The well known SCUBA diving destination Cocos Island is located 342 miles, a 36 hours boat journey, from Puntarenas on mainland Costa Rica. It is surrounded by rocky islands and pinnacles and is home for a huge variety of reef and pelagic aquatic species. Schooling hammerheads can be seen in many dive sites and different types of rays are everywhere in the area. Among them are other fascinating animals, such as Sea turtles, Jacks, Barracudas, Tuna, Frogfish, Red-lipped batfish and sometimes even dolphins, Whalesharks and Marlin.
Cocos Island is an uninhabited, jungle covered island. It has some stunning waterfalls, views and land adventures. As part of your Okeanos Aggressor II liveaboard cruise you will get the chance to enjoy excursions and hike to magnificent waterfalls through the lush, over grown jungle. A chance to experience the different aspects of this special area.
The liveaboard trips on-board the Okeanos Aggressor II depart to Cocos Island from Puntarenas, Costa Rica. You'll arrive at the dock on a complimentary, 1.5 hour shuttle-bus ride from San Jose. The shuttle pick-up times are scheduled according to the tides, and are available from either Holiday Inn Escazu or Holiday Inn Express Forum. Once you're aboard, the 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). 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 morning of the 11th day and free shuttle rides back to the hotels or the airport in San Jose will be provided.
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 colorful 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.
