Costa Rica Land & Sea: Volcanoes, Forests & Diving Adventures
Explore the best of Costa Rica with a journey that blends lush landscapes and unforgettable underwater adventures. Begin in San José before heading to Arenal, where you’ll relax in natural hot springs and enjoy scenic views of the iconic volcano. Continue to the misty cloud forests of Monteverde for a dose of nature and wildlife in the treetops. Then, head to the vibrant coastal town of Tamarindo, your diving hub for exploring the rich marine life of the Pacific, including the famous Catalina Islands—home to manta rays, turtles, and reef sharks. After sun-soaked beach days and thrilling dives, return to San José with incredible memories from land and sea.
Itinerary
Welcome to Costa Rica! For your added comfort, once you have passed immigration and customs and stepped out of the airport doors, you will have one of our representatives waiting for you outside with a sign with your name on it. He will drive you to your hotel in San José.
Accommodation: AC Hotel San Jose Airport Belen (1 Night)
The Northern Plains of Costa Rica showcases some very scenic countryside towns. Small agriculture communities and cattle ranches cover rolling hills and deep valleys. The plains, rainforests and rivers make the north central a must-see in any Costa Rica program. The main attraction is the iconic Arenal Volcano.
The Arenal Volcano area is Costa Rica’s premier region of exploration and excitement: Arenal is synonymous to adventure and Eco-discovery, where you can embark in a wide variety of activities. Enjoy the thrill of whitewater rafting or canyoning, or combine adventure with ecological discovery in a canopy tour. Hike the volcano or explore the rainforest strolling through hanging bridges. Feel transformed by the beauty and variety of our wildlife and tropical jungle. Get ready for a life changing adventure!
Accommodation: Lomas del Volcan Hotel (2 Nights)
Spend the day unwinding at your hotel or exploring the area at your own pace.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, located in the Cordillera de Tilarán, is a top ecotourism destination, known for its rich biodiversity. Home to endangered species, it spans from 600 to 1800 meters above sea level and hosts 2,000 plant species, 400 birds, 100 mammals, and 1,200 reptiles and amphibians. Famous birds like quetzals and the Bellbird thrive here.
Activities include hiking on hanging bridges and trails, private birding tours, and zip-lining. Due to the chilly, misty weather, be sure to bring warm clothing.
are one of the main attractions in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve as a lot of them would migrate there and a variety of species are for everyone to see alive and freely hovering. Some of the famed birds found in the cloud forest are the bare-necked umbrella birds, the endangered Bellbird, quetzals and over 30 species of hummingbirds.
Accommodation: Sibu Lodge (2 Nights)
Selvatura’s Tree Top Walkways consist of a 1.9-mile (approximately 3 kilometer) trail that leads you through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Here visitors will walk on eight different bridges with various lengths ranging between 150 feet (50 meters) and 510 feet (170 meters) and altitudes ranging between 36 feet (12 meters) and 180 feet (60 meters). Each bridge has a capacity of up to 80 people which makes them both the longest and strongest bridges in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. The Tree Top Walkways are suitable for people of all ages.
Included:
Transportation and bilingual guide.
Tamarindo is Costa Rica’s top surf and party town, known for its 3.5 km stretch of white-sand beach perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and beginner surfing. The beach is ideal for walking or jogging, and Witch’s Rock Surf Shop offers rentals, showers, and a beachfront restaurant. Tamarindo is also a hub for great food, sport fishing, and tours to see leatherback turtles at Playa Grande. Enjoy activities like horseback riding, zip-lining, birdwatching, snorkeling, or scuba diving at the Catalina Islands. Its central location makes it a great base for exploring the northern peninsula.
Accommodation: Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort Hotel (3 Nights)
We meet at the dive shop at 7.00am, we give you all the equipment and go to the marina, where we board the boat that takes us to Catalinas Islands on a 20 minutes ride. There we do 2 dives at 2 different spots; we are usually back at the marina at around 1.00pm.
Included:
2 dives and snacks and drinks on board, All the necessary equipment, Transportation, Snacks and soft drinks on the boat, Gear rental and boat fees, PADI certified guide.
Catalina Islands: a cluster of volcanic rock formations located approximately 40 minutes by boat from the shore—famous for their rich biodiversity and dramatic underwater landscapes.
The Catalinas are teeming with marine life. Depending on the season, you may encounter: White-tip reef sharks, Giant manta rays (seasonal), Stingrays and eagle rays, Moray eels (jewel and green), Nudibranchs, Colorful reef fish like angelfish, butterflyfish, jacks, grunts, spadefish, and more.
Water temperatures on Costa Rica’s North Pacific coast range from 16°C to 30°C (60°F to 86°F) throughout the year. Visibility varies daily, adding an element of surprise to every dive.
Included:
2 dives and snacks and drinks on board, All the necessary equipment, Transportation, Snacks and soft drinks on the boat, Gear rental and boat fees, PADI certified guide
Enjoy your last night in the country and take some time to relax as you prepare for your departure tomorrow.
