Drake Bay: 5 days (Costa Rica 3 weeks itinerary)

21.4., Sunday, Day 1

We later had dinner at the hotel restaurant, served by a friendly waiter, and enjoyed exceptional food. Unfortunately, my lack of mosquito repellent cut our dinner short. We retired early in preparation for diving the following day, waking up at 5:00 AM.

22.4., Monday, Day 2

Yes, we woke up at 5:00 AM. The hotel breakfast starts at 5:00, and when we got down at 5:30, we weren’t even the first guests. Tours to the national park also kick off early, and many people head out for diving or snorkeling.

By 6:30, we were at the center, receiving our gear and gearing up before walking to the beach. They brought the equipment in a car, and we walked down. Soon, we boarded a boat headed towards the island. Isla del Caño, a natural reserve, is only accessible from the north for divers and snorkelers, with a daily limit of 200 visitors. Each center reports tourist numbers and their countries of origin, recorded by rangers.

On the boat were us, another couple from Germany diving for three days like us, six snorkelers, a guide for each group, and the captain. During a 50-minute journey to the island, we paused once to watch a group of dolphins playfully swimming.

Upon arrival, we first dropped off the snorkelers, then the five of us descended on the location named “Anchors”. It was a breathtaking 40 minutes. We spotted various species: rays, sand eels, pufferfish and other fish of all colors, moray eels, but most importantly: TURTLES and SHARKS. Finally! Dreams do come true. We encountered at least five turtles in the first dive, and two types of turtles. We also observed sharks lying on the seabed, first fewer, then almost ten in one spot. It was mesmerizing, and I wasn’t afraid at all.

We then took a 45-minute break on the beach, as both dives were shallow, reaching a maximum of 16 meters each time. Life there doesn’t seem to need more.

During the break, we climbed up to the viewpoint, offering a magnificent sight. It’s truly beautiful to behold the crystal-clear sea, the protruding rocks, and the vibrant colors of the trees. Simply gorgeous!

After the break, we reboarded the boat and headed to another spot named “Shark’s cave” featuring a cave inhabited by sharks. Slowly, pair by pair with the guide, we entered and observed the sharks, along with other fish inside. Turtles and various fish were also spotted.

The currents there were strong, as well as the force from the waves. Thus, we mostly floated like jellyfish, letting the current carry us. We only kicked when pushed by the current, then paddled for direction and speed if needed. All other movement relied on good body positioning.

It was truly enchanting! After resurfacing, returning the gear, and boarding the boat, we headed back.

Five minutes from the beach, at Hotel Margarita, we enjoyed a delicious organized lunch. Tin had grilled pork and fries, while I opted for fish with various sides. We also showered there, though we skipped the pool. We enjoyed the meal and sipped on their excellent passion fruit, mango, and pineapple juice. Also, it was really enjoyable chatting with the guides and the German couple.

Returning to the hotel, we rested briefly. With bad weather, there wasn’t much else to do. We lounged by the pool, made a quick visit to the store, then returned to the room for a movie and early bedtime.

23.4., Tuesday, Day 3

Although we weren’t supposed to, we woke up again at 5 and headed for breakfast within half an hour. By 7, we were already down at the beach, as all our things were packed. We stood on the beach and marveled at how busy it was compared to the day before. Many people were heading home, some were going on fishing trips, some on tours to the national park, some snorkeling, and some diving. There was also time for school, so the school bus passed by, and some parents were walking their younger children.

We quickly boarded the boat because the waves were carrying it, so it was important to be fast and efficient. We sailed again for about 45 minutes with one stop because we saw dolphins again. The first location was “El Diablo”. Initially, it wasn’t certain whether we would dive there due to possible strong currents. Our guide Federico and the driver checked the current by throwing a rope and decided it was okay. At that moment, a manta ray appeared, very close to the surface. It even waved its fins in the air above the sea. It was amazing; we knew immediately that we would see it underwater if we circled around here. We even saw some fish on the surface that initially looked like dolphins with fins, but then we realized they were fish. There were a lot of them.

• Before the dive, I really needed to go to the bathroom. So Federico gave me a rope to hold onto so the current wouldn’t carry me away. It wasn’t easy for me knowing that there were big fish with sharp fins all around, and a huge manta ray that could hit me with its long wide fin looking like a wing.

The instructions were clear; on the count of 3, we jump and immediately dive as fast as possible so the currents don’t take us away. And that’s what happened; we all quickly descended. Immediately around us, there was a heap of various fish, and ultimately that magnificent, huge manta ray. At one point, all of us just spotted it, and it majestically “flew” above us. The whole dive was like that, moving a little, watching the two mantas swimming in circles above us. Besides the mantas and plenty of smaller tropical fish, we also saw sharks and some huge, thick fish feeding on smaller fish. It was funny at one point when a shark swam its path and entered a school of fish, and it shook a bit to scare the fish away.

The dive itself was quite challenging because the currents were strong, and the water movements were awfully strong. What are waves on the surface are large amounts of water below that either push you forward or pull you back. At one point, it was really tough because we were being carried up and down, not just left and right. We all managed it well, but we all got banged up a bit. We had to stay close, which also meant a bit of a struggle for space.

After 45 minutes, it was time to resurface. There was a bit of misinterpretation, and some resurfaced before others. Tin and I resurfaced together at the right time. We surfaced, but there was no one up there. The boat wasn’t waiting for us at the resurfacing point but somewhere else. It was also carried away by the currents. The problem is that anchoring is not allowed because it’s a biological reserve, and at this location (which is somewhat wild), there are no allowed buoys to tie to. It quickly found us and came for us. When we floated, we were joking about swimming to the island instead of driving.

