SCUBA DIVING, FREEDIVING & SNORKELING SITES IN NICOYA PENINSULA, COSTA RICA

Let’s explore the underwater world of Costa Rica together…

…And meet creatures you probably never saw before

Ananda. Dive N' Flow, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica Ananda. Dive N' Flow, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

If you have chosen Costa Rica as your next diving destination, welcome! We can’t wait to show you the underwater world of the Pacific. There’s a very good reason why Costa Rica diving resorts are so popular.

Nicoya Peninsula is rich in diving sites for scuba divers and snorkelers – warm water, shipwrecks, reefs… They are all waiting for you to explore them!

We will take you to our favorite diving sites around Cabo Blanco Nature reserve. You can make unforgettable memories freediving Costa Rica’s waters, or learning how to explore for longer with scuba equipment. Whatever you choose, we will be there to ensure you’re always learning, always having fun, and never pushing further than you should.

During your underwater adventures, you will also have the chance to meet creatures you probably never saw before: whitetip reef sharks, spot tail grunts, porkfish, turtles, eels, octopuses…and even manta rays!

Diving with Ananda in Costa Rica

FREEDIVING & DIVING COSTA RICA

If you are a certified diver looking for new adventures or even just some unforgettable fun, you’re in the right place – these waters will help you to push yourself to a new limit in the best way.

Share your diving plan with us, and we will help put together an itinerary for you. Or else leave it in our hands, and let us surprise you with an incredible Costa Rica activities list complete with all the best sites – above and below the water.

We keep our tour groups small; this way, you can get the most out of your diving experience.

Get in touch to book your next underwater adventure.

MEET THE SPECTACULAR MARINE WILDLIFE OF THE NICOYA PENINSULA

See the giant oceanic manta ray gracefully gliding next to you. Watch the imposing humpback whales swim along the Pacific coast. Dance with the colorful fish as you freedive into their wonderful world. Freediving in Costa Rica is a breathtaking experience full of unexpected magic thanks to its diverse marine life. You will forever change the way you see the world.

Oceanic manta rays

They are the largest of all the ray species on the planet. They can grow as large as 7 meters, or about 23 feet, in width! But don’t worry, they are completely docile and safe to be around.

You will be able to find them if you’re diving in Costa Rica between November and May.

Humpback whales

They make spectacular displays with their fins and tails; if you are lucky, you can even see them jump out of the water!

Northern humpback whales can be spotted between December and April. Southern humpbacks come between July and the beginning of November. For you, this means that, during 9 months of a year, you have a good chance of seeing these magnificent creatures cross the boundary, if only briefly, between the world below and the world above.

See manta rays with Ananda in Costa Rica See manta rays with Ananda in Costa Rica
Sea turtles with Ananda in Costa Rica

DIVE SITES

The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the most idyllic diving spots in Costa Rica. Pristine sand, palm trees, and turquoise waters set the scene for the perfect Instagram photo, while the incredible underwater is waiting for you to learn something new about yourself.

Freediving in Costa Rica Freediving in Costa Rica

  • Malpaís - Santa Teresa - Cabuya

    • Cadena  

      Max. Depth: 50 ft. / 15 m.

      Like immersing yourself in a cool, silky bath, the marine life that thrives in Cadena is rivaled only by the sight of the sun’s rays penetrating down and creating a beautiful dance of light across the reef. Here, you can find the giant manta ray and the spotted eagle ray.

    • Tortilla  

      Max. Depth: 65 ft. / 20 m.

      While poets are inspired by words and painters are inspired by color, divers are inspired by Tortilla. An emerald-green paradise with flashes of red, orange, and pink created by the bigeye jacks and burrito grunts schooling on either side of you, it is one of our favorite places to return to in El Peñon.

    • Tiburón  

      Max. Depth: 50 ft. / 15 m.

      Docile and calm, whitetip sharks frequently congregate in Tiburón. They are often accompanied by small schools of pilot fish. Immerse yourself in the silence, observing the slow, daily movements of these fascinating creatures.

    • El Secreto  

      Max. Depth: 65 ft. / 20 m.

      This is the closest site to the Cabo Blanco nature reserve, which means it enjoys all that beauty spilling over into the water you can happily dive into. From just 15m, you will encounter some incredible rock formations that look like they belong on another planet. You can also see white-tip sharks, eels, octopuses, lobsters, and more.

    • El Barco  

      Max. Depth: 100 ft. / 30 m.

      Caroline Star is Cabuya’s shipwreck. Watch it emerge from the blue like a dark, old building in fog. It used to be a fishing boat that sank 40 years ago due to bad weather but, in its time under water, it has become home to a huge grouper, who may just pop out to say hello - observe the fishes that have replaced its crew, and move about the hull in eerie silence.

    • Rio Lajas  

      Max. Depth: 50 ft. / 15 m.

      This dive site is located at the mouth of this river, which makes for a terrific waterfall hike further inland. This site’s unique location at the end of the Rio Lajas means you will be treated with beautiful views of the mouth of the river – and the rainforest it flows through – and the colorful Dorado slipping by.

    • Hojaran  

      Max. Depth: 130 ft. / 40 m.

