Pelicanos/Elephant rock
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 - Pelicanos/Elephant rock offers some of Caribbean Coast's richest reef diving. Water ranges 29-31°C, warmest March, April, May.
Pelicanos, also known as Elephant Rock, is one of our favourite spots off Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, and not just for the goofy name. We’ve found the diving here consistently interesting, a real contrast to some of the more hit-or-miss sites. It’s essentially a large rock formation, dropping to around 19 meters, with plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. What we really love is how the current, usually mild here, pushes the schools of fish around. You'll often find yourself swimming through shimmering clouds of longfin silversides, or huge aggregations of grunts that part for you then reform as you pass. Keep an eye out for the smaller stuff too, like the yellow blennies peering out of their holes, or the Speckled-tail flounder doing its best impression of the seabed. We’ve also had some great encounters with mottled soapfish here, their patterns really standing out against the coral. Visibility averages around 10 meters, so it’s not always gin-clear, but it’s more than enough to appreciate the density of life. This site is great for divers who enjoy hovering and observing, perfect for open water certification and above.
Nearest Dive Centres to Pelicanos/Elephant rock
Dive shops near Pelicanos/Elephant rock
Tienda de Buceo
ChrisDiving, Dive Center Costa Rica
Tamarindo Diving
Summer Salt Dive Center
Rich Coast Diving
Summer Salt
Reviews for Pelicanos/Elephant rock
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Pelicanos/Elephant rock
Pelicanos/Elephant rock Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Pelicanos/Elephant rock, 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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