For many travelers, especially those who practice scuba diving and snorkeling, visiting Cocos Island in Costa Rica is a dream come true. This national park, a Natural World Heritage Site since 1997, is one of the 10 best diving sites in the world, according to Travel & Leisure magazine. In addition, the island has served as inspiration for films such as Jurassic Park, where it appears with the fictitious name of Isla Nublar.
However, traveling to the island is not an easy task. Located 535 km from Cabo Blanco, on the Nicoya Peninsula, the journey takes more than a day and the cost can amount to thousands of dollars. The National System of Conservation Areas (Sinac) has broken down the costs that exist to enter and carry out activities within the Cocos Island National Park.
Costs
First of all, there is the entrance fee. Non-residents pay $50 per day, while nationals pay $25 per day. These costs do not have an age difference, which means that children and adults pay the same. Then the activity fees are $20 per day for diving and $10 per day for snorkeling. Both amounts are paid regardless of nationality and allow you to enjoy the maritime zone of the national park.
In addition, if you go in your own boat, you have to pay the cost of anchoring, which varies from $40 to $400 per day, depending on the length of the boat. The Regulations for Public Use of the Isla del Coco National Park establishes the guide to process the entry permits for vessels to the Coco Marine Conservation Area (ACMC).
Anchoring sites
The only authorized anchoring sites are Chathan and Waffer bays. «The regulations for public use describe the rules of conduct and other points that must be respected during the visit. Likewise, there is a system of carrying capacity of the diving sites to ensure the conservation of the ecosystems”, mentioned Ana MaríaMonge, in charge of the Wildlife Program of the ACMC.
Finally, the island can be reached by seaplane. In this case, the fees to pay for what is called ditching range from $50 to $200 and depend on how many people fit in the seaplane. If you don’t have a boat or seaplane, you can go on a tour. Sinac commented that there are two regular tour operators that make trips to the island and offer live-on-board stays, that is, inside the boat. These are Okeanos Sea Adventures and Undersea Hunter.
