Summer Salt Dive Center — Attraction in Sardinal

This is a short review of my experience diving in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, specifically with Summer Salt out of Playas del Coco. The quick summary is that a) this region is well worth diving if you are in the area, and b) this is an excellent dive shop.

So now the extended version. To understand my On a scale of 1-10, I'd rate the "local" diving as "better than average" 6. The visibility is "meh" (20-60 ft), its biggest negative, but that is easily countered by a decent number of fish diversity and number. Being a soft and hard coral enthusiast, this was also a negative, since the structure is more rocky terrain with little flora to speak of. However, on any given dive it was possible to see octopus, eels, schools of jacks/snapper/barracuda, turtles, white-tipped sharks, and a possible seahorse. Not enough to seek out as a destination spot, but more than enough if you are already there.

What makes the area special, however, are the outlying islands Catalina and Bat (Murcielagos). Catalina is known for migrating manta rays. As I was out of season (Nov-Apr), we didn't visit, but I've heard tell it to be impressive. Its located about an hour boatride south of PdC. Going an hour the opposite direction are the Bat Islands, which are famous as a cleaning station for Bull Sharks. This I did visit, a couple of times, and can confidently say it is well, well worth the price of admission. Check out youtube videos of the place. Because of winds/currents/temps these islands are typically accessible in May-Nov. Nature being what it is, on one dive we saw 3 bullsharks, another zero, a third dive 12, and a fourth 8. Besides them, we also saw lots of random fish and a wandering manta ray. Our dive shop combined this day with a 3rd dive to another rock outcrop (Perro Negro) where I've never seen so many schools of fish milling about. Truly a sight to behold. Because of the currents, depths (80-100 ft), and possible animal encounters, the Bats are not recommended for "inexperienced divers".

I went with Summer Salt and couldn't have been happier. In choosing, I interviewed 4 centers, and they were certainly different. Summer Salt is a long-established, smallish shop just off the main road leading from the beach. Per my profile, I wanted a shop that oozed credibility (for knowing the area, featured well cared for equipment, experienced dive masters leading with safety), that featured smaller group sizes, that offered competitive prices, and exuded more of a low-pressure family like personality than either a mass-market assembly line or a party-forward attitude. Owned and operated by a French couple (Celine and Michael) who speak multiple languages, they make you feel welcome and comfortable from the get-go. As I watched other dive boats filled to the brim with divers climbing over one another (both in and out of the water), I was glad that our group was small, experienced, and well guided. I can't say enough good...

I had one of the best diving experiences of my life here yesterday, and I have dived in some cool places. I did a lot of research prior to visiting Costa Rica, I had my bar set pretty high considering I live in Florida and dive in the Keys often and have dived all over the Caribbean.

The owner Mikael is a wealth of knowledge, and you can tell he really loves scuba diving and wants you to have a wonderful experience... and we truly did.

Mikael’s wife/co-owner Celine is friendly, made us a fantastic lunch, even asking our dietary restrictions (my friend and I are pescatarian), she made a wonderful cake and we had fruit... Most dives I have been on that included lunch were basically inedible. Celine gave me a flat rate for the cost, and it sounded higher than other dive shops, except that it was not - because the other shops are not including the 13 percent tax, equipment rental, and the fee to get into Santa Rosa National Park. I like straight shooters and cannot stand finding out there are a ton of additional fees tacked on the day of the dive.

Diving with bull sharks was AMAZING. We also saw octopuses mating, quite a few sea turtles, moray eels (striped and green morays), eagle rays, a lot of balloon fish... the list goes on. We also saw a couple of whales and dolphins from the boat, sea turtles mating... this dive not only met my expectations—It far exceeded it. Captain Didier is wonderful and helps you back on the boat after a dive with ease.

Whether you are snorkeling or diving, whatever your skill level, you will have an amazing experience with this shop. They love what they do, and it shows.

My friend and I are backpacking and on a tight budget, but diving was PERTINENT to me... I have had some disappointing dives in the past, typically because the shop herded us like cattle to wherever they could get the most people to go to (cough cough - Key Largo). This was NOT the experience I had with Summer Salt. This is a wonderful dive center, and Mikael, Captain Didier, and Celine are true gems.

Thank you to everyone at Summer Salt for an unforgettable experience, I cannot wait to come back and dive with...

I chose Summer Salt because of recommendations in tour books and my own online research. The shop itself was conveniently located from where we stayed (and a very short walk from the beach). The website was very upfront about their operation and what to expect of the dives.

The excellent customer care started when I contacted the shop through their website a couple of weeks prior to our arrival. In that conversation, I mentioned of my experience and what would be an appropriate dive. While I’ve gone diving in Australia, Hawaii, Belize, and New Zealand, it had been several years since my last dive, so I knew I was not up for the advanced dives the shop offered. My wife and I also put down a deposit for a day of diving. They were expecting us, so when we went to the shop the day before we were fitted for our wetsuits and fins.

The next day, we, along with two other customers and two dive masters, did a two-tank dive at the nearby islands in the bay, which was just a short boat ride from the beach. They crew was excellent in taking care of us, making sure we were comfortable under the water but not babying us. They also helped us manage the surges and currents they told us to expect. While they told us up front that visibility may not always be great, we had no problem and saw sharks, rays, and plenty of other fish.

We were so pleased with our dive that my wife and I signed up to do another two-tank dive the next day., and different locations from the day before. That day, my wife and I were the only customers, yet the shop took us out with two dive masters. It was another excellent experience, with more sharks, rays, and other fish (including a moray eel).

We would definitely return to this dive shop the next time we are in...