Rich Coast Diving Packages and Prices: What You'll Actually Pay

Updated

Rich Coast Diving in Playas del Coco, Costa Rica, lists four concrete price points on its site: Bullshark Season 2-tank dives at $182 USD, Manta Season 2-tank dives at $145 USD, a 3-day package at $355 USD for 6 dives, and a Try Scuba Diving offer at $175 USD. It also sells Dive & Stay packages that bundle accommodation with diving and activities, though the site does not publish prices for those. The listed rates are framed as "best deal in Coco" and note that taxes are included, so the numbers you see are the numbers you pay for those specific items.

The Published Prices

Offer Price What it covers
Bullshark Season $182 USD 2-tank dive
Manta Season $145 USD 2-tank dive
3-Day Package $355 USD 6 dives
Try Scuba Diving $175 USD Special offer (introductory dive)

A few things worth noting about these figures:

  • Taxes are included. The site states "best value & taxes included," so the listed price is not a pre-tax figure.
  • Season matters. The two 2-tank prices are tied to specific marine seasons — Bullshark Season and Manta Season — which correspond to when those species are reliably present at the Bat Islands and Catalina Islands respectively.
  • The 3-day package is the cheapest per-dive option. At $355 for 6 dives, that works out to roughly $59 per dive, compared with $72.50–$91 per dive on the single 2-tank trips.
  • The site also references "Green Season Promos" through a click-through link, but no prices for those promos appear in the page content.

Dive & Stay Packages

Rich Coast Diving describes Dive & Stay packages as "all-in-one diving holidays with accommodation & activities," with the dive center handling the arrangements. The site positions these around the same world-class sites — Bat Islands for bullsharks, Catalina Islands for mantas — plus local diving and snorkeling in Playas del Coco and the Gulf of Papagayo.

What the page does not tell you: the price of any Dive & Stay package, what accommodation tiers are available, how many nights or dives are included, or whether meals are part of the deal. If you're comparing this against booking diving and lodging separately, you'll need to request a quote directly — the published numbers only cover the standalone dive products.

Which Option Fits Which Trip

  • You want to see bullsharks: the $182 Bullshark Season 2-tank dive is the specific product for that, run to the Bat Islands (Murcielago).
  • You want mantas: the $145 Manta Season 2-tank dive targets the Catalina Islands.
  • You're diving multiple days: the $355 3-day package gives you 6 dives at the lowest per-dive rate shown.
  • You've never dived: the $175 Try Scuba Diving offer is the entry point before committing to a course.
  • You want diving plus lodging handled together: the Dive & Stay packages are the relevant product, but you'll need pricing from the operator.

What to Confirm Before Booking

The page content leaves several practical questions open, and these are the things to ask about directly:

  1. Dive & Stay pricing and inclusions — nights, dives, room type, and whether activities beyond diving are covered.
  2. Green Season promo rates — the site links to them but doesn't list them.
  3. Seasonal timing — which months fall under Bullshark Season versus Manta Season, since the price you pay depends on which trip you're booking.
  4. Certification requirements — the 2-tank trips and packages assume certified divers; Try Scuba Diving is the non-certified entry option.

Rich Coast Diving operates as an SSI Career Center based in Playas del Coco, founded in 1993, with courses delivered in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, German, and Italian. The price list above is what the site publishes; anything beyond it requires contacting the dive center.