Snorkeling

Snorkeling Tips

Where to go snorkeling in this region:

Pacific Costa Rica Snorkeling

• Playas del Coco -- This is where I worked, and here you can accompany dive boats out to the Tortugas islands or north around Monkey Head rock where I swam with humpback whales, or south around Punta Gorda where I took pictures of the whale shark.
• Playa Hermosa -- This is just north of Playa del Coco and you can accompany a dive boat from here to go snorkeling at the places I named above.
• Playa Ocotal -- This is a nice beach with a dive company that can take you snorkeling, or on a clear day there is some snorkeling along the rocky right hand edge of the bay.
• Playa Conchal
• Playa Azucar -- This just north of Portrero, which lies directly north of Playa Flamingo.

Renting or buying snorkeling equipment:

Avid water sport and wildlife entusiatists will fall in love with snorkeling.  After snorkeling a couple of times the gear has paid for itself guranteed, as it is nice to have new equipment that you can be sure is maintained and is properly fitted.  Furthermore, it is nice to have new equipment to snorkel wherever, whenever and is especially having a rental car to find secluded beaches (please insert internal link desribing secluded beaches).

If you decide to purchase equipment, it is recommended not to buy cheapest gear.  You can find masks with silicone skirts and tempered glass (needed to handle water pressure) for inexpensive.  With that in mind, this type of gear can also allow for scuba diving if you do decide to get your diving certification while in Costa Rica.

If the decision is to rent equipment, snorkel gear is almost always available at tour companies and or dive shops, both of which often run snorkeling tours.

Snorkel gear rental prices average around $15 a day with snorkel tours around $40 per person with gear included.

Three types of snorkels are available to choose from:

1. Regular J Snorkel
2. Purge Valve Snorkel (Is most popular as it makes clearing out of a flooded snorkel easier and keeps water out better than most).
3. Dry Snorkel (This Snorkel has a stopper that doesn't allow water into the snorkel. This is great if you plan on staying up at the surface, but if you do any free diving, or diving deep underwater on a breath-hold this type of snorkel creates an uncomfortable suction in your mouth caused by the difference in pressure inside and outside the barrel as you submerge).

Last part of the gear to consider are the fins:

If there is any possiblity of interest in scuba diving, you might want to consider on purchasing or renting adjustable heel fins.  These allow you to use them with neoprene booties.  You can still feel quite comfortable in warm water  with full foot fins, but consider the temperature below surfaces.

Have a great time snorkeling in Costa Rica. We would love to see some of your photos on our snorkel blog!

For Costa Rica wide Snorkeling click here

Source:  CostaRicaDictionary www.crdict.com