless and Venomous
Scorpionfish are among the ocean’s most fascinating and enigmatic creatures, captivating divers with their extraordinary camouflage and formidable venomous spines. Belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, these ambush predators are found in tropical and temperate waters...
Diving with Moray Eels – a Foray into the World of Morays
You are finning along a reef with fish swimming all around you when suddenly something makes you stop on your tracks. You see a sight that at once captivates you and implores you to fix your gaze on a head protruding from a hole, seemingly glaring out and opening and...
Diving with Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks
Mysterious Denizens of the Deep Diving with hammerheads at Darwin Island. Photo courtesy: Master Liveaboards Diving with sharks is a popular pursuit but not all shark dives are the same. One of the most awe-inspiring sights has to be diving with the hammerhead shark....
Diving with Dolphins – Man’s Best Ocean-Dwelling Friend
Thought to be among some of the most intelligent animals on the planet, dolphins' playful, inquisitive nature have made them popular with divers and a fascination for all humans for as long as we have known of their existence. In fact, many cultures consider the...
Diving with Nudibranchs – It’s Only a Slug, Right?
To those who have never dived, the idea of a small slug-like, bottom-dweller might seem like a boring prospect. However for divers, the picture is rather different. These little, riotously-coloured creatures bejewel the ocean floor, catching the eye like glinting...
Diving with Manta Rays: Graceful Gliders
We have done some of the world's best manta dives and know that the joy of diving with these creatures is difficult to overstate. They capture divers' imaginations since they move so gracefully and majestically through the water - whether frolicking in the surf, or...