Venturing 340 miles into the open Pacific to Cocos Island, Costa Rica, is an expedition that demands a specific kind of liveaboard. The Cocos Island Aggressor is designed and built for exactly this purpose. Its large 124 ft (38m) steel-hull and diesel propulsion system provide the stability and power required for the crossing, ensuring a comfortable and secure journey to this remote UNESCO World Heritage site. Launched in 2023, this modern yacht represents the latest evolution in liveaboard engineering, blending rugged capability with refined comfort to create a dependable platform for exploring one of the planet's most legendary dive destinations.
Understanding that divers need both rejuvenation and personal space between adventures, the Cocos Island Aggressor accommodates a maximum of 22 guests across 11 well-appointed staterooms. Each cabin features individual climate control, a private bathroom, and a monitor with a media player for personal entertainment. The layout offers a choice between 4 Master staterooms on the upper deck with large picture windows and 7 Deluxe cabins on the lower deck, all designed to provide a quiet retreat. The liveaboard's communal spaces are crafted for relaxation and camaraderie. The air-conditioned saloon and expansive sun deck with chaise lounges offer areas to socialize, review the day's sightings, or simply soak in the vast ocean scenery during the voyage.
The dive deck is the operational heart of the Cocos Island Aggressor liveaboard, configured to streamline your experience from gear-up to rinse-down. Each diver is assigned a personal equipment locker, and the yacht provides 80 cubic ft. (12 liter) tanks with both K-valves and DIN adapters. Dedicated spaces, including a large camera table with a rinse tank and an onboard computer for image editing, cater specifically to underwater photographers. The professional crew, fluent in both English and Spanish, oversees all scuba diving activities with a clear emphasis on safety, supported by measures such as personal EPIRBs for divers and an on-board defibrillator. Nitrox is available to extend your bottom time responsibly, aligning with the operator's commitment to a safe, structured, and professional diving environment.
Sustaining energy for multiple daily dives is paramount, and the culinary team on the Cocos Island Aggressor delivers with a varied and plentiful menu. Meals are a highlight of each liveaboard trip, featuring a mix of American classics, barbecue, and local Costa Rican cuisine. Days begin with cooked-to-order breakfasts and continue with chef-prepared lunches and multi-course dinners, complemented by fresh soups, salads, and homemade desserts. The beverage selection includes complimentary soft drinks, juices, coffee, iced tea, and a selection of local beer and wine.
Choosing this vessel means aligning with the established values of the Aggressor fleet, which has spent decades perfecting the liveaboard experience. The focus extends beyond logistics to fostering a genuine connection with the marine environment. Evenings may be enriched with educational presentations on marine life identification or shared documentaries, fostering a deeper appreciation for Cocos Island's unique ecosystem. This experience-led approach, combined with a consistent standard of operation, builds a trustworthy foundation for your adventure. It transforms the trip from a simple vacation into an immersive expedition led by a knowledgeable team dedicated to the diving community.
The vessel itself is your gateway to the main event: the protected waters of Cocos Island National Park. Renowned as 'the island of sharks', the park's nutrient-rich currents create a biodiverse oasis that supports large pelagic life. The diving tour is crafted to showcase iconic sites where encounters with schooling hammerheads, majestic mantas, and dense fish populations are a defining characteristic of the ecosystem. The operator’s respect for this pristine environment is evident in their adherence to park guidelines and sustainable practices. A cruise on the Cocos Island Aggressor liveaboard is thus more than a dive trip; it is an expedition to witness the dynamic and untamed ocean processes that make Cocos Island a true crown jewel of the Pacific.
Cocos Island Aggressor has 11 guest cabins (size 10' by 10' / >9 sqm), all with private en-suite/private bathrooms. There are 7 Deluxe twin bed staterooms on the lower deck, and 4 Master staterooms on the upper deck - 3 have twin beds, and 1 has a double bed.
All the cabins have:
- Individual climate control
- TV and USB/HDMI ports
- Portholes in lower deck cabins, windows on upper deck
- Private bathroom with hot water shower and hand basin
- Hairdryer, towels, bathrobe and soap
- Daily housekeeping
- Cabinet, shelves and mirror
- Reading lights
- Fire extinguisher and life jackets
- USA 2-pin 110V electricity
- Bedding
- Luggage storage space
No. of bathrooms / showers - 11 / 11 - hot water
Cocos Island
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, off the beaten track
Dive sites and activities: Cocos Island, including Dos Amigos, Manuelita, Bajo Alcyone, Dirty Rock, Bird Island - Chatham Bay, Lone Stone, Ubing Rock - Wafer Bay
Day 1
Upon your arrival, the Cocos Island Aggressor liveaboard crew will welcome you and assist with boarding. You will be offered refreshments and a comprehensive boat briefing as the vessel embarks on its approximately 36-hour voyage to the legendary island. Dinner will be served this day.
