Who to dive with at Bat Island Costa Rica? They are actually located just off the coast of Santa Rosa National Park, which is famous for it’s landscape, wildlife, as well of some … Another huge attraction to the Bat Islands is the Pacific Giant Mantas. If you like diving with big fishes, this might be one of the best easily accessible places in central America for diving. Big scare is a rock that sees significant fishes action. The most remarkable aspect of this dive site is the massive amount of fishes. The Bat Islands are one of the most impressive scuba diving destinations in all of Costa Rica. The boat then will travel straight across the Gulf de Papagayo to the Bat Islands. December to April is dry season in Costa Rica. Make sure when you book a trip to the bats to get a dive shop with a permit. TIP: In August, the water temperature was around 27 degrees, so a 3 millimeters wetsuit is probably sufficient. Cano island is known as the best place to scuba dive in Costa Rica, except for Cocos Island.However, Cano is much more accessible, and there are many dive resorts and dive companies that can take you from Drake Bay or other areas in the Osa Peninsula to the dive sites. The Bat Islands are part of the Santa Rosa National Park, just off the Playas del Coco in Northwestern Costa Rica. The equipment was quite good. 2 reviews. See more ideas about bull shark, whale song, pilot whale. The waters in the Gulf de Papagayo are heavily influenced by the wind. There is a colony of bull sharks often hanging there from May to October. Travel to Panama City, fly to San Jose • 3h 12m. The travel time is approx 1 hour and 30 mins. This is luxury travel had a chance to dive there and was very impressed by the number of fishes. After the two dives we return to Tamarindo at approximately 1:30pm. Bat Island (Isla Murcielagos) is located in the Santa Rosa national park, one of the oldest national park in Costa Rica. The Bat Islands (or Isla Murciealgo in spanish) are located on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica off of the northern province of Guanacaste. You can also see pacific manta and schools of the smaller devil ray in Bat Islands. The sea is calmer, so this is the best season for beginners divers. From January 4 – 17, Costa Rica’s beaches are closed after 2:30pm. I have never seen as many octopuses as on this dive site. We were there mid-august and the rain was not that bad so we could still enjoy a beach vacation in addition to diving. In order to reach the Bat Islands, you should first fly into Costa Rica If you fly on San Jose you can take a bus to Playas del Coco which lies in the province of Guanacaste, where you should be able to find a few dive shops. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. The best time to visit Bat Islands is from May to end of September.It’s an hour long ride by boats. They had plenty of snacks on board ( the pineapple was delicious!). Ask and pay your $6 entrance fee. But you might get rained on the way to the dive sites. It is a small dive shop in Playa Coco managed by Rocky and CJ, a Canadian/ US couple. There are 8 ways to get from San Blas Islands to Costa Rica by plane, bus or ferry. The Catalina Islands aka “the Cats” are, without a doubt, one of the most sought-after scuba dive locations in Costa Rica. You access it by boat with one of the dive shops from Playa Coco. The Islands are located in the far north of Costa Rica and are at the edge of Santa Rosa National Park. The boat ride from the Four seasons took us about 70 minutes to Bat Island. More info. They are very warm and friendly, and it was a pleasure to dive with then. Get to know your fellow divers and enjoy the coastal views while you cruise past the Papagayo Gulf – about an hour depending on weather conditions – until you get to the Bat Island Archipelago. PADI Dive Shop. Black Rock is a submerged peninsula. During these months, very little rain falls throughout the Pacific coast. You will need to book a day trip with one of the dive centers to … Quick View. Very convenient! Find all the transport options for your trip from Costa Rica to Cook Islands right here. Crossing them … 5 Days Wildlife Tour in Drake Bay, Sierpe, Corcovado and Osa. We dove with Rockdivers Costa Rica. If you like bull sharks and are an advanced diver, the rainy season, considered May – November, is the best time to go, as nutrient swells attract those majestic predators to the Bat Islands. Chira Island Tourism: Tripadvisor has 23 reviews of Chira Island Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Chira Island resource. I am looking forward to going back there and experience more dive sites in the area. ... Murciélago is the premier scuba destination in Costa Rica. The beautiful Caño Island reserve Snorkeling at Caño Island. Where else to dive on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica? We saw a pregnant white tip shark as well as some nurse sharks. There are some excellent dives within Papagayo Bay. Local, Catalina's and