Catalina Islands
Protected Area
Marino las Baulas de Guanacaste
Why dive here
With 217+ marine species recorded in the area - including dolphins, humpback whales, orcas, sea turtles and pufferfish - Catalina Islands offers some of Caribbean Coast's richest reef diving. Water ranges 29-31°C, warmest March, April, May.
The Catalina Islands, off Costa Rica's Pacific coast, not the Caribbean, offer a reliable shot at pelagics. We’ve often found schooling devil rays here, sometimes hundreds, along with reef sharks patrolling the deeper edges. It’s an open-water site, so be prepared for some current and occasional chop on the surface. Good for intermediate divers looking for big animal encounters rather than intricate reef exploration.
Typical Catalina Islands Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Nearest Dive Centres to Catalina Islands
Dive shops near Catalina Islands
ChrisDiving, Dive Center Costa Rica
Tienda de Buceo
Summer Salt Dive Center
Summer Salt
Rich Coast Diving
Deep Blue Driving
Reviews for Catalina Islands
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Catalina Islands
Catalina Islands Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Catalina Islands, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (9.78, -84.89) (48km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
29°C
85°F · Range: 27.9–31.1°C
Current Speed
5 cm/s
Direction: N (0°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.142 mg/m³
Clear water
Salinity
28.81 PSU
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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