Cocos Pelagic Expedition 2027

Escape to Cocos Island on a liveaboard scuba diving trip in Costa Rica! Cocos is a lush, green, uninhabited island resting 342 miles off Costa Rica's Pacific coast. Rocky pinnacles surrounding Cocos are beacons for big animals and big action. Schooling hammerheads, countless white-tip sharks, mantas, tuna, and even whale sharks call Cocos home. This ten-day trip offers seven days of Costa Rica liveaboard scuba diving.

To get a little insight as to what the trip is like, read the reports from our previous trips: 2015 trip and 2016 trip.

Check out this amazing video from Aggressor Adventures!

Dive Overview

You'll be diving in water temperatures between 72-82F with cool thermoclines.

• Alcyone - A 600 long submerged mountain, the top of the mountain is 75 from the surface. Schooling Hammerheads, Mantas and schooling fish. Possible Sailfish or Marlin.
• Big Dos Amigos - This islet features a 45-foot-high arch and 60-foot pinnacle off the southeast side. Look for Rainbow Runners, Yellowtail Snapper, Bigeye Jacks and lobster. Hammerheads swim between the pinnacle and arch.
• Bird Island, Chatham Bay - Dove from Chatham Bay, southeast of Manuelita, this site provides a variety of marine life including Frog Fish, lobsters, morays, rays, White Tip Sharks and Hammerheads. There is even a cleaning station.
• Dirty Rock - A large island with schools of Marble Rays and Hammerheads.
• Lone Stone - Schooling Marble Rays and Mobula Rays.
• Manuelita - Lots of White Tips, Marble Rays, and schools of Creoles.
• Special Sightings - Whale Sharks, mating Eagle Rays, Sail Fish, mating White Tip Sharks, False Killer Whales.
• Ubing Rock, Wafer Bay - This 300 rock begins at 20 and drops to a 110 sandy bottom. The southeast slope attracts schooling Hammerheads.

Sample Itinerary

• Day 1: Transfer from host hotel to Puntarenas for boarding and departure for Cocos Island
• Day 2 - 3: Transit to Cocos, arrival at Cocos Island, diving begins
• Day 4 - 8: Diving around Cocos Island
• Day 9 -10: Transit to Puntarenas
• Day 11: Check out at 7 am and transfer to the San Jose Airport (SJO) or host hotel

Diving Conditions

Diving conditions in Cocos Island in July are well suited for big-animal encounters, with nutrient-rich water attracting hammerheads, manta rays and other pelagic species. Visibility can vary, and currents and thermoclines are common, bringing cooler layers during deeper drift. Topside July weather is generally warm with increased cloud cover and periods of rain. 

• Water temperature: 77 - 82F (25 - 28C) 
• Visibility: variable, typically 30 - 80 feet (10 - 25m) 
• Depth range: 30 - 130 feet (10 - 40m)