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Dive Review of Ocotal Beach Resort in
Costa Rica/Guanacaste

Ocotal Beach Resort, May, 2007,

by Cindy Cook, Texas, USA . Report 3387.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 2 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments We had a WONDERFUL experience staying at the Ocotal Beach Resort which we had read about in the Divers' Chapbook. We will definitely return. The hotel accommodations were excellent although not luxurious. Our patio view of the Pacific was breathtaking and all three pools were very well kept and all had a different theme.We particularly liked the one at the top of the moutain.All staff were very friendly and happy to accommodate. We stayed at the "300" level rooms up the mountain from the beach but there is a van available at any time to drive someone down to the beach and back up. Food at the resort was very good although we ate dinner mostly in town (Playa de Coco)because it was fun. It is definitely a quiet resort but still fun. Our single brother in law who does not dive went and he had a great time.The dive shop is one of the best operations we have ever dived with;very safety conscious but never over-restrictive. They always have two DMs so one lead and the other follows up to try to insure no one gets separated since visibility can be very very low. Definitely plan on a wetsuit.My husband who usually doesn't wear one needed a 3 mm and a shorty.I was fine with my 3mm and I always were a suit.I was apprehensive about the diving due to the low visibility but quickly overcame any anxiety when we all met on the bottom after follow the mooring line down. The marine life is incredible and well worth giving up some diving freedom. Several seahorses, clown shrimp and marine life I had never seen before. I recommend the Ocotal without reservation.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 101-250 dives
Where else diving Mostly the Caribbean areas also Bonaire and Turks Caicos
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas surge
Water Temp 70-78°F / 21-26°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 5-15 Ft/ 2-5 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions Due to low visibility issues the group was instructed that in the event a diver lost sight of other divers they should try to find the other divers no longer than 1 minute and then to slowly surface. Other than that safety precaution, there were absolutely no restraints
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas Squadrons
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 5 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities 2 stars
UW Photo Comments There was a clean water bucket on the boat for cameras and, of course, they crew was very accommodating about handling the camera getting in and out of the water. The dive masters were also very good about hanging back on a particular site for anyone with a camera. This would not be an issue for clear water diving but diving the sites we dived required two D/Ms - one in front and one in back. So the back end D/M would hang back to facilitate locating the remainder of the dive group.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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