Core Days
The remote seas of Cocos Island are a legendary megafauna arena, with massive marine life and relentless action. The main attraction is the breathtaking spectacle of hundreds of scalloped hammerhead sharks schooling at sites like Dirty Rock and the iconic Bajo Alcyone seamount. They are joined by a staggering diversity of other sharks, including patrolling whitetip reef sharks, majestic whale sharks, and powerful Galapagos, tiger, silky, blacktip, silvertip, and guitar sharks. The excitement continues with rays - from massive mantas and energetic mobula to marble and eagle rays - frequenting cleaning stations at Manuelita and Viking Wall.
For thrill-seekers, some high-voltage drift dives propel you through massive schools of Pacific creolefish and hunting jacks, while exploring the intricate coral gardens and caves of Dos Amigos and the Garden of Eden reveal another side to Cocos. Whether navigating the challenging currents of Punta Maria or exploring the walls of Shark Fin Rock, every dive offers a chance to witness the incredible marine life that makes Cocos Island a world-class diving destination.
Final Day
Following an early breakfast, you will check out and disembark the Cocos Island Aggressor in Puntarenas.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
All meals are served in the Cocos Island Aggressor liveaboard's spacious indoor saloon or on the outdoor deck, allowing you to dine with stunning ocean views. The daily schedule is planned around 5 possible dive times.
The day begins with a continental breakfast at 7 am, followed immediately by the first dive. A full, hot breakfast is then served before the second morning dive. A plentiful buffet-style lunch is served at approximately 12 noon, after the morning's dives. The third dive of the day typically commences at 2 pm, offering prime opportunities for pelagic encounters. Dinner is served at 6 pm, following the afternoon's activities.
Breakfast is a two-part affair, starting with a light continental offering of pastries, fruits, and cereals to prepare for the first immersion. This is followed by a more substantial hot breakfast.
Lunch is an expansive buffet featuring a wide variety of dishes such as mushroom steak, Florence chicken scaloppini, fresh tuna salad, grilled eggplant, and seafood pasta, always accompanied by salads and desserts like lemon cheesecake.
Dinner is a chef-prepared, plated service offering sophisticated entrees including sea bass in lemon sauce, fillet mignon, jumbo shrimp skewers, and chicken teriyaki, served with sides like zucchini and tomato gratin, and concluded with desserts such as peaches and pears with ice cream.
Complimentary afternoon snacks are provided daily to ensure energy levels remain high between dives.
The Aggressor's renowned standard bar is included in your fare, featuring an unlimited selection of soda, juice, water, coffee, tea, beer, wine, and spirits.
It is important to note that due to Cocos Island's status as a protected national park with no shoreside facilities, a beach BBQ is not offered on this liveaboard route; the focus remains exclusively on the world-class scuba diving and the exceptional service and the cuisine provided onboard throughout your Cocos Island Aggressor adventure.
MORE TRIP DETAILS
Notes: Cocos is a popular destination with limited liveaboard spaces. We recommend you book well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Dive experience: Beginner divers may consider the diving at Cocos Island difficult due to its ruggedness and currents. 50+ logged dives is recommended to join the Cocos Island Aggressor liveaboard.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, local wine and beer, land tours, transfers to the boat from some hotels, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English-speaking divemaster, tanks, weights, weightbelt, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (USD 330 for 10 night trips), dive computer, diving insurance, Cocos Island National Park fee (USD 490 for 10 night trips, +13% tax - cash or credit card (3% bank charge applies for card payment)), USD 30 charge for an Emergency Evacuation Plan. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash only).
Optional extras: Nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (USD 150 for 10 night trips), torches. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: The Cocos Island Aggressor departs from Puntarenas. Guests fly into San Jose. For more details, including airlines, see our Costa Rica travel information section. Transfers to Puntarenas by the operator are from the D Sabana Hotel (former Park Inn by Radisson) San Jose: It is recommended that guests stay at this hotel. You must have a 1 night stay in San Jose before departure to meet the transfer schedule.
Note: Departure times vary according to the tides. You will be informed in advance of your pick-up time and the cruise departure time. The last dive of the trip will be at around 12 noon on the third last day of the trip. After the 36 hour crossing back to the mainland, you will disembark at 7 am, You can book any flights from San Jose after 12:30 pm.
Non-diver rate: USD 200 off the full published price (does not apply to specials).
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 65% of the normal published price for their own cabin.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 6 guests and 1 extra guest can join the cruise in a 4-bed cabin free of charge (total 7+ guests). Pay for 9 and 2 extra guests can join free of charge (total 11+ guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 18 guests and 4 extra guests can join the cruise free of charge (total 22 guests).
Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow
