Playa Flamingo · Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Rocket Frog Divers has been making bubbles on the Pacific coast since 2011. Manta rays at the Catalinas, bull sharks at the Bat Islands, and reefs full of life in the Gulf de Papagayo — all a short, fast boat ride from Playa Flamingo.
From Playa Flamingo we reach three very different worlds of diving. Here's the quick version — tap through for the full story on each.
Our closest dive region, and the best shot at the Pacific Giant Manta — most common from late December into May — plus big schools of fish, rays and turtles.
Best manta odds: dry season, Dec–May
Dive the Catalinas →
The famous bull sharks of "Big Scare," inside a protected marine area off Santa Rosa National Park. Strong currents and surge make this one for experienced divers.
Advanced only · ~45–50 min crossing
Dive the Bat Islands →
The everyday variety show — eagle rays, octopus, clown shrimp, reef sharks and more. Great for every level, and no two dives look quite the same.
All levels · conditions change daily
Dive the Papagayo →We're the number-one ranked dive shop in Costa Rica, and we run our trips the way we'd want them run.
The only shop running Bat Islands trips all year, conditions permitting.
Our Pacific Express makes the Bat Islands run in under half the time of most boats.
A full instructor-development centre — from first breath to going pro.
Fast, dive-ready boats so you spend more time under and less time commuting. Meet the fleet →
What you'll see down there
Off this stretch of Guanacaste the water is busy. Giant mantas gliding the Catalinas, bull sharks holding in the current at Big Scare, and out at the Bat Islands schools of mobula and cownose rays that have been known to run into the thousands. Closer to home it's turtles, octopus, morays, white-tip reef sharks and clouds of fish. Bring a camera — and remember, we look, we don't touch.
Plan your dives
Costa Rica's Pacific is a wild, productive ocean — and it dives like one. Here's the straight version so you can plan well.
Viz swings from 80+ feet on a great day to 15 on a poor one, and it can change with little notice. Thermoclines are common, so we suggest a 3mm full wetsuit year-round.
Mantas at the Catalinas peak in the dry season, roughly late December to May. The Bat Islands run warmer and are usually at their best in the green season, June to November.
Learn to dive with us
Never breathed underwater? Start with a Discover Scuba Diving session. Ready to get certified, level up, or go all the way to Divemaster? We run the full ladder of PADI courses with certified instructors, right here in Playa Flamingo.
Explore PADI courses →Not to get in the water. If you're not certified, a Discover Scuba Diving session lets you dive with an instructor, and our Open Water course gets you fully certified. Certified divers can jump straight onto a day trip.
No — the Bat Islands have strong currents and surge, so we treat it as an advanced trip that isn't suitable for new divers. The Catalinas and the Gulf de Papagayo suit a much wider range of experience.
It depends what you're after. For the best manta chances at the Catalinas, aim for the dry season (late December to May). For the Bat Islands, the green season (June to November) is usually best. There's good diving all year.
We're in Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste, on the northern Pacific coast — open daily, 8am to 6pm. Not staying in Flamingo? We also dive out of Playas del Coco. Get in touch and we'll sort the logistics.
Tell us when you're in town and what you want to see — mantas, bull sharks, or a reef full of surprises — and we'll build the perfect day of diving around it.
Reserve your dive with Rocket Frog Divers →