The Gold Coast of Costa Rica has fantastic diving and snorkeling areas. The marine life in the area off the Pacific coast is amazing and many divers travel to the country to explore the tropical waters.
While there are a couple areas that are fun for snorkeling accessible from the beach, most people chose to go with a dive shop to access the best spots that can only be reached via boat. There are some great dive shops in Playa Tamarindo and Playa Flamingo to make arrangements including Agua Rica, with over 18 years of experience in the area, and Pacific Coast Dive Center based out of Flamingo.
A couple of the dive sites you might want to visit are the Catalina Islands and Islas Muricelagos. Catalina Islands is a popular site located just off the Coast where you can see beautiful fish, rays, and if you are lucky, a whale shark. The Islas Muricelagos (Bat Islands) are famous for encountering bull sharks from June to November.
Costa Rica is also the location of one of the 10 best dive sites in the world according to PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), Cocos Island. It is famous for the large pelagic fish species and schools of sharks. Even the famous oceanographers Jacques Cousteau called it "the most beautiful island in the world".
Please let us know if you have any questions about diving and snorkeling in the area.