• I have a bit of an issue, and I’ve heard it’s not that rare, that I’m afraid of the dark deep sea and what’s beneath me on the surface. A bit contradictory because I dive, and when I dive, I don’t feel that fear and pressure. As soon as I dive, it’s a different story. But on the surface, I always feel some discomfort from the unknown. So, waiting was a bit tricky for me, and I cracked jokes to make the time pass quickly until the boat arrived.

We boarded, ate cookies and watermelon, and headed to the island for a break. We spent 30 minutes there sitting on stumps, talking about the dive.

After the break, we boarded again and were taken to the location where we were the day before, “Anchors”, where there were lots of turtles and a couple of sharks as the main actors. I love turtles, so this dive was beautiful to me. Besides, my buoyancy was excellent. I managed to balance myself well, and I really enjoyed it. I even told Tin that this was technically one of the better dives for me.

After the dive, we boarded the boat and headed back to the mainland. Once again, we stopped once because we spotted dolphins. It was a beautiful, relaxing ride. The sea was calm, the sky was clear, so the sun warmed and delighted us. We returned and headed back to the same hotel for lunch as the day before. We sat there for over an hour, enjoying each other’s company through food and conversation.

• These dives are just great. Our guide Federico is great, a very likable guy, yet professional, skillful, and careful. He doesn’t do this job clumsily; he pays attention to every detail related to safety and leads the dives nicely. Also, the Germans couple we’ve been diving with for all three days are very nice and positive people; it’s nice to talk to them, and this day we met a nice Dutch girl with whom we’ll dive again if she ever comes to Croatia with the intention of diving. We planned to say the same to the Germans, but the day after.

We returned to the hotel and immediately lounged by the pool. We spent a good three hours in and around the pool, then followed by shopping, a walk, and chilling in the room. Diving tires you out, big time! But it’s all worth it!

24.4., Wednesday, Day 4

We woke up and had breakfast as usual. Then, we prepared ourselves and went to the beach. This time, Federico didn’t accompany us. Instead, another leader joined us along with four snorkelers, another guide, and three divers. The weather didn’t look promising with clouds all around, but we remained hopeful. It took us about 50 minutes to reach the first location “Anchors”, with a stop to observe dolphins, which we could see quite well this time as they swam near the boat.

At the first site, the current was strong, requiring us to use a lot of energy to stay close to the rope as we descended. We realized we should have followed the rope down on our next dive. Despite the poor visibility and darkness, we managed to spot seahorses, a first for us. Despite the challenges, including navigating the strong current, we enjoyed the dive, even goofing around a bit with Tin.

After spending half an hour resting on the island, we proceeded to the next dive spot “El Barco”, which was more pleasant as the current wasn’t as intense. We saw numerous turtles and various fish, making the dive relaxed and enjoyable. Using a camera for the first time to record added to the experience.

Though it wasn’t as eventful as the first two days, both dives were still very enjoyable. One notable aspect of these three days of diving was learning to navigate and dive in currents and waves, as well as maneuvering among other divers due to the poor visibility.

After the dives, we returned to the mainland and had our final lunch at Hotel Margarita, saying goodbye to the Germans and inviting them to dive in Croatia. We then stopped at the dive center to log our dives before relaxing before the night tour.

Before the tour, we dined at Claudio’s Grill, where we were treated to a fantastic view, atmosphere, and delicious food, including ribs for Tin and a tuna steak for me. We even received complimentary tequila.

At 7:30 PM, Tracie and her partner arrived, providing us with information and lamps before we set off. They were both professional and knowledgeable about the animals we encountered. It was an interesting and informative tour, during which we saw a sloth, a scorpion, spiders, ants, frogs, lizards…

Returning around 10 PM, we said our goodbyes and headed back to the hotel, getting caught in the rain for the last five minutes of the walk. After quickly showering, we went to sleep, knowing we had to wake up before 5 am the next day.

25.4., Thursday, Day 5

We managed to wake up at 4:40 am, ensuring we were at breakfast by 5:00 AM and at the meeting point for the Corcovado National Park tour, Sirena Trail, by 5:50 AM.

After boarding the boat, the journey took approximately an hour. Upon arrival, we completed a check-in process, providing our names, passport details, and countries of origin. Following this, we utilized the restroom facilities before setting off on the trail, exploring first in one direction and then another.

The initial part of the tour was highly enjoyable. We encountered peccaries (wild pigs) and spider monkeys, observing three out of the four species of monkeys present in the area, with only the capuchin monkeys eluding us. Additionally, we were fortunate enough to witness a tapir sleeping, waking up, and taking a swim, which was a remarkable sight. We also spotted curassow birds, notable for the striking appearance of the males with their black plumage and vibrant yellow beaks.

Following this segment, we headed for lunch. The oppressive heat and humidity made it a challenging experience, leaving both of us feeling drained from the combination of the weather conditions and lack of sleep.

During the latter part of the tour, we encountered more wildlife, including another sleeping tapir, a family of coatis. As the tour progressed, Tin and I found ourselves eagerly anticipating its conclusion, feeling increasingly fatigued. By around 12:30 PM, we began our journey back, arriving at our starting point within an hour. We hurried up to our room to avoid the approaching bad weather, we chose to rest for the rest of the day.

Given the unpleasant weather conditions and the availability of snacks, we chose to stay indoors for the evening. Both of us fell asleep around 7:00 PM.

26.4., Friday, Day 6