      Ideal for catching sight of the fast, silvery shadow of the barracuda moving through the sun rays that penetrate the waves. Feel like you’re floating in a still world.

    • Test site  

      Max. Depth: 50 ft. / 150 m.

      Bla bla bla

  • Montezuma - Tambor

    • Chancha  

      Max. Depth: 80 ft. / 25 m.

      Bright gorgonians create a colorful, complex landscape on the ocean floor, while silky seaweed waves in the gentle current. Look closer, and you’ll find hermit crabs and damselfish living their lives in this alien world. You may even encounter the vibrant king angelfish looking back at you.

    • Chanchita  

      Max. Depth: 80 ft. / 25 m.

      Conquer the deep blue in this unique dive site. At times, you’ll be brought face to face with the sleek, lime colored dorado fish, as well as the tune and long, slippery wahoo fish. The green turtle has also been spotted here.

    • Cocalito  

      Max. Depth: 80 ft. / 25 m.

      Conquer the deep blue in this unique dive site near El Chorro waterfall. Glistening in the sunlight and alive with the movements of trevally fish, rays, giant moray eels, and turtles, diving into Cocalito feels like stumbling into a movie set.

    • Los Muertos  

      Max. Depth: 65 ft. / 20 m.

      This dive site is as popular with snorkelers as it is with the white-tip sharks that haunt much of Los Muertos’s shores. They may swim pretty close to get a better look at you – and, in the meantime, you can get a better look at them. Keep your movements smooth and calm, and you’ll have an unforgettable meeting with these creatures.

    • Punta Langosta  

      Max. Depth: 65 ft. / 20 m.

      These waters are rich with fish, and you’ll truly feel at one with the ocean swimming alongside them. From jacks and wahoo to the bigger, burlier tuna – and a few passing turtles – it’s a beautiful spot to spend an hour exploring.

    • Punta Langosta 2  

      Max. Depth: 65 ft. / 20 m.

      Punta Langosta is a hidden gem. While it’s close to the shoreline, don’t let that throw you off – it’s an incredible experience, particularly for newer divers, where hawksbill turtles can often be seen going about their day in peace.

  • Islas Tortugas

    • Arco  

      Max. Depth: 40 ft. / 12 m.

      Islas Tortugas is home to some fascinating creatures and many that have to be seen to be believed. From the whitetip reef sharks with their concentrated stares to spot tail grunts – schooling in huge numbers throughout the day – and the pouty Panama porkfish, Arco should be high on your list for observing nature in all its weird and wonderful beauty.

    • Cañones  

      Max. Depth: 65 ft. / 20 m.

      One of the reasons Islas Tortugas captured our hearts so easily was the fact that, even in a single stretch of water, you’ll find an incredibly diverse array of animals. In Cañones, you will find an underwater neighborhood of lobsters, eels, and octopuses.

    • El Acuario  

      Max. Depth: 100 ft. / 30 m.

      El Acuario is a landscape of underwater canyons and soft corals. In English, its name translates to ‘the aquarium’ and, from the moment you reach it, you’ll see why. Swim with eagle rays, barracudas, zebra and moray eels, mackerels, and from time to time, turtles too.

    • Franklin Chang  

      Max. Depth: 80 ft. / 25 m.

      The Franklin Chang is an arresting sight to behold. A 95ft US Coast Guard boat, it was sunk on purpose in 2000 with the intention of creating a large artificial reef. From the moment you spot its dark silhouette emerging from the deep blue, to your time spent exploring its time-worn body with the fish that call it home, we guarantee it’ll imprint itself on your memory. The perfect destination for divers who love to gather stories worth telling for years to come.

    • La Cueva  

      Max. Depth: 30 ft. / 10 m.

      Meaning ‘the Cave’ in English, La Cueva is an excellent spot for meeting with whitetip sharks. Enter its wide, open mouth and enjoy the feeling of swimming in low current waters, observing the come-and-go of Isla Tortuga’s whitetips.

    • La Punta  

      Max. Depth: 50 ft. / 15 m.

      Also known as “Peladas”, can be prone to strong currents, which means that it’s a destination better suited to experienced divers. Catch it at the right time, however, and it’s a beautiful place to encounter mantas soaring overhead and sea turtles gliding silently past.

    • Mantas  

      Max. Depth: 65 ft. / 20 m.

      The beauty of coral is something we’ll never get used to. At Mantas, it reaches up from the seafloor like colorful fans spread open. You’ll also find eagle rays – as stunning as their name suggests – along with stingrays and round rays. The silence of the world below is the perfect accompaniment to these gliding beauties.

    • Morteros (east & west)  

      Max. Depth: 40 ft. / 12 m.

      The underwater world is a vibrant place, and diving within it can be like observing the world through a stained-glass window. Nowhere is this more the case than in Morteros, where you can observe seahorses, sharks, turtles, and eels gliding through the sun rays that penetrate the water’s surface.

People freediving with Ananda

Scuba diving

People scuba diving with Ananda

Freediving

People snorkeling with Ananda

Snorkeling

Ananda. Dive N' Flow, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica Ananda. Dive N' Flow, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica