Sorpresa - Caribbean Coast
Tulamben Drop-Off, not to be confused with its famous Bali namesake, is a gentle, sloping wall on the Gili Trawangan side of Lombok that we really enjoy for a relaxed afternoon dive. It’s a handy alternative if the currents on the Gili Islands’ north side are a bit frisky, offering a calm, deeper option with a beach entry that makes for an easy start and finish. The reef here drops to about 22m, and while it might not have the dramatic verticality of some walls, it's beautifully carpeted in soft corals, particularly a good density of staghorn. We often see schools of yellowstripe monocle bream hugging the reef, and the small giant clams are a regular fixture. For macro fans, keep an eye out for the Eye-spotted eubranchus and Cobb's winged murphydoris tucked into the coral. We've even spotted a few false brown morays peeking from their crevices. Visibility averages around 15m, which is decent enough to appreciate the scale of the wall and the vibrant corals. It’s a pretty forgiving site, good for knocking out a few training dives or just unwinding after a day of stronger drifts elsewhere. We like to take it slow here, letting the gentle current (if there is one) carry us along as we search the cracks and crevices.
- Location
- Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica, Central America
- Coordinates
- 10.581200, -85.715300
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Santa Rosa
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 Sorpresa
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 Sorpresa
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