A Relaxing Addition to Your Costa Rica Vacation
Snorkeling is one of the most relaxing activities available in Costa Rica – and one of the easiest on the wallet. Immaculate beaches, hidden coves, and plentiful marine life set the scene for unforgettable water excursions. Along almost any shoreline you’ll find people renting snorkeling gear – fins, mask, and snorkel – for about $15 per day, and it doesn’t cost much to hire a boat to take you to local underwater wildlife.
Best Snorkeling in Costa Rica
Snorkeling on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica brings opportunities to swim with majestic sea turtles, Moray eels, and the occasional (and completely harmless) white tip reef shark. Isla del Cano in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula is undoubtedly the best snorkeling place in the Pacific. Conditions here are wonderful year-round, rain or shine, and reef fish like king angelfish and Moorish idols are ubiquitous.
Northern Pacific Coast
Farther north in Guanacaste, snorkeling in Playa del Coco offers various hidden beaches and rock outcroppings bursting with life. Visibility can be cloudy at times – it is a bit hit or miss – but also crystal clear, and your chances of viewing big marine creatures like Olive Ridley sea turtles or spotted eagle rays are worth taking a chance.
The Caribbean Coast
Snorkeling Costa Rica’s Caribbean waters offer more consistent visibility than the Pacific. The reef at Cahuita National Park affords some stupendous opportunities to see tropical reef fish, as does the immaculate bay at Punta Uva. Puerto Viejo proper also has some tranquil snorkeling spots. In this area, you can expect to see Costa Rica’s only live coral reef, which is home to sea horses, anemones, and nudibranchs.
Costa Rican waters are usually tranquil, so it’s not difficult to keep track of your gear while snorkeling. Always remember – flippers and snorkels float, but goggles sink!