Puerto Viejo lies on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast and clusters six sites across reef, wall, and drop-off topography, with depths spanning a very shallow shore entry at four metres through to eighty metres at Long Shoal. Both boat and shore entries are available, making the area accessible to beginners and intermediate divers alike. Water stays warm throughout the year, peaking in September and October. Visibility is highest during the drier windows of February to March and September to October; river runoff during wetter periods can reduce it considerably. Resident species include green and Ridley turtles, nurse sharks, Atlantic goliath grouper, whale sharks, and an array of reef fish.
Monthly water temperature across Puerto Viejo's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Temperatures are consistently warm across all months, with the warmest water arriving in September and October. The drier windows of February to March and September to October offer the most reliable visibility; heavy rain at other times can bring runoff that cuts clarity sharply. A thin wetsuit is comfortable year-round.
1 operator
Water temperature around Puerto Viejo ranges from about 28°C in January to 30°C in September, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 28–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in Puerto Viejo year-round.
Fin maps 6 sites in Puerto Viejo (6 scuba diving sites and 1 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
Across Puerto Viejo's dive sites, March and April are most often reported as the best months to visit.
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