Bat Island trips! Located 45 minutes by boat from Playa Ocotal on the mainland, the area is a protected marine preserve as part of the national park. The Bat Islands are also a good place to view the Pacific Giant Mantas and the smaller Devil Rays, which can sometimes be seen swimming in schools of a few hundred or more. The maximum dive depths are 90ft/30m and our group sizes usually 2 PADI Professionals to 6 diving guests. Fabulous Bat Islands scuba diving day trip prices from Tamarindo in Costa Rica | Dive The World We use cookies to personalise content for you and to analyse our traffic. The Bat Islands are located about 30 miles out to sea off the coast. We saw sharks rays, big snapper, and so much more. A boat ride will take you out to this majestic dive site and on the way to the islands you may even get the first glimpse of what awaits in the crystal blue waters; dolphins, turtles and during the right season whales. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. The dry season is the best time to visit Playas del Coco if you want to split your time between sunbathing on the beach and diving into the underwater world. Guanacaste is well-known for its spectacular beaches. Murciélago diving is, of course, for certified divers only. Anything can pass by, and we have been told of sightings of humpback whales, mola molas and even whale sharks, We were the only dive boat in the area, which was great but there was also 2 fishing boats very near the dive site. The Bat Islands are a world class dive location that has been protected by the Costa Rican government. The major attraction of this cold island is the old prison that is so similar with Alcatraz of USA. The indigo waters surrounding the Catalina Islands serve as a haven for a spectacular array of marine life. Don’t forget to look at the walls because there are also nudibranchs, Muray eels, and octopuses to be found. For more information about the best diving in Central America, check out my review of the Quino Al Guardian liveaboard in the sea of Cortez and diving Cabo Pulmo in Mexico. We were staying at the Four Seasons, and the ship came to pick us up directly on the beach of the resort. ... We did a tour to the Island from the Jaguars Jungle Lodge and it was incredible! Bat Islands is all about sharks. 1 review. It is the best season to see large pelagics like whale sharks and  Bull sharks. Bat Island (Isla Murcielagos) is located in the Santa Rosa national park, one of the oldest national park in Costa Rica. This national park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 for its unmatched natural beauty and rich biodiversity. 8 Day Adventure Tour in Costa Rica. Catalina Island is also a popular place, which is about 60 minutes away from the four seasons. The landscape is a lot of rock formations with plenty of hiding places for fishes and other creatures. Diving Bat island in Costa Rica was surprisingly good and full of big pelagics. Visit Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The best time of the year is from May until November. You can read my review of the Four Seasons resort here, review of the Quino Al Guardian liveaboard in the sea of Cortez, Sustainability Serie: Misool Resort and the creation of the Misool Marine Reserve, Review of the Misool Resort: a unique retreat with an incredible underwater world, Review of Neomi’s diving liveaboard trip to Misool, Uncrowded diving in Sangihe islands with Sunshine liveaboard. The BCD they lend me even had integrated weight pockets. Designated as the 2nd best snorkel and scuba diving site in Costa Rica, Caño Island, or Isla de Caño sits in the Pacific Ocean about 52 kilometers (32 miles) from Marino Ballena National Park.This biological reserve is home to a copious amount of marine wildlife such as sharks, eagle rays, fish and turtles. We are a Scuba Diving instructor and more to get … It takes us about 1 hour to get from Playas del Coco to the Bat Islands – Islas Murcielagos. To dive the Bat Islands you have to travel by boat about 30 miles from towns such as Coco Beach or where our dive shop is located in Playa Ocotal in the province of Guanacaste Costa Rica. ... howler monkeys, pheasants, deer, and several types of bats wander in a free state. Scuba Diving The Bat Islands in Costa Rica. Costa Rica diving is famous because of Coco islands, but few people have heard of Bat island and Catalina in the Santa Rosa national park. Cocos island is ony run from liveaboards, however divers can explore Bat Islands and Catalina Islands from both land based operators and also with liveaboard options. The area is mostly known for spotting bull sharks. Find out more how we use cookies . December to April is the dry season. Getting to Bat island and the Santa Rosa National Park in Costa Rica. They came to pick us up with their boat directly at the Four Seasons, so it was convenient. I was surprised as I thought that fishing would not be allowed in a national park ☹. 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