Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica
    Marino las Baulas de Guanacaste

    Pelicanos/Elephant rock

    Good diving all year

    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.

    Best timeYear-round
    WetsuitA 3mm shorty or thin full wetsuit
    Marine lifeDolphins, Humpback Whales, Orcas, Sea Turtles and Pufferfish · 217+ species recorded
    Water29-31°C · warmest March, April, May
    CharacterReef dive
    StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

    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.

    Today05:3317:2911h 57m daylightGolden hour 17:01

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    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)

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    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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