Open Water Diver Course in Costa Rica

Not at all! You don’t need any prior diving experience to join the Open Water Diver Course. It is important however that you are a comfortable swimmer.

At Rich Coast Diving, Costa Rica’s highest-rated dive center, our professional instructors will guide you step-by-step — starting in our private pool before exploring calm, shallow ocean dive sites. It’s a safe, fun, and unforgettable way to discover the underwater world for the very first time and get your Scuba Certification.

As a SSI Career Center, we are proud to hold the highest rating in the diving industry. Our experienced and passionate staff is ready to guide you every step of the way. All our training meets the highest international standards, ensuring a safe and enjoyable learning experience.

For recreational courses, we maintain a maximum ratio of 2 students per instructor, giving you the benefits of a private or semi-private course.

Your training takes place in our private pool and on Costa Rica’s best dive sites, providing the perfect environment for building confidence and skills.

There truly is no better place to learn scuba diving in Costa Rica!

Cancellation Policy: Please note we have a 72-hour cancellation policy. Cancellations made after this period will result in a non-refundable deposit. For courses once the eLearning access is sent the deposit is non-refundable. All transfer fees are at the charge of the customer. All transfer fees are the responsibility of the customer. Thank you for your understanding.

Learn about scuba diving using the online course materials, then continue with basic scuba skills in the pool with our experienced multilingual Instructors. When you're ready and confident, you make four dives in the ocean.

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1. Independent study - digital course online

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Digital course materials make it easy to fit scuba lessons into a busy schedule. Learn about scuba diving principles and terminology whenever, wherever it's convenient for you.

It's your course on your time. Study offline, or online using a computer or mobile device. Connect with your instructor whenever you have a question.

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• eLearning time commitment: 5-10 hours

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2. With your Instructor

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Practice using scuba gear in a pool until you're comfortable. The pool training includes practice "mini dives" to help you build confidence in your new abilities before making four dives in open water.

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• Prerequisites: Able to swim; medically fit for diving

• Total time commitment: 4 days

• Minimum age: 10 years or older

• Depth: expect shallow dives (12m/40ft), the maximum allowed depth is 18m/60ft

Your Scuba Diver Course with Rich Coast Diving includes everything you need for a safe and exciting introduction to scuba diving in Costa Rica. You’ll receive professional instruction from certified multilingual dive instructors, full scuba gear rental, and digital course materials. Training starts in our private pool (1 morning session), followed by 4 ocean dives on the next two mornings at the best local dive sites in Playas del Coco. All taxes are included—just bring your swimsuit and sense of adventure !

For this course we provide all the equipment you need. All you need to bring is your swimsuit and a towel. For the boat trips we recommend to bring (reef safe) sun protection, sunglasses and a hat.

• Please allow at least 24 hours between your last dive and any flight or travel to higher altitude for safety reasons.

• Pickup from your accommodation in Playas del Coco or nearby areas can be arranged for an additional charge — just contact us in advance.

• Participants should have basic swimming skills and be in good physical health. No previous scuba diving experience is required to join our Scuba Diver program.

Cancellation Policy: We have a 72-hour cancellation policy. Cancellations made less than 72 hours before the scheduled activity will result in a non-refundable deposit. Once eLearning access has been issued, deposits are non-refundable. Please note that all bank transfer or payment processing fees are the responsibility of the customer.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!

When to go diving in Costa Rica ?

Our location offers great diving and training conditions all year round. The water temperature generally ranges from 26 - 28 degrees Celsius year round (with some colder days in February), so a 3 - 5mm wetsuit is sufficient to keep you comfortably warm. The visibility of the waters on our Pacific Coast can change from day to day. It can be very clear on some days and only a few meters or feet on other days. But don't let it spoil your dive as the marine life is always there to entertain you ! Conveniently located our dive sites are only 10-15 minutes away and accessible year-round for diving and snorkeling.

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What about diving in the dry season or rainy season ?

In Costa Rica, the seasons are divided between the rainy season (which runs from May to November) and the dry season (which runs from November to April). Generally we have the best visibility and warm water from April to November. And from November to March the underwater conditions can be a bit more unpredictable. With colder water (24 - 26 Celsius) and more nutrient rich water with less visibility. That said the marine life is always there and the nutrient rich waters of the pacific bring a lot of species of rays to our dive sites in the dry season (November to April). And even the chance to see the Giant Oceanic Mantas at Catalinas Islands !

So whatever month you choose to visit us for diving, snorkeling or training dives. We will make sure we create some unforgettable underwater adventures together.