Scuba diving in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, offers an unforgettable experience filled with volcanic rock reefs, hidden pinnacles, and rich marine biodiversity. Nestled on the Nicoya Peninsula’s Pacific coast, Santa Teresa is perfect for adventurous divers seeking less-crowded, pristine underwater environments. Dive sites nearby, such as Isla Tortuga, feature encounters with reef sharks, eagle rays, sea turtles, moray eels, and colorful reef fish. The warm Pacific waters, combined with dramatic underwater topography and occasional drift dives, create an exciting and scenic diving environment for both beginners and experienced divers.
The best time for scuba diving in Santa Teresa is during the dry season from December to April, when seas are calm, visibility is clearest, and water temperatures stay around 27–29°C. This period offers ideal diving conditions and the best chance to spot larger marine life. The rainy season (May to November) brings vibrant marine activity due to nutrient-rich waters, but also more swell and reduced visibility, especially in September and October. For fewer tourists but good diving, consider the shoulder months of May or November, when marine life is active and crowds are thinner.
To reach Santa Teresa, fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in San José, then travel to Puntarenas(by shuttle, bus, or car) and take the ferry to Paquera—a scenic 1-hour ride across the Gulf of Nicoya. From Paquera, it’s about a 1.5 to 2-hour drive to Santa Teresa via Tambor and Cobano. Alternatively, domestic flights to Tambor Airport (TMU) from San José offer a quicker route, with a 45-minute drive to Santa Teresa. Though remote, Santa Teresa’s natural beauty, laid-back surf town vibe, and access to world-class dive sites make the journey well worth it for scuba diving enthusiasts.
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