SCUBA TOURS WORLDWIDE - Representing the world's finest diving

Cocos Island, Costa Rica and Malpelo

Cocos | Malpelo | Liveaboards | Deep Sea Submarine | Sample Itinerary | Add-on Tours |

Special Trip Dates to Cocos Island and Malpelo

Click on the dates to open a printable PDF file with more information about the trip

Whilst these are our own exclusive charter dates, we can also book on any one of the Hunter boats scheduled departures throughout the year subject to availability. Please ask us for a quotation.

Introduction to Cocos

Cocos is one of the most remarkable and exciting destinations in the world. The small (3mile X 1mile) uninhabited island of Cocos lies 300miles south west of the Costa Rican coast in the Pacific Ocean. The island is a protected National Marine Reserve and it has retained its pristine appearance above and below the ocean's surface. Cocos is lush and rugged with waterfalls cascading down to the sea. Its location is the essence of its magic.

Cocos Island teems with fish - particularly big ones! Hammerheads can be seen schooling in great numbers, marbled rays are common and silky sharks abound.The diving among the rocky coast is very exciting. From the submerged pinnacles of “Dirty Rock” to the seamount of “Alcyon” and the hammerhead cleaning stations of Manuelita, Cocos island never fails to impress. And, if you are looking for even more action, Malpelo is reported to have more sharks than Cocos.

Malpelo

From March to August the Sea Hunter includes the rocky island of Malpelo in her itinerary. The imposing rock lies in Colombian waters and offers the chance to dive with large schools of pelagic species. This is an extreme destinations, incredibly rewarding, perhaps not for the faint-hearted but for experienced divers only.

Liveaboards - The Hunter Boats

The 36m Sea Hunter and 27m Undersea Hunter are superbly comfortable,stable and spacious vessels.The Sea Hunter accommodates 18 guests and the Undersea Hunter 14. Guest’s arrangements on the boats are extremely well designed with excellent photographic facilities, including camera storage shelves and recharging racks, Digital camera facilities are excellent with on board computer suites. Nitrox 32 is included in the basic price, Nitrox courses are available. Both boats are well set up to handle rebreather divers bringing their own equipment.

Each boat has two fibreglass skiffs.While the mother ships remain in the sheltered anchorages of either Wafer or Chatham Bay, these excellent skiffs convey divers quickly to and from the dive sites.

The owners of the Hunter boats have recently embarked on one of the most exciting projects in scuba diving to date.They have launched a three-man submersible that can dive to depths of up to 450m.The vessel “Deep Sea” is supported by the liveaboard Undersea Hunter, and whilst at Cocos, guests can book either individual or multiple dives for the experience of a life-time.

Sea Hunter & Undersea Hunter

Sea Hunter - 36m length/ 6 dbl/twin cabins / 2 Tpl cabins

Undersea Hunter - 27m length/ 1 dbl cabins/ 6 dbl/twn cabins

All Cabins en-suite & Air conditioned

Each vessel has 2 Fibreglass tenders

Nitrox 32 included

Nitrox courses & Rebreather Support Please ask us for prices and further details.

Deep See Submersible

One of the most exciting underwater experiences is to dive in the Deep See, a new 3 man submersible rated to 1,500ft. Whilst at Cocos, you can now explore the deep sea at first hand by diving in the Deep See. Please note the Undersea Hunter group do not guarantee that the Deep See will be in Cocos at any given time, as it is often used for research and documentary film making and it is not possible to pre-book or pre-pay for this. It goes without saying that if you are in Cocos when the sub is then don't miss out on this amazing opportunity!

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 AM Depart UK - PM Arrive San Jose, capital city of Costa Rica, transfer to San Jose hotel for one night.
Day 2 AM Two hour transfer by car/bus to port town of Puntarenas - PM Board vessel and set sail for Cocos Island.
Day 3 Transit Pacific Ocean to Cocos Island - watch out for whales and dolphins en route.
Days 4-10 Seven full days amazing diving in Costa Rica, three dives a day and night diving.
Day 11 Return transit of Pacific Ocean.
Day 12 AM Arrive Puntarenas and disembark from vessel, return to San Jose PM Free time to tour city, one night accommodation in San Jose Hotel.
Day 13 Join add-on land tour of Costa Rica (see below for details) or depart for airport and return flight.
Day 14 AM Arrive UK early morning.

Add-on Tours

Pacuare White Water Rafting and Canopy Tour - 2 days/1 night

Passionate rafters around the world agree the Pacuare River offers some of the most scenic white-water rapids anywhere.
This tour begins with an early departure and transfer from your San Jose Hotel with breakfast en -route. Safety briefing and off into rapids.The river passes through scenic canyons, tall trees come to water’s edge and provide shelter for a variety of tropical birds, including some endangered species.Arrive Pacuare Lodge for lunch. Depart for hour long Pacuare Canopy Adventure where you soar along horizontal cables stretched through the tree-tops of the rainforest 30 meters high. Return to Lodge for dinner and accommodation.
On day two there is early breakfast and launch rafts to river for more thrilling white water rafting. Transfer by bus back to San Jose.This tour can be extended to two, or any number of nights, in Pacuare Lodge.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour - 3 days/2 nights

Transfer from San Jose Hotel to Monteverde Cloud Forest to enjoy three days of guided tours.
The 26,000 acre Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is inhabited by more than 100 mammal species and 2,500 plant species including 450 species of orchid. As well as the six miles of trails within the forest, there is a Sky Canopy Tour. This Add-on gives you two nights at the Hotel Fonda Vela or similar-quality lodge, a guided tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve and a visit to the Monteverde Butterfly Garden.

Arenal Volcano and Tabacón Hot Springs -3 days/2 nights

Get close enough to an active volcano to hear and feel the deep rumbling that precedes occasional eruptions of steam, smoke and molten lava.Visitors explore the paths that lead through fields and forests up the base of the volcano to hardened lava flows. Stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge or similar. Explore the volcano by bike and visit the Tabacon Hot Springs at the base of the volcano.

Treasures of Costa Rica - 1 day

A perfect blend of free-spirited adventure and awe-inspiring discovery! You will explore three of Costa Rica's most unique regions - the vast Central Valley, the meandering Sarapiqui River, and the densely forested Braulio Carillo National Park.
Transfer from San Jose, breakfast en-route at La Paz coffee garden.Visit Butterfly Garden and Hummingbird Gallery. 20 minute walk through rainforest to waterfalls and transfer to Sarapiqui River for two hours of white water rafting.