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Cano Island diving

Enjoy 2 dives in Cano Island starting from Drake Bay

Drake Bay
1 day
English & Spanish
Starts: From Drake Bay meeting point at 6:30 a.m
Ends: To Drake Bay meeting point at 2:00 p.m
Flexible cancellation policy

Briefing

Discover the marine life found in Costa Rica's most extensive and best-preserved coral reefs during the tour Cano Island Diving from Drake Bay in a small group. Sail to the island, take two dives in different areas, with a visibility of more than 24 meters, and where you can see more than 60 species of marine fauna. After the dive, relax on the beach of San Josecito and enjoy a traditional lunch.

Tour details

Included

  • Boat roundtrip Drake Bay - Cano Island
  • 2 dives
  • Professional scuba diving equipment
  • Certified guide
  • Cano Island entrance fee
  • Lunch
  • Snacks

Not included

  • Alcoholic drinks during lunch

Important information

You need to be scuba diving certified in order to take this tour. Cano Island is considered the best scuba diving site in Costa Rica and among the best worldwide. The nature protection and conservation level is really high, declared biological reserve, therefore the number of daily visitors is limited. We know you are a conscious traveler, anyway, we would like to remind you that it is strictly forbidden to alter the environment and take any form of marine life (including corals).

After the dives, weather and schedule permitting, we will have a 40-minute stop at San Josecito beach, in our opinion the best beach in the area.

Cancellation policy

If you cancel at least 72 hours before the start of the tour, you will receive 50% of the amount paid. After this time, or in case of no-show, no refunds will be made.

Tour itinerary

Scuba diving at Cano Island - 2 dives

Restrictions: Certified divers only
6:30 am

Meet at Drake Bay

The day before, or a little earlier in the morning, you will meet with your guide to choose the diving equipment you will use during the dive. At 6:30 in the morning, the whole group will meet and we will take the boat to Cano Island. If we are lucky, during the 40-minute sailing trip, we may see dolphins. In addition, if we do the tour from June to September or December to April we may even see humpback whales. We will arrive at the island and the guide will decide, depending on the experience of the group and the conditions of the area, in which of the 9 zones the first dive will take place. During the dives, there will be a maximum of 6 travelers per guide, to guarantee your safety and that you enjoy this incredible experience.

Dolphins during boat trip from Drake Bay to Cano Island
8:30 am

Scuba dive at Cano Island

Dive in! 🤿 Accompanied by your guide, you will enjoy your first dive, which will last between 35 and 50 minutes depending on the conditions and your oxygen consumption. Be prepared, sometimes there is so much life that you don't know where to look, if you have an underwater camera don't hesitate and record as much as you can! You may see turtles, seahorses, moray eels, dolphins... (we have written a more complete list in the FAQ section at the bottom of this page😉). At the end of the dive, we will get back on the boat and rest for 45 minutes. To regain strength, we will have some snacks and tropical fruits. There is a before and after when you try Costa Rican pineapples and mangoes, let us know! Based on the experience of the first dive, the guide will decide on the next area to enjoy the marine life of Cano Island. We will do the second dive, with similar duration to the first one, between 35 and 50 minutes.

Turtle swimming close to scuba divers in Cano Island
12:00 pm

San Josecito beach & lunch at Drake Bay

After the two dives, time and weather permitting, we will head to Playa San Josecito, in our opinion one of the best beaches in the area. We will have 45 minutes to swim, rest, sunbathe on the white sand, and even see exotic animals, from macaws to capuchin monkeys. We will take the boat again and return to Agujitas de Drake to enjoy a traditional meal, obviously, rice and beans are a must😁 Around 2:00 pm we will finish our lunch and say goodbye to the guide and the rest of our fellow adventurers, and in a few minutes you will be back at your accommodation, the village is very small and you will be able to walk back.

Cano Island views from the boat

What to bring to Cano Island diving tour

  • Diving certification
  • Daypack (if you have a dry bag
  • take it)
  • Swimming suit
  • Towel
  • Sunglasses
  • High protection sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
  • Comfortable clothing
  • Beach shoes (sandals or booties)
  • Reusable water bottle (single-use containers are not allowed in Costa Rica's national parks)
  • Poncho (in case we get caught in the rain during the boat trip)

Where does the tour Cano Island diving start

The easiest way to get to Drake Bay is by car. This option is very common among travelers, as Costa Rica is a recommended country to rent a car and drive around freely. The road to Drake Bay is being improved with different bridges, so depending on the route you take you will have to cross some small stream or bridges. If you travel by public transport you will have to combine a bus with a taxi-boat to take you to Drake Bay.

Questions & Answers

  • Do you always visit San Josecito beach?

    Almost always, on some occasions, we have to do without this visit. This can be due to bad weather or in case the dives last longer than expected and there is no time left for the visit. In this case, we go directly from Isla del Caño to the restaurant where we all have lunch together.

  • Do I need to have a diving certificate?

    For this tour yes, you need at least to be certified as "Open Water Diver". In case you don't have a certificate, we advise you to take the tour "Caño Island snorkeling"

  • Is the activity cancelled in case of rain or bad weather conditions?

    No, the tour can be done in the rain and is a great experience. It is only cancelled in the event of adverse sea conditions, either due to poor visibility or rough seas.

  • How do I meet with the guide to review the scuba divig equipment and license?

    In the booking confirmation email, you will receive all the instructions, so that you can contact the guide and check the material before the tour starts. We recommend that you do this the evening before.

  • Can you pick me up at an accommodation that is not located in Agujitas de Drake?

    Yes, we offer the option to pick you up at different locations. Just send us an email indicating your accommodation and we will confirm where the pickup point will be.

  • What fauna can we see during the dives?

    As it is a natural area, we cannot guarantee exactly what species you will see, but we can assure you that it is one of the best places to see all these species: common and bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays, octopus, moray eels, barracudas, tuna, seahorses, moray eels, grunts, jacks, white-tipped reef sharks. Humpback whales and whale sharks are often seen during the boat trip (from June to September or from December to April).

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