Cocos Island vs Galapagos Islands — Dive Destination Comparison

Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) scores 66.9/100 vs Cocos Island's 64.6/100 in OkToDive's 12-category rating. Choose Cocos Island for pelagic diving with 9–30m visibility. Choose Galapagos Islands for pelagic diving at ~$300/dive.

Last updated: 2026-07-22

Side-by-side comparison

MetricCocos IslandGalapagos Islands
OkToDive Score64.6/10066.9/100
CountryCosta RicaEcuador
Visibility9--30m6--24m
Water temp22--28 C17--26 C
Max depth40m30m
Currentstrongstrong
Cost per 2-tank dive$350$300
Budget tierultra luxuryultra luxury
Best monthsJune, July, AugustJune, July, August
Dive typespelagic, wall, drift, deep, nightpelagic, wall, drift, blue water, reef
Min certificationAdvanced Open WaterAdvanced Open Water
Key speciesscalloped hammerhead, whitetip reef shark, silky sharkscalloped hammerhead, whale shark, marine iguana
Google rating4.9 (1200 reviews)4.9 (5200 reviews)

Which should you choose?

Choose Cocos Island when...

  • + Marine life enthusiasts seeking scalloped hammerhead encounters
  • + Experienced drift divers comfortable in current
  • + Dedicated divers willing to commit to a liveaboard trip

Skip if

  • - You're uncomfortable in strong currents
  • - You don't have Advanced certification
  • - You're on a tight budget — avg $350/dive

Choose Galapagos Islands when...

  • + Marine life enthusiasts seeking scalloped hammerhead encounters
  • + Experienced drift divers comfortable in current
  • + Couples where one partner doesn't dive
  • + Dedicated divers willing to commit to a liveaboard trip

Skip if

  • - You're uncomfortable in strong currents
  • - You're on a tight budget — avg $300/dive
  • - You get seasick or prefer shore-based diving

Bottom line

Galapagos Islands wins on overall score (66.9 vs 64.6), but the right choice depends on your priorities. Galapagos Islands is more affordable ($300 vs $350/dive). Cocos Island has better peak visibility (30m vs 24m).