Dive Review of La Paloma in
Costa Rica/Osa Peninsula

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La Paloma, Aug, 2008, by anne warburton, ca, usa ( Sr. Contributor 24 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 4225.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Our 1 hour flight from San Jose, 45 minute van ride and 15 minute boat ride landed us in La Paloma. After climbing a steep hill we arrived at the eco-lodge and were given drinks and food. Overall, the staff could not have been nicer or the food better. Our lodgings were equally nice with a large balcony attached and hammock and clothes line hung for our use. We stayed in room A and our son and wife in B with C and D rooms attached. The best rooms are independent rooms 1 and 3 which overlook the ocean and rainforest and sleep at least 4 if not 6. However, we backed up to the rain forest. Birds and monkeys awakened us in the morning. The monkeys were so active on our roof that they broke one of the solar pipes which was fixed a day later. However, we used another room for a shower. The diving is $110.00 for 2 tanks and includes equipment. We did an extra tank one day for an extra $15.00. We dove around Cano Island, a 45 minute or more (depending on water conditions) ride away. Snorklers also were on the boat so both groups had to wait while the other used the boat. There was no shore diving or snorkeling from either the lodge area or Cano Island. Visibility was not good most days. Water temperature stayed around 80 with some colder thermoclimes. We dove mainly pinnacles and/or large boulders. Fish life was fairly abundant - a few parrot fish, wrasses, 1 small scorpion fish, many bass, grouper, snapper, angel fish, few filefish, porcupinefish, Moorish idols, but nothing really unusual. There were white tips sleeping on the sand on all dives. dives. We all had computers but were kept at 40 minutes and most of the dives between 40-70 feet. The dive boat was apparently out of commission so we were on a plain old speedboat. No oxygen was on board. Tanks were tucked under the front seats until I said something to our young dive master and she had them tied down the following day. Lunch was packed by the lodge and set up on the island tables. All food was included with our stay at the lodge. Beer was estra at $2.00 and mixed drinks $5.00. Day hiking trips to the rainforest were $85.00 to the closest ranger station, San Pedrillo, and $95.00 to Sirena ranger station, further away. We went to the latter and did see a tapir which is pretty rare and several good bird findings - a toucan, pale-billed woodpecker, crested owl, collared trogan, etc. There are other day trips to the mangroves and to town. Overall, the experience was great with the diving as I expected. There were many fewer tourists than what you find in the norther provinces which is appealing.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Cayman Isl., Belize, Bonaire, Curacao, Thailand, La Paz, Vietnam, Lembeh, Sulawesi, Philippines, Cozumel, Turks, Micronesia
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	cloudy	Seas	calm
Water Temp	80-0°F / 27--18°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	10-30 Ft/ 3-9 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	40 minutes, 71 feet the deepest
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Dive boat apparently out of commission. No photo tables or rinse tanks on board or back in the facility.

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Dive Review of La Paloma in Costa Rica/Osa Peninsula

La Paloma, Aug, 2008,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of La Paloma in
Costa Rica/Osa Peninsula