ScubaCaribe, Province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica

5Mattjj27671 5:00 PM Jul 7, 2022

Fantastic diving, brilliant people. Pura Vida
I did 16 dives with Scuba Caribe while staying at the Rio. I had not been diving for a few years and they were really supportive, after a refresher in the pool and an exam I booked a 6 dive package which I thought was very reasonable at around $300, for 4 local dives and a couple at Catalina. The Viz can be variable but the sea life is amazing. What made this all the better was the people, I was made to feel welcome straight away by Lisa, Barbara and Bryan who did the bookings and couldn't be more helpful and friendly. The diving was amazing, boats were never over full, equipment was good and the guides such good people and a credit to the company. Because of this I kept going back and did 16 dives and they made sure I got the best price for what I had done We saw absolutely everything from white tip reef sharks, octopus, turtles, sea horses, every type of eel, rays, and so much more The highlight of the diving was a trip to Bat island to see the bull sharks and we saw plenty, it was amazing. We followed that up by a break in a small bay then dived actor another pinnacle out at sea where there were so many fish it was ridiculous. To top this on the way back we had a visit from 4 Orcas (Paul the boat captain spent ages getting so close they came right under the boat) and then we had a show from a pod of around 40 dolphins all around the boat. I did most of my diving with Mario and Yasser who are great people and good divers, they let the experienced divers get on with it and have so much passion for finding every sea creature to see, I really enjoyed diving with these guys both as divers and people. The two weeks were some of the best diving I have ever done there is so much to see here, but don't expect the Maldives, you have to work at the diving here but the rewards are there, as a UK diver it was perfect. I would go back and dive with Mario and Yasser tomorrow if I could, they can't do enough and make all the dives interesting. Overall I would like to thank all the team there, not forgetting the boat captains and the lads on the beach, all of them are brilliant and deserve a mention as they all contribute. You made my holiday amazing and Yasser also put my partner Claire through her open water which for a couple of dives let me tag on and observe which was nice to see how well he trained and supported her. I would highly recommend this place and can't wait to go back. Enjoy the Snickers guys!

5Nicole C 5:00 PM Mar 5, 2020

10/10 recommend!
We travelled to Costa Rica and stayed at the Riu Guanacaste the first week of March 2020. ScubaCaribe is right on the Riu premises and super easy and convenient, as well as reasonably priced. We first took the water taxi into Coco Beach. At only $20 per person round trip, it was well worth the money! The water taxi took about 15-20 minutes, and along the way, the boat driver pointed out landmarks, fish, and birds. We stayed in Coco Beach for 2.5 hours (the recommended amount of time) and it was so great to be able to experience a small Costa Rican beach community. The boat leaves the Riu every hour on the hour and returns every half hour, but you do need to make reservations for when you want to leave and come back. We didn't have any issue trying to get the times we wanted. There is one main road with the majority of shops, restaurants, and bars on it. Everyone is very friendly. We enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant, and then spent the rest of our time shopping before our return boat ride. If you are planning on eating while in Coco, I would recommend staying for 3 hours, just to give you enough time to explore and not have to rush through lunch. A couple days later, we went snorkeling through ScubaCaribe, which was so much fun! It was $30 pp, and they took you on about a 15 minute boat ride near volcanic rock formations. The water was so clear you could see so many fish, even from just sitting on the boat. This was the first time I ever snorkeled where a guide actually got in the water with us and pointed out different fish. I was amazed at how many fish we saw, including an octopus, eels, and tons of angel fish! I would highly recommend (just remember lots of sunscreen!!). The total trip was about 2 hours, and they depart 4 times a day. Finally, we rented the paddle boards (which were free for hotel guests). The water was a little too rough the afternoon we used the paddle boards, so it was difficult to navigate, but still fun nonetheless. They also offer jets rentals, scuba trips, sunset catamaran tours, and a boat trip to Tamarindo. Next time I would love to go on the boat trip to Tamarino (another beach community, but further away- about 45 minute boat ride), but they do require at least 6-8 people before they will go, so it does require a little preplanning. If you are staying at the Riu, I highly recommend you take advantage of all the awesome activities ScubaCaribe has to offer! Their staff is so friendly and helpful, and they really gave us the opportunity to see and learn so much more about Costa Rica! I always felt safe and had so much fun.