Jan
27–28 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
DIVE-SEEK field image · destination photo unavailablePuntarenas Province · Isla del Coco · Costa Rica
ai researched· confidence 82%
Cocos Island
Cocos Island is a remote volcanic island in the eastern Pacific, approximately 550 km southwest of Costa Rica's mainland.
24–28°CBoat
DIVE-SEEK field image · destination photo unavailable · awaiting a licensed image
Beneath the surface
Why dive here?
Cocos Island is a remote volcanic island in the eastern Pacific, approximately 550 km southwest of Costa Rica's mainland. Surrounded by protected waters and exceptionally rich pelagic life, it is one of the world's premier expedition diving destinations, famous for schooling scalloped hammerheads, whitetip reef sharks, Galápagos sharks, mantas, rays and other large pelagic animals. Diving is exclusively liveaboard-based and requires a long open-ocean crossing from Costa Rica.
8Published dive sites
13Documented marine-life links
3Local operators & liveaboards
Quick facts
Cocos Island (Costa Rica) is a dive destination known for Scalloped hammerhead, Whitetip reef shark and Galapagos shark. Water temperature: 24–28 °C across the year. DIVE-SEEK lists 8 dive sites and 3 dive operators here.
Summarised from DIVE-SEEK's recorded catalogue data; omitted values are not yet recorded.
Ask about Cocos Island
Answers are built only from our cited catalogue records — where data is missing, the assistant says so instead of guessing.
Diving characteristics
Conditions at a glance
Water temperature
24–28 °C
Typical depth
Research in progress
Maximum depth
Research in progress
Visibility
Research in progress
Current
4 /5
Accessibility
20 /100
Infrastructure
20 /100
Photography
Research in progress
Certification range
4 /5
Destination research
Research in progress
Not enough verified data yet.
ai researched· confidence 82%
Trust
Checking trust information…
boat divingdrift divingnight divingnitrox available
Dive sites
Find your next descent
Explore the dive sites of Cocos Island.
DIVE-SEEK field image · site photo unavailableBajo Alcyone
25–40 mLevel 5/5
Cocos Island's iconic offshore seamount and one of the world's best-known scalloped hammerhead sites. The site is exposed to strong current and is normally dived using a line for descent and controlled positioning around the seamount.
June–November for peak hammerhead activity; December–May may offer calmer and clearer conditions.
DIVE-SEEK field image · site photo unavailableDirty Rock / Roca Sucia
15–35 mLevel 5/5
An exposed pinnacle known for hammerhead cleaning stations, schooling fish, rays and strong pelagic activity. Current can be significant.
ReefWall
DIVE-SEEK field image · site photo unavailableDos Amigos Grande
19–40 mLevel 5/5
A deep offshore pinnacle/reef site with strong pelagic potential and current exposure. Advanced divers only.
Reef
DIVE-SEEK field image · site photo unavailableManuelita Channel
18–30 mLevel 4/5
A channel between Cocos Island and Manuelita with hammerhead cleaning stations and pelagic encounters. Current can become very strong in the centre of the channel.
ReefWall
DIVE-SEEK field image · site photo unavailableManuelita Coral Garden
5–21 mLevel 3/5
A relatively sheltered and shallower dive area around Manuelita Island, useful for acclimatisation and night diving, with reef fish and whitetip reef sharks.
Reef
DIVE-SEEK field image · site photo unavailableManuelita Outside
21–30 mLevel 5/5
An exposed outer reef area with several scalloped hammerhead cleaning stations and opportunities for Galápagos sharks, silky sharks and other pelagic species.
ReefWall
DIVE-SEEK field image · site photo unavailablePunta Maria
18–30 mLevel 5/5
A submerged seamount with cleaning stations and steep underwater terrain, associated with hammerheads, Galápagos sharks and other pelagic encounters.
ReefWall
DIVE-SEEK field image · site photo unavailableSilverado
9–20 mLevel 4/5
A submerged rock associated with silvertip shark activity and a variety of smaller marine-life subjects, providing a contrast to Cocos' large-pelagic sites.
Reef
Marine life
What you can encounter
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableseasonal
Scalloped hammerhead
Sphyrna lewini
Jun–Nov
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailablevery common
Whitetip reef shark
Triaenodon obesus
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailablecommon
Galapagos shark
Carcharhinus galapagensis
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableseasonal
Tiger shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableseasonal
Whale shark
Rhincodon typus
Aug–Oct
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableoccasional
Oceanic manta ray
Mobula birostris
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableoccasional
Spotted eagle ray
Aetobatus narinari
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableoccasional
Green turtle
Chelonia mydas
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableEncounter research in progress
Silvertip shark
Carcharhinus albimarginatus
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableEncounter research in progress
Pelagic thresher
Alopias pelagicus
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableEncounter research in progress
Bigeye trevally
Caranx sexfasciatus
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableEncounter research in progress
Bluestripe snapper
Lutjanus kasmira
Seasonality research in progress
DIVE-SEEK field image · species photo unavailableEncounter research in progress
Common bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Seasonality research in progress
Seasonality
Month by month
Water temperature, visibility, current and rainfall recorded per month rather than reduced to a single 'best time'.
