Discover Scuba Diving
in Tamarindo
Your first dive un Costa Rica – No certification needed
4.9 Google rating!
Discover Scuba Diving
7am to 12:30pm No certification needed Catalina Islands Small groups All equipment included
$170 / person
Prices are in cash and do not include +3% service fee
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Everything in the price - No surprises
All diving equipment
Wetsuit, BCD, regulator, mask, fins, everything provided
SSI diving intructor
Personal attention throughout your dive experience
Custom shaded boat
Comfortable shaded boat for the trip to and from the Catalina Islands
In-water safety briefing
Full in-water practice before your dive
Snacks & water on board
Light refreshments on board included
Dive in Catalina Islands
A renowned archipelago considered one of the best scuba diving spots of Costa Rica
We are an official SSI dive center in Tamarindo
SSI certified instructors
All our instructors are SSI-certified, bilingual, and specialize in working with first-time divers.
Internationally recognized
SSI is one of the world’s leading dive certification agencies, operating in 110+ countries.
Small groups, max 4 divers
We keep our groups small so you get real, personal attention from your instructor throughout.
10+ years in Tamarindo
We’ve been running diving experiences from our dive center in Tamarindo for over 10 years.
HOW IT WORKS
What happens on the diving day
1
Meet at 7 AM
Come to our dive center in Tamarindo. We fit your gear and do a short briefing.
2
Boat to Catalina Islands
30 minutes boat ride to the islands
3
Skill practice
Your instructor walks you through breathing and basic skills in shallow water first.
4
Your first dive
Down to 12m/40 feet with an incredible marine life!
⚠️ No fly for 24h after diving is mandatory.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
What do I need for the Discover Scuba Diving?
⚠️ Requirements & medical statement
To join our Discover Scuba Diving mini course, you need to be at least 10 years old, in good health, and comfortable in the water.
IMPORTANT: Client must review the DSD Participant Statement and anyone with a “YES” is REQUIRED to have a Medical Statement approved by a doctor. On the day of the tour, any person with a medical statement preventing them from participating in scuba diving will be switched to snorkeling and charged the original scuba price
On the big day, we suggest you bring: your swimsuit, a towel, sunscreen, a hat or cap, sunglasses, and of course, your best positive attitude! Once we’re on the boat, we’ll offer you fresh water, ice tea, fruit, and snacks to keep you energized for your dives.
🎒 What to bring on the day
Your swimsuit, a towel, sunscreen, a hat or cap, and sunglasses. Once we’re on the boat, we’ll take care of the rest: fresh water, iced tea, fruit, and snacks to keep you energized for your dive.
WHAT IS A DISCOVER SCUBA DIVING?
Your first breath underwater in Costa Rica
The Discover Scuba Diving experience is the simplest way to try scuba diving for the first time, no certification, no prior experience, no pressure. It’s designed for anyone who’s ever been curious about what it feels like to breathe underwater, but isn’t ready to commit to a full course yet.
On the day, we meet you at our dive center in Tamarindo, take the time to fit your gear properly, and walk you through the basics before we even get in the water. Then we board our shaded custom boat and head out to the Catalina Islands. Once there, your SSI instructor stays by your side the entire time as you descend to 12 meters (40 feet). No rushing, no stress. Just you, the ocean, and whatever marine life decides to show up that day.
There’s something about that first breath underwater: the silence, the weightlessness, the feeling of being in a completely different world, that’s hard to describe until you’ve actually done it. Most people are surprised by how natural it feels once they’re down there.
Tamarindo, the best place to try scuba diving
Tamarindo is one of the main starting points for scuba diving on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. The town sits in the heart of Guanacaste, a region well known among divers for its rich marine biodiversity and varied underwater landscapes. From Tamarindo, the Catalina Islands are about 30 minutes by boat, a string of rocky islands that sit at the meeting point of warm and cold currents, which is exactly why the marine life there tends to be so varied.
Depending on the season, you might cross paths with sea turtles, reef sharks, moray eels, large schools of fish, or the occasional manta ray. It’s not always predictable, that’s part of what makes it interesting. As an SSI-certified dive center based in Tamarindo, Be Water Diving has been running diving experiences to the Catalinas for years, working with complete beginners and experienced divers alike. If you’re visiting Costa Rica and wondering whether to try diving, Tamarindo is the perfect place to do it!
FAQ
Your questions about the Discover Scuba Diving
The DSD is a beginner-friendly introduction to scuba diving, supervised one-on-one by an SSI-certified instructor. It’s not a full certification, it’s your first real dive at the Catalina Islands, one of Costa Rica’s best dive sites.
You don’t need any prior experience or diving certification. Whether you’ve never dived before or want to dive again without any certification, you’re in the right place. As long as you’re at least 10 years old, in good health, and feel comfortable in the water, you’re all set. Our diving instructors will take care of the rest. They’ll walk you through the basics, from using your gear to breathing underwater, and make sure you feel confident.
Absolutely! Diving to 12 meters (40 feet) offers a fantastic view of marine life. You can observe schools of colorful fish, octopuses, rays, sea turtles, moray eels, sharks and much more! The Catalina Islands are known for their rich biodiversity, so there’s always plenty to see and explore!
Yes, your instructor will guide you through some basic exercises in the water before you head out on your dive, to make sure you’re ready. You’ll get to practice clearing water from your mask, giving your regulator a quick water expulsion workout, and mastering those essential underwater hand signals. These exercises are designed to help you feel comfortable and confident in the water.
It’s completely normal to feel a bit nervous about your first dive. Our instructors are there to guide you every step of the way. They’ll make sure you’re comfortable and confident before you even enter the water, and they’ll be right by your side throughout the dive.
Your Discover Scuba Diving experience includes two dives, each lasting about 30 to 45 minutes (can vary depending on how efficiently you use your air and how comfortable you feel underwater). This gives you plenty of time to explore and enjoy the underwater world of the Catalina Islands while ensuring you have a safe diving experience.
After your dive, your body absorbs a bit of nitrogen from the air you breathed underwater. Think of it like letting a fizzy drink settle before you pop the cap. If you fly too soon, the lower pressure in the airplane can make this nitrogen come out of your body too quickly, which isn’t great for your well-being. To keep things smooth and safe, we suggest waiting at least 24 hours before your flight. This way, you can enjoy your dive with no worries!
You can still enjoy scuba diving even if you wear glasses. Most divers with vision needs use prescription dive masks, which are specifically designed to correct vision underwater. If you have a prescription mask, feel free to bring it along. Please note that we don’t provide prescription masks, so having your own ensures you’ll be comfortable and see everything perfectly. If you don’t have a prescription mask, we will provide a standard mask that works for most people, but it may not address specific vision needs.
Without a doubt. Tamarindo gives you direct access to the Catalina Islands, one of the most biodiverse dive sites on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Whether it’s your first dive or your hundredth, the marine life here is impressive.
⚠️ No fly for 24h after diving is mandatory.
ALSO AVAILABLE
Other ocean experiences in Tamarindo
BE WATER DIVING
Why dive with Be Water Diving?
Be Water Diving is an SSI-certified dive center based in Tamarindo, with over 10 years of experience running diving and snorkeling trips along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Our instructors are fully qualified, bilingual (English & Spanish), and passionate about what they do, whether they’re taking someone on their very first dive or guiding experienced divers through the Catalina Islands.
We keep our groups small because we think that’s the only way to do it properly. You get real attention without feeling like just another person on a group tour.
