Bajo del Diablo, also called Devil's Pinnacle, is a group of rock formations off Caño Island whose peaks and channels run from about 6 m down to 45 m. It is the big-fish dive of the reserve: schools of barracuda and large snapper hold over the rock, while oceanic manta rays and whitetip, blacktip and hammerhead sharks work the deeper water.
Also known as Devil's Pinnacle, Devil's Rock.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Isla del Caño and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The dive works the rock rather than a set route. The formation is a series of peaks and channels, topping out around 6 m and falling away to 45 m, and the group is dropped onto the upper structure. Most of the bottom time is spent along the tops and mid-levels, where schools of barracuda and outsized snapper gather over the rock and in the gaps between the peaks.
Keep one eye on the open water. Oceanic manta rays pass along the deeper flanks, whitetip, blacktip and hammerhead sharks move through, large nurse sharks are recorded here, and pilot whales have turned up as well. Because the rock keeps dropping to 45 m, well below recreational limits, teams set their own floor rather than following it down, then work back onto the shallow peaks for the last of the dive and the safety stop.
Marine life and season
- Manta rays
- Hammerheads
- Reef sharks
- Barracuda
- Reef fish swarms
- Whales
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Isla del Caño: Dec–Apr is the dry season with the clearest water; Sep–Nov rain cuts visibility but overlaps the southern humpback migration.
Know before you go
- Depth is the main risk: the rock runs to 45 m and it is easy to follow fish deeper than planned, so agree a hard limit and turn pressure before entry.
Dive videos
POTÁPANIE V BAJO DEL DIABLO (DEVIL'S ROCK) Costa-Rica - Tichomorská časť · Jozef Cihlár on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Bajo del Diablo?+
The site spans roughly 6 to 45 m. The peaks are shallow enough for a long safety stop, but the rock keeps dropping, so recreational teams set their own limit rather than following it to the bottom.
What sharks are seen at Bajo del Diablo?+
Whitetip, blacktip and hammerhead sharks are all recorded here, along with large nurse sharks. Oceanic manta rays and schooling barracuda and snapper are the other draws, and pilot whales have been seen at the site.
Sources
- Dive Sites at Caño Island — Dive The World
- Drake Bay — Wikivoyage
- Isla del Caño — Wikipedia
In The Logbook
- Gas density: why deep air gets hard to breatheBody & health · 8 min read
More dive sites in Isla del Caño
Pinnacle
A rock formation named for a sunken ship that isn't there
Coral garden
Hard-coral shelf in 5 to 12 m with whitetip sharks crossing it
A cave with about ten resident whitetip reef sharks
Pelagic & blue water
Current-fed schools of jacks, snapper and barracuda in 22 m
Similar dives elsewhere
Hold position at 18–24 m while hammerhead schools pass the plateau
Barracudas hunting over a pinnacle top carpeted in blue triggerfish
A rock small enough to swim around, sharks on every side
Big pelagics turn up on the pinnacles when the current runs.