El Andia - Jureles - Caribbean Coast
El Andia, often paired with Jureles, gives you a real taste of Costa Rica’s Caribbean diving, and for us, it’s a standout. You’ll drop into a vibrant, sloping reef, usually with a gentle current pushing you along, making for a relaxed drift. We love the sheer density of fish here; schools of silver mojarra reflect the sunlight, and the Acapulco damselfish are everywhere, darting between the corals. Keep an eye out for those needle-tooth morays peeking from crevices – they’re far more common here than we’ve seen elsewhere. Visibility can be a little temperamental, sometimes it’s 10m, sometimes 20m, but it rarely detracts from the experience. Our favourite part has to be searching for the smaller stuff: those tiny Hancock's blennies and reefsand blennies are masters of camouflage, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a bloody frogfish camouflaged against the sponge. We’d suggest going in the morning; the light is better, and the currents tend to be a little calmer. This site suits divers who appreciate a slow, observational dive and aren't afraid of a bit of a current. It’s not about big pelagics here, though a sperm whale sighting isn't unheard of, but rather about the sheer abundance and variety of reef life.
- Location
- Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica, Central America
- Coordinates
- 8.712023, -83.885340
Marine Protected Area: Isla del Cano
Best Time to Dive in Caribbean Coast
The warmest water temperatures in Caribbean Coast occur in March, averaging 29.8°C. The coolest conditions are in November at 27.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.9°C
- February: 29.6°C
- March: 29.8°C
- April: 29.6°C
- May: 29.1°C
- June: 28.4°C
- July: 28.6°C
- August: 28.5°C
- September: 28.5°C
- October: 28.1°C
- November: 27.6°C
- December: 28.4°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Caribbean Coast
Nearest Dive Centres to El Andia - Jureles
Marine Life in Caribbean Coast
Home to 218 recorded species including 198 reef fish, 11 hard corals, 5 whales & dolphins, 3 other, 1 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Sleeper (Gobiomorus maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Lesser Starlet Coral (Siderastrea radians) - Hard Corals
- Barred Livebearer (Poeciliopsis turrubarensis) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Spotted Sleeper (Eleotris picta) - Reef Fish
- Lamarck's sheet coral (Agaricia lamarcki) - Hard Corals
- Pointed Pencil Coral (Madracis asperula) - Hard Corals
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Bridled Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) - Whales & Dolphins
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Giant goby (Gobiomorus dormitor) - Reef Fish
- Mulet (Mugil curema) - Reef Fish
- Scroll Coral (Agaricia undata) - Hard Corals
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Graham's sheet coral (Agaricia grahamae) - Hard Corals
- Sleeper (Eleotris amblyopsis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for El Andia - Jureles
Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C, currents 3 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories