Gulf of Papagayo & Playas del Coco · Costa Rica · Reef
Punta Argentina
Rock fingers running into the deep, with frogfish and stingrays
Area photo: Chris Spain · CC0
Punta Argentina is a Gulf of Papagayo site where long fingers of rock run from an offshore island into the deep, between 8 and 27 m (25 to 90 ft). Frogfish, large numbers of stingrays and schools of tropical fish thick enough to block out the sun live along the rock. Current runs at times, and the site is rated intermediate.
Also known as Argentina Point.
Where it is and how deep
10.5782° N, 85.7128° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Long fingers of rock run from an offshore island out into the deep, and the dive follows them between about 8 m (25 ft) and 27 m (90 ft). Current runs at times along the rock, and the site is rated intermediate, a step up from the easy rating given to Tortuga and Virador nearby. Frogfish live on the rock, stingrays are present in large numbers, and schools of tropical fish gather so thick that they block out the sun.
Marine life and season
- Frogfish
- Stingrays
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
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.
Know before you go
- Current runs at times along the rock fingers.
- Below the thermocline, which lies between 15 and 30 m, the water is much colder, down to 20 °C from December to March.
Dive videos
Punta Argentina Dive Site 93 Feet Max Depth - Playas Del Coco, Costa Rica - GoPro 10 POV 4k · ScubaBarnes on YouTube
Diving with White Tip Reef Sharks @ Punta Argentina, Bald Islands - Costa Rica - GoPro POV 4K · ScubaBarnes on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Punta Argentina?+
The dive runs from about 8 m (25 ft) near the island down to 27 m (90 ft) at the outer ends of the rock fingers.
Sources
- Dive sites Golfo Papagayo - Papagayo Gulf — Deep Blue Diving
- Local Dive | Summer-Salt — Summer-Salt Dive Center
- Punta Argentina, Playas del Coco - Scubago dive site — Scubago
More dive sites in Gulf of Papagayo & Playas del Coco
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A small pinnacle named for its giant groupers
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Fish spiralling from the ocean floor to the surface
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A sunken fishing boat at 18 m beside a whitetip shark cave
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A shark cave at 10 m and whitetips resting at 22 m
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