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Nicaragua

Divesites
7
Centers
2
Wildlife
40

Explore Nicaragua

Nicaragua offers a varied and rewarding diving experience: warm Pacific waters with dramatic volcanic walls, pinnacles and wrecks, and the Caribbean’s calmer reefs and mangrove-fringed bays. Typical sightings include reef fish, turtles, octopus and seasonal visits from humpback whales and manta rays on the Pacific side. Visibility can range from 10–30 meters depending on season and site, and currents create lively drift dives as well as sheltered shore entries.

Dive styles suit many tastes—short boat rides to offshore pinnacles, shore dives around protected bays, and liveaboard excursions to remote islets. Regional differences are striking: the Pacific is known for steep drop-offs and big pelagics, while the Caribbean favors coral gardens and juvenile fish nurseries. Surprising fact: many sites lie close to volcanic features, so divers often explore underwater lava formations and unique topography rarely seen elsewhere.

Power Plug Type
A, B
Payment Method
VISA, MC, Cir, Plus
Tipping
10%
Currency
Nicaraguan Córdoba (NIO)
Dial Code
+505
Electricity
Voltage: 120 V, Frequency: 60 Hz
Time
Central Standard Time (CST) - UTC −6

Dive Centers

Freediving Nicaragua

Plan de la laguna, del triangulo, 100m a la izquierda, 4300 Laguna de Apoyo, Catarina, Mas, Nicaragua

The Little Dive Shack by the Sea, Derek s Place

Derek’s Place, Little Corn Island, 08100 Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Dive Sites

Freediving Nicaragua, Laguna de Apoyo, Catarina, Mas

Laguna de Apoyo 60m Spot (★4.8)

Laguna de Apoyo first official freediving spot. Water is warm, no thermocline, no current, and rarely any waves. Main training spot for Freediving Nicaragua. 60m clean available. Private mooring line, contact Freediving Nicaragua.
Scubapro

Long Rock (★4.1)

Location: West side of Little Corn Island, NicaraguaDepth: Max. 24mVisibility: 15–25m, weather-dependentTopography: 100m long, 6m wide reef; top at 18m, bottom at 24mCurrents: Varies with tide; from none to moderateCertification: Advanced Open Water or Open Water with deep dive cert.
Mares

Cave (★4.8)

Location: East of Little Corn IslandDepth: Maximum depth of 10 metersVisibility: Generally good, 10–20 metersTopography: The dive site features shallow caves that do not penetrate deeply into the rock, offering interesting formations to explore.
Mares

Jakes Place (★4.2)

Jake’s Place Dive Site:Location: West side of Little Corn Island, NicaraguaDepth: Max. 18mVisibility: 15–25m, weather-dependentTopography: 100m long, 6m wide reef; top at 12m, bottom at 18m
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

Tarpon Channel (★4.5)

Tarpon Channel Dive SiteLocation: East of Little Corn IslandDepth: Maximum depth of 22 metersVisibility: Generally good, 15–25 metersMarine Life: Tarpon, occasional hammerhead shark, reef fishTopography: Resembling a canyon, the dive site offers a dramatic underwater landscape with steep walls.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Nicaragua

Nicaragua’s reefs host a typical Caribbean assemblage: plentiful parrotfish, surgeonfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, damselfish, snappers and groupers, plus moray eels and juvenile species in shallows. These reef fish are commonly encountered year-round around the Corn Islands and protected bays.

Seasonal highlights include regular turtle sightings (green and hawksbill) near nesting beaches, frequent reef sharks at offshore drop-offs, and occasional rays and migrating sharks or whale sharks during warm-season movements—probability varies by site and season.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 27

iStock-Global_Pics

Barracuda
47 Sightings
J
3
F
8
M
6
A
8
M
2
J
3
J
6
A
4
S
2
O
2
N
1
D
2
AdobeStock/G Russel Childress

Great Hammerhead Shark
37 Sightings
J
4
F
2
M
9
A
13
M
1
J
0
J
1
A
1
S
3
O
1
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

iStock/Juliosanjuan

Eagle Ray
35 Sightings
J
6
F
3
M
12
A
2
M
1
J
1
J
0
A
3
S
1
O
2
N
3
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
13 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
2
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
1
S
1
O
0
N
2
D
1
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography

Green Turtle
6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
2
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
1
Alamy-Christian Zappel

Scalloped Hammerhead
5 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
2
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0
iStock-ShaneGross

Loggerhead Turtle
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
1
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0
AdobeStock-wildestanimal

Common Dolphin
3 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0
Alamy/BIOSPHOTO

Ocean Sunfish
3 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 2

AdobeStock-hakbak

Nurse Shark
44 Sightings
J
1
F
8
M
5
A
6
M
4
J
0
J
4
A
4
S
1
O
4
N
3
D
4
Show More

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

iStock/Extreme-Photographer

Stingrays
39 Sightings
J
2
F
5
M
5
A
6
M
2
J
0
J
4
A
5
S
1
O
3
N
5
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 12

iStock/cinoby

Lionfish
35 Sightings
J
3
F
4
M
3
A
6
M
2
J
1
J
4
A
2
S
3
O
3
N
2
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey

Angelfish
34 Sightings
J
0
F
5
M
6
A
4
M
2
J
1
J
5
A
1
S
3
O
1
N
4
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

iStock-burnsboxco

Parrotfish
28 Sightings
J
1
F
5
M
3
A
3
M
0
J
2
J
4
A
3
S
0
O
1
N
6
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis

Snapper
24 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
3
A
4
M
1
J
2
J
6
A
1
S
1
O
4
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
20 Sightings
J
1
F
3
M
3
A
1
M
1
J
2
J
3
A
0
S
1
O
1
N
4
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker

Grouper/Basslets
18 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
3
A
2
M
1
J
0
J
5
A
0
S
1
O
3
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 55

k

Lobster
15 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
1
A
3
M
1
J
1
J
2
A
1
S
2
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek

Butterfly Fish
13 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
1
J
2
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
13 Sightings
J
2
F
3
M
1
A
1
M
0
J
1
J
3
A
0
S
2
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Spiny Lobster
13 Sightings
J
1
F
3
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
1
O
0
N
1
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

iStock-mirecca

Surgeonfish
12 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
2
A
1
M
0
J
1
J
2
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
4
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 150

Shutterstock-aquapix

Sweetlips and Grunts
12 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
2
J
2
A
0
S
2
O
0
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3400

Shutterstock-Shane Gross

Shrimp
11 Sightings
J
0
F
3
M
0
A
3
M
1
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 7000

iStock-Michael Zeigler

Crab
11 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
2
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
2
A
0
S
1
O
2
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Squirrelfish
10 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
1
A
3
M
1
J
1
J
3
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl

Bannerfish
10 Sightings
J
0
F
4
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
1
S
1
O
0
N
4
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo

Trumpetfish
8 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
2
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
1
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp

Jackfish
6 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
2
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 20

iStock-stephankerkhofs

Porcupinefish
6 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
2
A
0
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal

Damselfish
5 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel

Boxfish
4 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Shutterstock_DiveIvanov

Squid
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
3
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0
k

Caribbean Reef Shark
4 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0
iStock-June Jacobsen

Whitetip Reef Shark
4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
2
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Soldierfish
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
1
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

iStock-bearacreative

Emperor
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3000

SSI-Peter-Schinck

Nudibranch
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 2

iStock-stock_colors

Tarpon
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 15

Shutterstock-Al McGlashan

Tuna
3 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
1
D
0