There have been posts on this topic before, including some by me, but they seem to have disappeared or at least aren't coming up on my search. I get tired of repeating myself, sometimes. So I'll just copy some info from a couple of websites. First from
http://www.jdwatersports.com
Diving in Costa Rica is characterized by big schools of fish, large fish and lots of them. The best diving takes place on the North and South Pacific Coast. The Caribbean Coast offers very limited diving. The Central Pacific Coast does not have good diving. Diving in Costa Rica is for more experienced, adventurous divers who want something different. The variety and sheer number of fish are fascinating and might be worth the effort for non-beginning divers. But Costa Rica is not primarily a dive destination: 2-3 days of diving is plenty for most people. Strong currents, surges, and reduced underwater visibility are common problems in Costa Rica. So it is not recommended for beginning divers. The best diving takes place around Caño Island near Drake Bay on the South Pacific Coast. Caño Island offers better visibility during most of the year, except August - October when the rains are heavier. The North Pacific offers decent diving year-round, but often with strong currents and reduced visibility. Cocos Island offers World-class diving, but is over 300 miles offshore! You cannot dive Cocos Island easily. To dive Cocos Island, you must take a 10-day liveaboard trip. While expensive, many divers consider Cocos Island the trip of a lifetime. Cocos Island features great visibility, schools of hammerhead sharks, manta rays, and many other large pelagic species. 10-day trips depart from Puntarenas on the Central Pacific Coast
This may not seem too encouraging for most of us (though it shouldn't faze a couple of divemasters) and yet this is coming from one of the leading watersports tour companies in CR, which is in the business of selling dive trips. I think this has to tell you something. It's also interesting to note JD doesn't recommend the Central Pacific for diving even though that is where they are based
. OTOH, I suspect that the reason they claim the Caribbean side has "very limited diving" might have something to do with the fact that they don't cover that side themselves.
The other repost I've copied from
http://www.costaricauncovered.com/costa_rica_scuba_diving.htm
Scuba diving in Costa Rica-- scuba diving begins by gliding over living coral reefs and leads deeper for the stunning sight of Manta Rays swimming by like a formation of underwater hang gliders. For the finest in Costa Rica, Guanacaste is the place to go. Divers may take PADI-certified courses here, including beginner lessons and open water certification. Playas del Coco and Playa Ocotal are the top places for having fun under the waves.
The Prime Areas
The top spots are off Guanacaste on the northwest Pacific coast, the southern Caribbean coast around Cahuita, Canos Island off Drake Bay on the south Pacific, and Cocos Island, eight hours away by boat. Visibility is superb virtually all year 'round, and the assortment of marine life amazes even longtime veterans. Other parts of the country offer excellent dive opportunities, including Manuel Antonio, Nicoya, Drake Bay and Golfito, but visibility can be erratic, particularly during rainy season.
Guanacaste
The Gold Coast of Guanacaste features more dive shops than any other area, and rightfully so. Boats head out regularly for the Catalina Islands and the Bat Islands, where visibility ranges from 40-80 feet. Clouds of Eagle Rays, sharks, schools of dolphins and billfish, even the occasional whale can be seen among the rock pinnacles and canyons encircling these islands. Playa Ocotal, Playas de Coco, Flamingo and Tamarindo are some of the most popular beach towns with certified facilities, many of which offer nitrox.
Isla del Cano
On the southern Pacific coast, Canos Island presents a picture perfect view of exotic fish, with visibility from 60-80 feet on most days. From a hotel or resort in nearby Drake Bay, you can take a small boat out to Canos to explore its friendly waters. Snorkeling is also great here, as the plateaus and canyons are not as steep as the islands to the north.
Isla del Coco
For the ultimate, however, Coco Island remains the top choice for serious underwater adventurers. Live-aboard boats make the eight-ten hour trip from Guanacaste to Cocos, whose steep rock walls and canyons give shelter to an overwhelming variety of sea life. Currents are heavy, visibility usually 60-100 feet.
Cahuita
Cahuita, on the balmy Caribbean coast, offers the best beach dives, and with a small boat you can reach the giant barriers reefs of Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge and Cahuita National Park. Expect visibility up to 150 feet here, and the warm water off the Caribbean side is nearly always over 80 degrees.
The ironic thing is that for some reason most of the reports here at CRT on diving in CR has been on the less recommended areas.
For example, there was one trip report on a dive near Herradura, which is in the Central Pacific, but heading from Jaco towards Puntarenas with its polluted waters, low visibility and undercurrents. The reason some of our members have gone diving here is is probably because it is near Jaco which offers much better adult nightlife than other dive destinations and is also relatively close to SJ. You may preferthe nightlife in Jaco to that in other dive destinations, but I'd be willing to bet your son and his friend will be seriously disappointed with it.
The other dive area that I've seen reviewed here at CRT has been on the Caribbean side. From what I've heard in that report and from other 3rd party sources there is actually very good wreck and reef diving on that side, but I've also heard from those sources that there is supposedly less "infrastructure" in terms of dive shops, etc. This may not be that important if, as I suspect, your son and his friend are bringing their own equipment than all they need is a guy with a boat and a place to refill their tanks. Tman is really big on the Caribbean coast and might be able to provide you with more info on that area.
By far the area that seems to have the best "press" by a variety of sources and that is also popular with board members is off the NW/Guanacaste beaches. Here there are not so much in the way of reefs, but it is extremely rich in sea life and there are plenty of dive outfitters and tour companies.
BTW, you were misinformed about there being no dive companies in Quepos. Here is a link to one
http://www.costaricadiving.com/queposindex.htm. If I were you though what I'd consider shipping your son and his friend off to Cocos Island for their "dive trip of a life time". The negatives are that the minimum stay is one week, they have to go on a live-aboard boat as overnight stays on the island aren't allowed and the cost usually runs $1500 and up. The plus is that your son will be eternally endebted to you and you'll have a whole week to whore around without them looking over your shoulder.
OTOH, other dive companies will tell you the diving is great for beginners. Personally, as a diver, I think a bad day diving is better than a good day at work, its just that CR wouldn't be my first choice of destinations if diving were my main focus.
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