Feb
27–28 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Mar
27–28 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Apr
26–28 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
May
25–27 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Jun
24–26 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Jul
24–26 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Aug
24–26 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Sep
24–26 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Oct
24–26 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Nov
25–27 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
Dec
26–28 °C
- Visibility
- —
- Current
- —
- Rainfall
- —
- Diving score
- —
| Month | Water °C | Visibility m | Current | Rainfall | Diving score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27–28 | — | — | — | — |
| Feb | 27–28 | — | — | — | — |
| Mar | 27–28 | — | — | — | — |
| Apr | 26–28 | — | — | — | — |
| May | 25–27 | — | — | — | — |
| Jun | 24–26 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul | 24–26 | — | — | — | — |
| Aug | 24–26 | — | — | — | — |
| Sep | 24–26 | — | — | — | — |
| Oct | 24–26 | — | — | — | — |
| Nov | 25–27 | — | — | — | — |
| Dec | 26–28 | — | — | — | — |
— Not enough verified data yet. Water temperatures are recorded ranges, not a forecast.
Beyond the dive
The journey there
- Nearest airport
- Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
- Remoteness
- 95/100
- Infrastructure
- 20/100
- Price level
- 5
Dive centers
Dive with local knowledge
liveaboard
Okeanos Aggressor
Liveaboard vessel running multi-day Cocos Island expeditions from Puntarenas.
NitroxPhotography
liveaboard
Sea Hunter
Liveaboard operated by the Undersea Hunter Group for Cocos Island expeditions.
NitroxPhotography
liveaboard
UnderSea Hunter
Liveaboard operated by the Undersea Hunter Group for Cocos Island expeditions.
NitroxPhotography
Seasonality
Verified seasons
Peak and shoulder periods recorded per aspect, only where a verified season record exists.
PeakRecorded seasonNo recorded window
conditions
Whale shark encounters are reported seasonally, but sightings are never guaranteed.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
diving
December–May generally offers calmer crossings and better visibility, although hammerheads remain present and diving is possible year-round.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
encounter
Schooling scalloped hammerheads are a signature attraction of Cocos, especially around seamounts and cleaning stations.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
marine life
The June–November period is broadly associated with stronger nutrient availability, pelagic activity and large hammerhead aggregations. Exact peak timing varies between sources and sites.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Provenance
Data & sources
DIVE-SEEK combines destination research, operator information and verified sources.
Sources
8
Supported claims
9
Average confidence
77%
accessDiving in Cocos Island
Cocos Island is accessible to visiting divers only by liveaboard. The crossing from Puntarenas is approximately 30–36 hours and most itineraries are multi-day expeditions.
ai researched· confidence 80%View sourceaccessCocos Island liveaboard FAQ
Operator FAQ confirming the multi-day liveaboard crossing from Puntarenas.
ai researched· confidence 75%View sourceconservationCocos Island National Park
conservationCocos Marine Conservation Area (ACMC)
Cocos Island is protected within Costa Rica's marine conservation and national park system. Access and diving are regulated by the relevant park authorities and require compliance with current entry and public-use rules.
ai researched· confidence 85%View sourcecurrentCocos Island, Costa Rica
Strong and variable currents are a defining characteristic of Cocos Island diving.
ai researched· confidence 70%View sourcegeneralCocos Island National Park
Cocos Island is a remote eastern Pacific island of outstanding marine value, roughly 550 km offshore from Costa Rica.
ai researched· confidence 85%View sourceinfrastructureOkeanos Aggressor Cocos Island itinerary
No land-based dive infrastructure; visiting divers are hosted aboard liveaboard vessels.
ai researched· confidence 75%View sourceseasonMovements of scalloped hammerhead sharks at Cocos Island
Seasonal patterns of scalloped hammerhead presence around Cocos Island seamounts.
ai researched· confidence 80%View sourcewater temperatureCocos Island, Costa Rica
Broad seasonal surface-water temperature ranges for Cocos Island.
ai researched· confidence 65%View sourceAlpha — the DIVE-SEEK catalogue is being researched and verified destination by destination.