cocos Island
EXPEDITION
Join us on an Offshore Expedition to one of the hottest spots in the world for pelagic diving. Cocos Island is 550km off the shore from Costa Rica and one of the few remote islands in deep Eastern Pacific. Like Galapagos it's a magnet for pelagic life - famous for its massive schools of hammerheads. You can also expect to dive with silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, as well as big sharks like whalesharks and tiger sharks. Amongst the regular visitors are also dolphins, pelagic manta rays, turtles and sometimes even Orcas or whales. It's all possible, in Cocos!!
DATES
24/08 to 3/09/2025
Extension: 20-24th August 2025
THE ITINERARY
Cocos Island Marine Park is 550km off the coast of Costa Rica. We fly to San Jose and will drive from there for 3h to Golfito, from where we depart. Its a long trip out to the island which can take 30-40h. It is a remote island in the middle of deep ocean, and your excitement will grow with every mile.
THE DIVING
Cocos Island Marine Park is situated in the middle of deep, deep water. Pelagic animals take a break from their journeys here and relax, clean or feed off the steep drop-offs.
We are going to be going to diving in the wettest season of the year. As you can expect from an Insider divers Expedition there is a reason - because this is also when you can expect the most action. It's smack in the middle of the best time for the really massive schools of hammerheads and eagle rays. Sometimes the biggest whalesharks, the pregnant 12-15m ones pass by here on their migration to their birthing grounds.
The diving in Cocos is advanced. You can expect strong currents, choppy to rough seas, and big animals. You should be comfortable in the water, have at least 80 dives under your belt, and preferably been on at least one liveaboard before.
Our dive boat
Nautilus explorer
This is one of our favorite dive boats with it's large dive deck, sun roof and comfortable rooms.
Features
- Steel hull, seasoned offshore vessel
- Full board food and soft drinks
- Luxurious bedding in comfortable staterooms
- Private bath and individually controlled air conditioning
- Nitrox and rental equipment available
- Fully-stocked extensive bar (single malts, micro brews, a great selection of wine)
THE BOAT
There are only four vessels going to this remote island, and Insider Divers only want to travel with the best. A former commercial diving support boat, Nautilus Explorer is a Canadian built ship that was custom designed for divers to the highest possible level of comfort and safety with a layout that utilizes every square foot of available space. It is superbly equipped to deliver Dive Safari Adventurers in a stable manner to spectacular dive sites (thanks to zero-speed stabilizers). The Nautilus Explorer, sister ship to the Nautilus Belle Amie, offers unparalleled diving experiences. Custom-built for stability, comfort, and safety, it features 13 cabins, ranging from economical triple occupancy to luxurious suites. Enjoy amenities such as individual AC and private bathrooms in all cabins. Relax on the sun decks or in the hot tub while sipping wine or beer under the stars. The main salon boasts panoramic views and is equipped with comfortable seating, computers for video editing, and a large TV. Dining onboard includes a variety of freshly made dishes with North American, European, and Mexican flavors. Take a moment and compare the vessels out there, and you will come to the same conclusion
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
DANILA
Excellent trip, very good diving from a lovely boat. Dive guides and boat crew were extremely helpful and friendly, always working hard! Food was good. The ready-made "family" group was terrific fun. It was great to have the added extras of presentations and personal photos bySimon. Thanks so much!
JULIE
I have done 3 trips with Insider Divers and already have my next one booked. Simon Lorenz manages trip details thoroughly, making it as effortless as possible for the divers. The most recent trip was Galapagos, and the mix of land and sea arrangements, taking into consideration the rules and policies of the park, were quite intricate, but all we needed to do was show up (on time please!) because all of the heavy lifting was done by Simon. It is also valuable that he is an award-winning underwater photographer so after the trip, we get pro photos to keep the memories alive for a lifetime!
SCOTT
Four outstanding dive trips already in my dive log with Simon and Insider Divers, with high hopes of more to come! Simon makes a very complex job of organizing all the moving parts of his trips look easy. These excursions are not for the resort-diver level (thankfully!), so prepare to enjoy an adventure to remember forever! Thanks Simon!