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A whitetip reef shark resting on pale sand beside a dark volcanic rock ledge, seen from above — Gulf of Papagayo & Playas del Coco

Gulf of Papagayo & Playas del Coco · Costa Rica · Reef

Cabeza de Mono

Eagle ray schools passing a rock shaped like a gorilla's head

Area photo: Chris Spain · CC0

Cabeza de Mono is a volcanic rock in the Gulf of Papagayo, worn away by the sea until it resembles the head of a gorilla, dived between 9 and 23 m (30 to 75 ft). Large schools of eagle rays and stingrays often pass the rock on their oceanic journeys, and the site is rated easy.

Also known as Monkey Head, Monkeys Head.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Cabeza de Mono: typical dive 9–23 m (30–75 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit9 m23 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

10.6087° N, 85.7032° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The site is a single volcanic rock that the ocean has worn away until it resembles the head of a gorilla. It is dived between about 9 m (30 ft) and 23 m (75 ft) and is rated easy. Virador lies just a small sand channel away. Large schools of eagle rays and stingrays often pass the rock on their oceanic journeys.

Marine life and season

  • Eagle rays
  • Stingrays
Month-by-month season rating for Cabeza de Mono
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFairFair

Season follows Gulf of Papagayo & Playas del Coco: Boats run every day all year; December to March brings the coolest water, down to 20 °C, and June to August the warmest.

Dive videos

Famed Monkey Head - Virador - Costa Roca - 4K · WaterTrek 360 on YouTube

Questions divers ask

How deep is Cabeza de Mono?+

The site is dived between 9 and 23 m (30 to 75 ft), and it is rated easy.

Sources

  1. Dive sites Golfo Papagayo - Papagayo Gulf — Deep Blue Diving
  2. Local Dive | Summer-Salt — Summer-Salt Dive Center
  3. Monkey Head, Playas del Coco - Scubago dive site — Scubago

More dive sites in Gulf of Papagayo & Playas del Coco

Pinnacle

Meros

A small pinnacle named for its giant groupers

to 18 mbeginner

Reef

Punta Argentina

Rock fingers running into the deep, with frogfish and stingrays

8–27 mintermediate

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Sorpresa

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14–34 madvanced

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Tortuga

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5–21 mbeginner

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Virador

A shark cave at 10 m and whitetips resting at 22 m

9–24 mbeginner

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