Accommodation: DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari (1 Night)
What´s Included
Accommodation Services:
- 1 Night at AC Hotel San Jose Airport Belen, Breakfast Included
- 2 Nights at Lomas del Volcan Hotel, Breakfast Included
- 2 Nights at Sibu Lodge, Breakfast Included
- 3 Nights at Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort Hotel, Buffet Breakfast Included
- 1 Night at DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari, Buffet Breakfast Included
Car Rental
- 8 Days Car Rental MIDSIZE 4X4 (Suzuki Vitara Automatic or Similar)
Transfers services:
- Private Transfer from International Airport to San José
- Private Transfer from San José to International Airport
Excursions:
- Shared Excursion | Suspension Bridges with guide
- Shared Excursion | Scuba Diving – Day 7
- Shared Excursion | Scuba Diving – Day 8
Extra information for divers
What to pack on your diving trips
Spare parts and accessories to carry in your suitcase for diving equipment. An extra mask strip or a replacement mask. So you do not have to abort for this inconvenience that can be solved as easily as carrying an extra one.
Fin strips. Think that each fin is a world and has its own strips, some will not serve you for others. Take at least one refill.
A spare snorkel clip. A replacement for the clip that holds the snorkel to the mask in case it breaks or you lose it.
American tape. It is very resistant and a good invention if at any given moment you need to make an improvised fix because something is breaking.
Multi-tool for diving. A multipurpose tool, a spanner or Allen keys, will be necessary if you need to change or adjust any part of your regulator, plate or arms of the camera.
Equipment for underwater photography and video equipment.
Anti humidity bags. If your case has anti-humidity bags to avoid fogging, do not forget to bring them. Bring enough to be able to do several dives in one day. You already know that if the case gets foggy while diving, it’s over to take pictures.
Extra batteries. Both for your dive computer and for the camera, flashes, etc. The ideal is to have rechargeable batteries. Thus, between dives you can leave some batteries charging while you use the others and always have the batteries ready. Keep in mind that if on a diving trip you do 3 or 4 dives a day, the most likely thing is that you will run out of battery.
Extra SD cards. When we are going to spend days diving and taking photos, believe us if we tell you that with a card you are going to fall short. The best thing is that you have several SD cards if you do not have a computer or hard drive where you can store them at the end of the day of diving.
Microfiber towel. To maintain your optimal equipment it is necessary to remove the salt and / or sand from the equipment once the photographic day is over. You will need to submerge all the equipment in a bucket with plenty of fresh water or use a hose to desalt it. Then you will have to dry the equipment with a dry and soft cloth, especially the front of the case, the viewfinders and the lenses, to avoid limescale.
Electricity and adapters
Universal electrical adapter, prevention is always better than cure. If you find that the electrical outlets at that dive site do not fit the plugs on your equipment, you will not be able to charge anything. Therefore, we recommend a universal adapter that is valid for any type of plug and for any part of the world. In which you can connect several things at the same time.
Strip with several sockets. Continuing with the electrical issue, if you need to charge several batteries, those of the flashes, the camera, the computer, the mobile … You may find that in the boat or center you only have a couple of shots available for you. Well, everyone wants to load their equipment. This would mean having to wait for each battery to charge one by one. And you may not have time to load everything you need before the next dive. That is why it is super useful to carry a power strip where you can load everything at once, without waiting.
Keeping the images you take during the trip safe is simple.
First of all, to avoid unforeseen events, take extra memory cards in case one fails or fills up. This way you will always be able to continue taking pictures during the trip. It may also be advisable to bring a hard drive to back up your photos. Especially if you shoot in RAW, because the files will take up much more and you may need extra space.
Waterproof plasters or bandages to heal the chafing or blisters that may come out during a week of diving. Cotton socks are also a very good option. Wear a sock to prevent chafing that occurs on your feet when doing repetitive dives.
Pills for seasickness, if you are one of those who get seasick. Especially if you are going to embark on a life on board and you are caught in bad weather.
Sunscreen, essential when we are going to be outdoors all day. Please use biodegradable sunscreen. If not, we recommend putting it on for at least an hour before going to the water so that the skin has absorbed it and has less impact.
Solution to prevent external otitis. Prolonged exposure to water can cause external ear infections and prevent you from diving. When diving several times a day for several days, such as on dive trips, this ailment can occur. To do this, we recommend that you visit your doctor or pharmacist and they give you a solution to use after diving or at night to prevent the growth of bacteria that cause external otitis.
Other medication you need, such as for headaches, repellent against mosquitoes (especially in tropical areas), etc.
Documentation for diving trips – what to bring in your suitcase diving trip documentation
Copies of documentation. This includes certifications for diving, nitrox, diving and travel insurance, flights and reservations. You can take them on paper and / or on your mobile. Although if at the moment you need them you are without battery or all your luggage is stolen, that would be bad luck … We recommend that you send yourself a copy by email or store it in the cloud, so you can always access them from your email!
It is always good to carry a copy of the documentation in case you lose your diving card or cannot find it. Or in case, let’s touch wood, you need to use your insurance policy. Thus, make sure you have the insurance telephone number for medical emergencies and all the reservation documentation, tickets and hours mentioned.
It is most recommended that you carry all the documentation in a waterproof bag.
Travel insurance
When purchasing dive and travel insurance, it is important to read the fine print. Not all companies cover air delays that prevent you from carrying out the contracted diving packages, for example. We trust Dive Assure with the Dive & Travel Plus plans, make sure you are covered in case of loss of diving luggage. They also offer unlimited medical coverage. So if you need prolonged medical attention, you will not find that they stop covering you and you have to start paying for it yourself. Or in the worst case that you have to interrupt the treatment because you cannot bear the cost. Remember that prevention is better than cure!
- International flights.
Price From US$ 1,795.00
Price Per Person, based on double Occupancy.
