Montezuma, and Costa Rica in general, is a popular destination for surfers, yogis and vacationers, but did you know that many people travel here to obtain their Scuba Diving Certification? At Anamaya Resort we offer our guests the opportunity to train for their scuba certification during their vacation, giving them the chance to enjoy everything Montezuma has to offer.

Anamaya Resort is a boutique hotel and retreat center that is located in the enchanting beach town of Montezuma. Montezuma is known for it’s natural beauty and artistic vibe. This charming town is host to a nice mix of locals, ex-pats and tourists. It’s also know for its world famous waterfalls and beaches. Montezuma is located in the Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world’s Blue Zone areas, where people live the longest and the happiest. When you come and spend some time here you’ll know why!

Anamaya Resort offers weekly retreats that run from Saturday to Saturday. Please visit our Calendar for more information.

The CMAS 1-Star SCUBA Certification Program

Through our friends at Montezuma Crew, we use the CMAS International Diver Training Certification System to certify new divers. CMAS is not as well known as PADI, but in fact is the original Scuba training program founded by Jaques Cousteau. CMAS certifications are recognized around the world by all scuba diving companies. We think Montezuma Crew’s program is the best in Costa Rica for a number of reasons:

1. The CMAS course is the equivalent to PADI’s Advanced Open Water Diver Certification, so at the entry level the CMAS course is much more comprehensive than PADI’s basic “Open Water Diver” certification.

2. Because we’re in a bay, the water is among the warmest in Costa Rica, making it a very comfortable place for your first open water dives.

3. The water here is often cloudier than Costa Rica’s best dive spots in other areas, which is a great benefit for training. Divers who do their certification course in conditions of perfect visibility tend to panic when they dive in low-visibility waters for the first time. So with us, you will be very well prepared.

4. The Montezuma Crew instructors, Michele and David, are extremely calm and experienced dive instructors. They’re proud that in over 20 years and thousands of students, they’ve never had an accident.

This course does a great job of preparing our guests for many different types of dives they may do in the future. For more information on the program, please visit the CMAS website.

Cost

The rate for the Scuba Certification is $495 USD. That includes everything involved in your scuba certification training. This rate does not include accommodations, any additional excursions, or other expenses.

More About MontezumaCrew

The Montezuma Crew is a professional and fun group consisting of a CMAS Dive Captains, CMAS Guides, and a Marine Biologist. They are passionate about Costa Rica, diving, and discovery. Here are some examples of what people are saying about our Instructors:

“Great Guys, Great Fun!”

“David & Miguel are super passionate about what they do and it’s contagious. We had a blast last weekend and, more importantly, we felt comfortable the entire trip and can’t wait to dive again. Can’t recommend them enough!”

“Best way to spend your vacation in Montezuma!”

“There are a number of incredible things do in Montezuma and with Michele and David I was able to do all of them while getting my CMAS scuba certification. I learned quickly and never felt like I was rushed like most courses may feel like because I had two master divers in every session answering any question I had. Although the water isn’t the clearest, I saw beautiful fish and unique creatures I had never seen before. Michele and David are passionate and genuine people and I highly recommend them to anyone thinking about diving in
Montezuma!”

Scuba Diving in Montezuma

Montezuma may not be the most popular spot to dive among more experienced divers, but it’s a great area in to learn. The water in this area of Costa Rica isn’t perfectly clear so you’ll become a more confident and skilled diver by training in this environment. Many of the students still see many amazing fish and animals like dolphins, turtles, octopus and even whales. For more information about Scuba Diving in Montezuma and this corner of the world, please visit Montezumabeach.com.

FAQs about Dive Certification Program

How many dives will there be? Usually 5 pool dives and 5 ocean dives. It’s a 5 day program but sometimes can be done in 4 if the student is really comfortable in the water.

Will I learn emergency procedures? Yes, the CMAS program is very thorough. You’ll be learning various potentially life-saving skills such as what to do if you run out of air (how to share with your buddy), what to do if you lose your breather (good techniques for grabbing your spare) etc. These skills are done repeatedly in the pool and then later in the sea.

Most Dive Centers are PADI, not CMAS. What does that mean for me? PADI is the most common certification standard but there are more than 10 different certifications worldwide. All PADI dive centers recognize the CMAS certification program, so you never have to worry that you won’t be able to dive with a different scuba outfitter.

Photos and Video? Many people bring their own GoPro, but you will not be allowed to use it until the last 2-3 dives as it can be distracting to the skills you need to be learning.

Sharks? Will we see them? Here we very rarely see the very docile white tipped reef shark, which grows up to 6ft or so. We’re unlikely to see one because they tend to sleep during the day and hunt at night. There are caves we know about that we can usually find them if you’re eager to have your first close encounter.

Will I See Any Sea Life?

We’re on the Pacific Coast in the tropical zone, so we have a large variety of fish and other sea creatures here.

Nearly Guaranteed: Puffer Fish in various colors, Moray Eels, Snappers and Jackfish, Lobsters, Starfish, Parrotfish, and the highly camoflauged and venomous stonfish/scorpionfish.

Good Chance to See: Boxfish, Stingrays, Manta Ray, Sea Turtles, Octopus, Jellyfish.

Very Lucky to See: Seahorses, Nudibranch, Spanish Dancer.

From July through January, we’ll probably also see dolphins and whales from the boat.

Please feel free to Contact Us with any questions and we’ll be happy to assist.