OT: scuba/snorkeling in Costa Rica??

[bboygraphix]

Hey guys,

sorry i've been such a stranger on RC for the past few months... went through a job change and a move.

anyways, have any of you been to Costa Rica? i'm planning a trip with some friends and would love to do some scuba diving (guided tour of course, nobody in our group is certified) or snorkeling. only thing is, i have no idea where to start looking for trip information/deals. any first-hand experience would be great b/c i'd prefer someone's opinion versus some website's review.

thanks!

oh, and mods, if it's too OT then feel free to delete this post.

 

[SirLight1337]

I went to costa rica about 2 years ago, but stayed inland and didnt go out to the beach. My hotel had a casino in it and the pool had a fantastic view

Ive heard that side is a bit more... rock and roll shall we say ?

 

[bboygraphix]

i'm open to suggestions for other accomodations/activites as well

we're going in late august... i hear the atlantic side is beautiful and despite the "rainy season" going on at that time, the weather shouldn't be too bad along the coast.

ive been told not to waste time in San Jose... not much exciting stuff to do there and it's more expensive than other areas. is this true???

 

[WZHANG]

I was there a year ago, or a little longer than that. I went during winter break and I think it was the rainy season on the carribean side. Oh, yeah, the carribean side sucks during the rainy season. We almost had our bus wash out into the ocean on the way out.

So, it was rainy and the water was muddy on the atlantic. Plus the condition of the ocean being rough made snorkeling impossible. But while I was rock hopping and tidepooling, I did see some cool zoanthid colonies.

My favorite part was Montezuma. It was a really relaxful little "hippy" town on the pacific side, where almost everybody smokes and drinks. There was some snorkeling, with lots of fish, but the water is kinda chilly. I think we went on a kayak/snorkel adventure. Pretty much everywhere you go that has snorkeling or diving, there is going to be local tour offices that can arrange trips.

San Jose is interesting, but dirty and some parts are unsafe. But there are some cool sites at san jose. If you have time you should check them out. Lonely planet is a great resource to plan your trip.

 

[WZHANG]

oh yeah, food on the carribean side is really good. I mean, I really missed the food there when I got back to the states.

 

[bboygraphix]

thanks for the info. i saw the lonely planet site, but wouldnt have picked it out of the pile of other travel websites...

 

[WZHANG]

I've never used their web site, I use their books. The info in their books are pretty current and accurate and a great resource to read and have with you when travelling.

 

[Texsun]

I went a few years ago and didn't bother with the Caribbean side. Figured if I wanted the Caribbean experience I would go elsewhere. I stuck to the western side and did a typical itinerary - Vulcan Arenal, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Manuel Antonio Park, etc...

As for diving, I didn't get a chance to go but I understand the best place is off of Cocos Island, the inspiration for Jurassic Park, especially if you want to dive with .sharks.