Isla del Coco is actually closer to Colombia than it is to Costa Rica. So as you might imagine, it’s quite a journey to reach the island – about 36 hours of boat travel one way.
Only two companies in Costa Rica conduct dive excursions to Isla del Coco: Undersea Hunter and the Aggressor Fleet. Once a year, however, the Friends of Cocos Island Foundation hosts a trip to Coco at about half the price the tourist agencies charge. There is no diving, but with this trip you get to snorkel, hike, kayak and swim in the island’s rivers. You can also solicit MINAE, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, to volunteer on the island for a minimum of one month. Your stay is free – food and transport included. Or, you can take an eight-day “biocourse,” which involves educational talks, hiking, kayaking and snorkeling. Private boats can also visit Isla del Coco if they first gain governmental permission.
Fundacion Amigos de la Isla del Coco (Friends of Cocos Island): Tel: 2 256-7476 / 2 257-9257, E-mail: info@cocosisland.org
Biocourse, run by the Organizacion para Estudios Triopicales (Organization for Tropical Studies): Tel: 2 524-0607, ext 1641-1642 / 8 377-6169, E-mail: biocursos@ots.ac.cer