GUANACASTE
DIVE SITES
Islas Murcielagos |
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Manta (Manta Birostris) |
The BAT ISLANDS (Islas Murcielagos), are advanced
dives with Bull Sharks, Black Tips and occasionally Tigers. The maximum
depth here is about 100 ft and the overnight charters are the best way to
dive these islands. The diving is pristine and you can also expect to see
bridges, caverns, coral and sponges and of course lots and lots of fish!
CATALINA ISLAND is a rocky outcrop 2-8 miles
from the coast and is host to many species of marine life; giant Manta Rays,
Stingrays, Barracuda, White-tip and Bull sharks, Moray eels, and Sea turtles.
Sometimes, a Tiger Shark is spotted. It is also home to a variety of schooling
tropical fish not found anywhere else, and occasionally you'll find yourself
surrounded by huge migratory schools of various species of rays.
Perfect weather all year in Guanacaste |
OTHER GUANACASTE LOCAL
SITES ARE:
Punta Gorda - Great spot for Macro photography!
Everything from white-tips to frog fish, several varieties of eels, and
one of the few sites with hard coral. Usually grunts, sergeant majors,
and stone fish everywhere. The site is 15-20' deep on one side of the
pinnacle and drops to 75-80' on the outside, with most of the life concentrated
at the top of the rocks.
Escorpiones - Sister site to Punta Gorda.
Black and orange sea horses and a well visited turtle stop. The green,
olive-ridley and giant leather back have all been seen here and most are
diver-friendly. In the sands around the rock you can check out the blunt
head trigger fish excavations and camouflaged rays. At 50' this site is
a great second-tanker.
Buoya - Three rock pinnacles create a series
of sand channels perfect for sharks. Schooling grunts, cornet fish and
several giant Panamanian Morays. Gorgonians and hydroids cap the rocks.
Watch out for scorpion fish! Deeper dive at 60-80'
Corridas - For the frog fish enthusiast.
Balloon and porcupine fish everywhere. Sulphur sponges and hydroids set
the scene while lobsters scurry below. Visibility iffy due to proximity
to land run-off.
Camouflaged rays are common in this area |
Bajo Tiburones - Great
site for white-tip sharks, and also southern sting rays. There are crevices
that house the sharks and squirrel fish. The top of the rock is at 20-30',
making the safety stop interesting. There are three basic rock formations
with sand channels between.
Argentina Point - Great drop-off to 70'. Turtles,
eagle rays, fine scale and orangeside triggers as well as romantic couplings
of Moorish idols. Scallops, spiny oysters, and murex along with brown, slate
pencil and flower urchins urge you to keep one eye on the rocks and one
on the blue!
Aquarium - This could not be a more aptly named
site. Everything available in the area has been seen here, as well as turtles,
tiger sharks, and Jewish. The spiraling schools of grunts and yellow tails
are gigantic with numbers easily in the thousands. Although the dive is
generally limited to around 80', there are spots as deep as 130'.
Virador - This is a singular rock pinnacle,
20' on the front side and 90' or so on the back. Horse eyed jacks, butterfly
fish, grunts, sergeant majors, and many other varieties of schooling fish
as well as harlequin/clown shrimp and several varieties of starfish.
Snowflake Moray eel |
Anchor - This giant
galleon anchor rests against a rock at 40' while its several yards of chain
drape over the top. The links are as big as footballs! The sands and rock
formations around yield flounder and bulls-eye rays, scorpion fish and octopi.
Los Meros - Perfect place for a check-out or
refresher dive, with depths generally 40' or less.
All sites in the area are volcanic rock formations and rock pinnacles. Visibility
is 20-80' with average being 40-50'. There is an abundance of plankton and
other nutrients which greatly affect visibility, however, this is one of
the reasons whale sharks are encountered from time to time along with manta
rays which are seen seasonally.
DIVE PACKAGES
 Includes:
- Tanks,
boat for diving, guide,
- beverages
and snaks on board,
- weights,
unlimited beach dives,
- standard
room, daily breakfast, at Ocotal
Beach Resort
- All
taxes.
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Reservations
and information |
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All dive packages include: local dives( 2 tanks each dive) boat for diving, guides, beverages and snacks on board, weights, unlimited beach dives, standard room, daily full breakfast and taxes. Non diver rate valid only when accompanying a diver. 11th diver free on groups. Rates are in US dolars and valid ONLY during green season. Add $13 per night per person during HIGH SEASON. RATES ARE PER PERSON. Dive Packages do NOT INCLUDE equipment rental ($26 per person per dive).
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| 8 days / 7 nights |
Non diver |
6 days diving |
5 days diving |
| Single |
$935.00 |
$1383.00 |
$1309.00 |
| Double |
$627.00 |
$1076.00 |
$1000.00 |
| Triple |
$489.00 |
$937.00 |
$863.00 |
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| 7 days /6 nights |
Non diver |
5 days diving |
4 days diving |
| Single |
$762.00 |
$1118.00 |
$1047.00 |
| Double |
$513.00 |
$869.00 |
$798.00 |
| Triple |
$400.00 |
$756.00 |
$685.00 |
|
| |
| 6 days / 5 nights |
Non diver |
4 days diving |
3 days diving |
| Single |
$635.00 |
$920.00 |
$849.00 |
| Double |
$427.00 |
$712.00 |
$641.00 |
| Triple |
$333.00 |
$618.00 |
$547.00 |
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| 5 days / 4 nights |
Non diver |
3 days diving |
2 days diving |
| Single |
$533.00 |
$758.00 |
$682.00 |
| Double |
$359.00 |
$583.00 |
$509.00 |
| Triple |
$280.00 |
$505.00 |
$430.00 |
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Additional Nt Rm, tax, breakfast & local dive DBL OCC $125 p.p. High Season $135p.p.
Additional Nt Rm, tax and breakfast DBL OCC $60 p.p. High Season $70 p.p.
ADVANCED DIVE PACKAGES
Minimum 4 persons
Includes: 1 Local, 1 Catalina´s, 1 Murcielagos (2 tanks each dive) 1 night dive (1 Tank ), boat for diving, guides, beverages and snacks on board, weights, unlimited beach dives, standard room, daily Tropical breakfast and taxes. Non diver rate is valid only when accompanying a diver. Rate valid Only during green season, Add $13 per night per person during HIGH SEASON . RATES ARE PER PERSON. Dive Packages do NOT INCLUDE equipment rental ($26 per dive/person)
| 6 days / 5 nights |
Non diver |
4 days diving |
| Double |
$373.00 |
$720.00 |
| Quadruple |
$256.00 |
$602.00 |
Additional Nt Rm, tax, breakfast, local diving DBL OCC $125 p.p. High Season $135 p.p.
Additional Nt Rm, tax and breakfast DBL OCC $60 p.p. High Season $70 p.p. |
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PUERTA DEL SOL
| Reservations
and information |
5 nights/3 dive days including:
- Air conditioned
accommodations at Hotel Puerta del Sol in Playa del Coco
- Daily continental
breakfast
- Taxes
- Round trip
air transportation from San Jose/Liberia
- Ground transportation
from Liberia to the hotel.
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Nov. 17, 2008 - April 30,
2009
$845.00 Based on double occupancy |
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7 Nights/5 dive days including:
- Air conditioned
accommodations at Hotel Puerta del Sol in Playa del Coco
- Daily continental
breakfast
- Taxes
- Round trip
air transportation from San Jose/Liberia
- Ground transportation
from Liberia to the hotel.
|
Nov. 17, 2008 - April 30,
2009
$1,045.00 per person based on double occupancy |
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