Cocos Island Costa Rica Travel Tips

Costa Rica’s Cocos Island National Park is located 340 miles (550 km) off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. This remote location’s only tourist activity is by liveaboard boats, primarily Cocos scuba diving liveaboards. Entry to the island is by permit only and there is no accommodations on the island except for the quarters of the dozen park rangers.

In this page you will find practical information to plan a scuba diving trip to Cocos Island Costa Rica:

Where to stay?

I usually use this website to book in advance my hotels in Cocos Island Costa Rica as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because it's free to cancel and change the dates.

Liveaboard vessels are the only option to visit the island. Some of the trips are done in cooperation with scientific research programs.

Activities and excursions in Cocos Island Costa Rica

Scuba diving is the primary focus of the liveaboards that visit the national park. Most try to provide a land excursion that includes a hike to one of the great waterfalls and swimming in the pool at the base. The hikes are guided by the park rangers and the visitors can also learn about the unique wildlife and fauna.

Health and Safety

There are no health facility on the island so it is critical that health insurance include evacuation coverage. Dive insurance is required for all the liveaboards. Additional, some of the liveaboards require a special evacuation policy. These policies are around $30, and the dive operator can contact directly.

If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Cocos Island Costa Rica, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Where is Cocos Island Costa Rica located in the world?

Cocos Island (Spanish: Isla del Coco) is approximately 550 km (342 mi) from the Pacific shore of Costa Rica. The island is designated as a National Park. It is a district of Puntarenas Canton of the province of Puntarenas, where the dive boats depart from. Scuba Diving is the Cocos Islands, Costa Rica, is considered as some of the best in the World!

How to get to Cocos Island Costa Rica?

Guest wishing to visit the Cocos Islands should fly into the city of San Jose Costa Rica. The airport has connections to many international cities. From San Jose, guest are transported to the port of Puntarenas, a two hour drive. The transit time for the liveaboards to the national park is about 36 hours.

Do I need a visa for Cocos Island Costa Rica?

Citizens of the United States of America, Canada, Japon, Schengen Visa and/ or any country of the European Union do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica. They require just a valid passport and an outbound ticket. Citizens of other nations will need a visa, however, if they have a valid visa for any of the countries above, then they do not require a visa.

Getting Around

Transportation from San Jose to the liveaboard is generally arranged by the liveaboard company. Pick up times will vary as they depend on the liveaboard departure which is based on tide tables.

Cocos Island is a destination for the scuba diver who wants something that they can not get anywhere else in the world.

Cocos Island Costa Rica Photos

Scuba diving

You will find all information about sea life, best time to visit, top dive spots, etc. in our review: Cocos Island Costa Rica Diving