swimming· Reef· Snorkeling· Remote

Isla del Caño Biological Reserve

The finest reef on the Pacific coast of Central America, twelve kilometres offshore

4.8(4 reviews)

Drake Bay

Best Time to Go

“A different place on a quiet Tuesday”

About this place

Isla del Caño is a protected biological reserve set twelve kilometres off the Osa Peninsula — accessible only by permitted boat from Drake Bay, with daily visitor numbers controlled by the park service. The island has no permanent infrastructure beyond a ranger station; what it has is the most intact reef system on the Pacific coast of Central America. The dive sites around the island are exceptional: bull sharks, white-tipped reef sharks, moray eels, manta rays, and between July and October, humpback whales visible at the surface from the boat while you descend. The snorkelling is equally rewarding — the reef is shallow enough in sections to be visible from the surface, and the visibility in dry season runs to 25 metres. The island itself is botanically unusual and contains pre-Columbian stone spheres of unknown origin, sitting in the forest interior without explanation. Day trips operate out of Drake Bay through licensed operators; the 45-minute crossing through open Pacific is itself part of the experience.

What People Say

4.8· 4

Finn L.

February 2025

Three bull sharks circling at around eight metres depth on the first dive, then a large school of jacks above the coral, then a manta ray on the way back to the anchor line. All of this in one 50-minute dive. The dive operator from Drake Bay was professional and the site preparation was excellent. The 45-minute boat crossing from Drake in open Pacific is rough in places and part of the deal.

✦ Bull sharks at 8m depth are a reliable feature, not a rare sighting✦ Drake Bay crossing is rough — take motion sickness medication if needed

Priya N.

January 2025

We snorkelled rather than dove and it was still one of the best marine experiences of my life. The reef starts at two metres in some sections and the visibility was 20 metres on a calm morning. Sea turtles were swimming below us for most of the time in the water. The pre-Columbian stone spheres in the forest interior of the island are a strange bonus — nobody knows what they are or why they are there.

✦ Snorkelling viable and excellent even without diving experience✦ Pre-Columbian stone spheres in island interior are accessible on foot

Riku T.

March 2025

Humpback whale seen from the surface on the crossing out — tail breach at close range. Then in the water, a white-tipped reef shark resting under a coral head while a nurse shark moved slowly in the opposite direction. Both completely indifferent to us. The permit system limits daily visitors and the difference from a popular site is immediately apparent: no lines, no queuing at good spots, no trail of fins churning the water.

✦ Whale sightings on the crossing are seasonal but possible July–November✦ Visitor limits are enforced — book ahead in high season

Camila V.

December 2024

The diving is exceptional but the logistics are non-trivial: the ferry from Sierpe to Drake Bay, accommodation in Drake Bay (no road access), and then the early boat to the island. The total cost for two nights and the dive trip is real money. Worth it for serious divers. The snorkelling alone is also outstanding and significantly cheaper through a day-trip operator.

✦ Logistics require 2-night stay in Drake Bay minimum✦ Snorkel-only day trip is significantly cheaper and still exceptional