MANTA RAY DIVING IN COSTA RICA
NATURALIST DIVE
MANTA RAY
GO BEYOND THE ENCOUNTER
Learn to recognize manta behavior and identify individuals during two privately guided dives at the Catalina Islands, giving you a deeper understanding and appreciation of every encounter.
NATURALIST GUIDE · 2 DIVES · NATURALIST BRIEFING · LUNCH
LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE
UNIQUE IN
THE REGION
Currently the only guided dive combining behavior interpretation, ID training, and cleaning station observation.
NATURALIST
STYLE GUIDING
Slow, controlled diving with a naturalist guide experienced in manta behavior and identification.
SCIENCE MEETS
ADVENTURE
Learn how to read environmental cues, identify individuals, and understand what mantas are doing in real time.
CONTRIBUTE TO
RESEARCH
Your photos and IDs help support ongoing Pacific manta monitoring projects.
WHAT SETS THIS EXPERIENCE APART
THE NATURALIST EXPERIENCE
From understanding mantas to experiencing them differently
1. BEFORE THE DIVE
Learn What to Look For
Before heading to the Catalina Islands, join a private naturalist briefing designed to change the way you see manta rays underwater.
Learn to recognize manta behavior, individual markings, anatomy and cleaning-station activity, along with the basics of Photo-ID and responsible interaction.
You'll also receive our Oceanic Manta Ray Field Guide, created specifically for diving Costa Rica's Pacific coast.
2. DURING THE DIVE
Put it Into Practice
During two privately guided dives at the Catalina Islands, observe manta behavior in real time, recognize individual characteristics and put the Photo-ID techniques from your briefing into practice.
3. AFTER THE DIVE
Understand What You Saw
After the dives, we'll sit down for lunch and a post-dive debrief to talk about what we encountered underwater.
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Review the mantas you saw, discuss their behavior and identifying features, and look back at photos that may help us identify individual animals and record the encounter.
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
Describe your image
WHAT OUR DIVERS SAY
"Diving with Marco has been incredibly rewarding and effortless. Our family booked a guided dive of the Catalina Island in March during Manta season...
Marco is extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and passionate; he made our time in Costa Rica very memorable and we'll definitely dive with him again when we return"
Rebecca Stier
"We had an absolutely fantastic dive at Catalina Island, Costa Rica. The experience was unforgettable, with stunning marine life, including manta rays and reef sharks...
A huge thank you to our dive instructor, Marco, who did an amazing job! He was professional, knowledgeable, and made sure we felt safe and comfortable throughout the dive."
"I just got back from Costa Rica and my two tank dive with Marco was definitely one of the highlights...
the Pacific Ocean off Costa Rica wowed me with an abundance of manta rays and white tipped sharks. The manta rays in particular were fascinating...
Don’t hesitate and book a trip with Marco, you will have a great time!"
MANTA RAYS AT THE CATALINA ISLANDS
A seasonal gathering on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast
The Catalina Islands are one of Costa Ricas's best known areas for encounters with oceanic manta rays (Mobula birostris).
During manta season, these giants visit the islands and surrounding sites where cleaning stations create opportunities to observe them at close range and watch their natural behavior unfold
MANTA SEASON
December to May
PEAK MONTHS
February & March
NATURAL ENCOUNTERS
Manta rays are wild animals and sightings can never be guaranteed. Conditions and manta activity determine the dive sites we visit each day.
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
DURATION:
Half-day tour, aprrox. 6 hours including lunch
DEPARTURE:
Playa Flamingo to the Catalina Islands
SCHEDULE:
7:30 AM meet at the dive shop
12:30 PM Return to Flamingo beach
1:00 -2:30 PM Lunch and debrief at local restaurant
GROUP SIZE:
1 to 4 divers max
REQUIREMENTS:
Certified divers only (Open Water or higher) with good buoyancy control
