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Swim with Swarms of Hammerhead Sharks in Costa Rica
Published by Kristin Cowles, Editor-in-Chief
Country: Costa Rica 
The Experience
In one of nature's great ironies, the fierce torrents off the coast of Cocos Island Marine National Park typically pose a greater threat to divers than the swarms of hammerhead sharks known to amass here. Off the the skirts of the beautiful Cocos Island lies some of the best diving in the world to view large species such as hammerhead sharks, manta-rays, dolphins, moray eels and the odd whale shark. This remote island oasis is one of the worlds largest uninhabited islands and is also the only island in the tropical eastern Pacific with a tropical rain forest. Exploding with countless adrenaline highs, diving off Cocos Island promises unrivaled levels of excitement! The deep strong currents that collide with the island carry rich nutrients attracting a vibrant mix of marine life and some of the most astonishing numbers of hammerhead sharks. Off the coast lay several rocky out posts or cleaning stations, which Hammerheads visit to be cleaned by other fish, removing parasites and dead skin. This setting allows divers the perfect opportunity to mix with schools of sharks for a thrill of a lifetime.
When to Go to Hammerhead Costa Rica
The best time to dive Cocos Island to view hammerheads is between June - August. In general though the rainy season, also known as the green season, which runs from May - November is also great for diving. The conditions will be rough with strong currents but offer the best chance to the see the best variety of large animals. The rainy season also yields exquisite views across the island with thick lush foliage, beautiful waterfalls and delicate billows of cloud forests.
Odds n' Ends
Typical cost for a ten day trip which includes several dives a day, gear, meals and accommodation is approximately $4,500.
More Experiences Nearby
- Ride the Cables Zip Lining in Costa Rica
- As I stood on a tiny wooden platform, staring down into the impossible depths of the lush Costa Rican Rainforest, I began to reconsider my decision to try zip lining for the first time. After the first leap into the forest-abyss, overwhelmed and exhilarated from my jungle flight, I was hooked on Costa Rica zip lining. The small town of Montezuma, located on the southern tip of Costa Rica’s beautiful Nicoya Peninsula, is famous for it scenic waterfalls and coastline. A canopy tour in Montezuma is an unrivaled means of exploration, simply put, it is Costa Rica zip lining at ...316 miles away.
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Books and DVDs
- Costa Rica Travel Guide - LonelyPlanet.com
- Good things come in small packages - just look at Costa Rica. Whether you're chasing jungle adventure Indiana Jones-style or looking for the beach of your dreams, you'll find it in this tiny, diverse country. Wild about wildlife? You'll go crazy for the local animal population. So make like a toucan and stick your beak into this guide!
- Nature: Shark Mountain (2005)
- The Emmy award-winning PBS series Nature takes a look at the fascinating underwater world around Coco's Island, which is known worldwide for its shark population.
Elsewhere on the Web
- Scuba Diving Hammerhead Sharks Cocos Island Costa Rica - UnderSeaHunter.com
- Located in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, 300 miles southwest of Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica, lies the famous Cocos Island Marine Park.
- The Ultimate Diving Experience Coco Island - RainforestTours.com
- COCOS ISLAND (TREASURE ISLAND) is an ocean oasis lying isolated 300 miles southwest of continental Costa Rica, where it concentrates the marine life from many hundreds of miles around.
- Cocos Island National Park - UNESCO.org
- Cocos Island National Park, located 550 km off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, is the only island in the tropical eastern Pacific with a tropical rainforest.
- Cocos Island - Wikipedia.org
- ocos Island (Spanish: Isla del Coco) is an island located off the shore of Costa Rica. It constitutes the 11th district[1] (one of 13) of Puntarenas Canton of the province of Puntarenas
Media References
- Scuba Diving With Sharks - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- A HALF-DOZEN hammerhead sharks came straight at us when we dropped to about 20 feet below the surface. They moved past at an angle, apparently uninterested, then disappeared into the hazy distance as we continued to sink into the blue.
- Cocos Island moist forests - NationalGeographic.com (magazine)
- Cocos Island rises more than 2,000 feet (640 m) above the Pacific Ocean, with waterfalls flowing down its sheer cliffs into the ocean below.
- Costa Rica Travel Guide - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- BY midnight, we were lost, creeping along a rock-studded dirt road that buckled and twisted through the mountains that plunge down to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
- Shark Island - NationalGeographic.com (movie)
- Costa Rica's Cocos Island National Park, nicknamed 'Shark Island' has what might be the highest concentration of sharks anywhere.
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Language Guides
Spanish 
is one of the languages spoken in Costa Rica. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!
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