Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee. Resort nearby
This spot has been added by
Last updated on May 26, 2022
Relatively secluded, Playa Danta (and its tiny neighbor Playa Dantita) is a good option for snorkeling in Guanacaste. The beach is popular for its calm seas, perfect for exploring the underwater world. Around the rocks you will spot starfish, angelfish and colorful wrasse.
Playa Danta is a 15-minute drive north of Playa Flamingo, and about 45 minutes north of Tamarindo. From Playas del Coco, allow 1 hour by car. Las Catalinas town has been recently built next to the beach.
Enter the water from the beach, near the area you want to explore (see map).
The 3 rocky areas located on either sides of Danta and Dantita beaches are suitable for snorkeling. These areas have different orientations, and it is recommended that you choose the one where the sea is the calmest on the day of your visit.
The southernmost zone (zone 1 on the map) is generally the most sheltered.
In the designated snorkeling areas, the seabed is rocky, covered in places with Caulerpa seaweed. Gorgonians are sometimes found on the rocks. Galápagos blue sea star and long-spined sea urchins are very common here.
A great diversity of fish can be spotted here, including the Cortez angelfish, which rarely leaves the rocky overhangs. Cortez rainbow wrasse, porcupinefish and Acapulco gregory are also easy to see here.
The small Las Catalinas town has several vacation rentals and a few restaurants, including the Limonada Restaurant, located on the beach.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
