The rocky islands and pinnacles that surround Cocos Island attract large numbers of pelagic marine animals, that school and cruise by for SCUBA divers to enjoy. The long, 342 miles, 36 hours journey from Puntarenas on mainland Costa Rica to the island will award you with some of the best Hammerhead shark encounters the ocean has to offer. Also Eagle rays, Devil rays, Sting rays and Mantas are a common sight, alongside White-tip sharks, Tuna, Jacks, Wahoos, turtles, giant schools of fish, a few types of frogfish and many other species. As well as occasional Whale sharks, dolphins and sailfish.
Cocos Island itself, an uninhabited, jungle covered island, also has some exciting land adventures to offer. The crew on your Okeanos Aggressor I liveaboard cruise will arrange excursions to visit magnificent waterfalls and hike through the green, luxuriant rain forest. So you can enjoy the different aspects of this unique area.
Your trip will depart from Puntarenas after a complimentary, 1.5 hour shuttle ride from San Jose. Pick-up will be from either Holiday Inn Escazu or Holiday Inn Express Forum, timed according to the tide schedule. Once on-board the Okeanos Aggressor I yacht will depart to Cocos Island. Diving starts on the 3rd day of the cruise with up to 4 dives per day for the next 6 days. (at this time, no night dives are offered).
Dive sites include - Alcyune, an underwater mount, peaking at 75 feet/22 meters. Here you'll be able to see schools of Hammerheads, Manta rays, occasional sailfish or Marlin and schools of Jacks and Grunts.
Big Dos Amigos, a small island with a 45'/13m arch and a 60'/18m pinnacle. Big-eyed jacks, Rainbow runners, Yellow-tail snappers and lobsters are common here. Between the arch and the pinnacle, Hammerhead sharks like to congregate.
Bird Island, Chatham Bay is located on the north-east side of Cocos, and features smaller and more colorfull life forms. Frogfish, eels, lobsters and rays accompanied by White-tip and Hammerhead sharks.
Ubing Rock, Wafer Bay is a 300'/90m long submerged rock, ranging from 20'/6m down to 110'/33m with a sandy bottom that attracts schools of Hammerheads.
Lone Stone in the south and Dirty Rock in the east of the island are great for watching Sting rays and sharks.
And, Manuelita at the very north of Cocos Island offers a sheer wall dive, with large groups of White-tips, Creoles and Marble rays.
On the 9th and 10th days of the trip, the liveaboard vessel will make it's way back to Puntarenas. Check out is by 7 am on the 11th day and free shuttle rides back to the hotels or the airport in San Jose will be provided.
