Diving in Tortuga Island

Tortuga Island offers some great diving and snorkeling, especially for wreck lovers as there are three great wreck sites off the coast of the island along with some lovely shallow sites for beginners and deeper sites for advanced divers.

You can dive with schools of fish, big pufferfish, turtles, sting rays and white tip reef sharks, also lots of tropical fish. Depths in the area range from 10 to 20 metres and the wrecks are mostly for certified divers from 16 to 30 metres. You may even encounter manta rays on a dive, or leaping out of the water on the way to the sites along with dolphins and whales (January to September). Manta season for diving is December to April.

Visibility is between 10-30 metres most of the time but if you visit in the wet season from May-November you might be diappointed with the visiblity. There are 8 dive spots in the area and 3 wrecks, and you can find trips leaving from Herradura, Jaco or Puntarenas.

Dive through the channels of Acuario and look out for the big schools of jacks, or hunt for the sharks at La Cueva (The Cave) dive site. The Labyrinth is rightly named for it's wonderful rock formations you can explore around and advanced divers can enjoy a deep or drift dive at La Punta to look for the big pelagic fish.

Wreck lovers can dive at the Coast Guard ships of the Franklin Chang Diaz lying between 17 and 23 metres and the Coronel Lafonso Monge lying between 10 and 16 metres. The Caroline Star is a deep dive for advanced diver lying at 30 metres where you can find reef sharks in the hull or lots of reef fish hanging about.

Great diving for everyone to enjoy. Tell us about your favourite spot.

(By Kelly Luckman)

Travel to Tortuga Island

This beautiful island off the coast of North Puntarenas on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula is a great place to chill and enjoy the beaches and surrounding reef. The best way to visit the island is to join a local tour operator from Jaco or Puntarenas.

The boat trip is only 90 minutes from the mainland and offers some incredible views of the island and coastline. If you're very lucky will will be able to see dolphins on the way there or back, or maybe even a jumping manta ray or humpback whale!

If relaxing is what you're after then you will love the white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters. Take a dip in the sea, read a book, play volleyball on the beach or hike around the surrounding mountains.

The more energic of visitors can take a canopy tour or zip line adventure which will give amazing views of the island and you can look for the local wildlife. Hire a kayak for the day or take a glass bottom boat to view the underwater world.

It's a great way to spend a day, away from the busy city life and mainland hussle and bustle.

(By Kelly Luckman)