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Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Cocos Island location page.
Overview
The larger of two rock spires that break the surface off the exposed southwest corner of Cocos. The signature dive is the cleaning station near 30 m, one of the few spots at Cocos where scalloped hammerheads hang almost motionless while barberfish and king angelfish pick them over — the sharks held still rather than passing in the blue. Ascending the reef, a rock archway rises to within about 18 m of the surface, framing whitetip reef sharks, marble rays, green turtles, and schools of jacks and snapper. Current strengthens toward the shallows.
Briefing note
Permit-controlled national park; liveaboard-only access. The site sits off the exposed southwest corner of the island and can be surgy with strong, shifting current.
What you'll see
6 species curated- year-roundScalloped hammerheadPeak: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov
- year-roundWhitetip reef shark
- year-roundGalapagos shark
- year-roundMarble ray
- year-roundGreen turtle
- year-roundBigeye trevally
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25–27 °C | 15–25 m | strong |
| Feb | 26–28 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Mar | 27–28 °C | 20–30 m | moderate |
| Apr | 27–28 °C | 20–30 m | moderate |
| May | 26–28 °C | 15–25 m | moderate |
| Jun | 25–27 °C | 10–20 m | strong |
| Jul | 24–27 °C | 10–20 m | strong |
| Aug | 24–27 °C | 10–20 m | strong |
| Sep | 24–27 °C | 10–20 m | strong |
| Oct | 25–27 °C | 10–20 m | strong |
| Nov | 25–27 °C | 10–20 m | strong |
| Dec | 25–27 °C | 15–25 m | strong |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Gear for this site
Beyond the basic kit- Temperate-grade wetsuit — Thermoclines can drop water to around 19-22°C at the cleaning-station depth even in the warm season.
- Reef hook — Hooking in on the up-current side lets you hold position and watch the hammerheads being cleaned.
- Nitrox certification — Most operators run nitrox to extend bottom time on the repeated 30 m profiles.
Next step
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Hotels, liveaboards, dive operators, gear recommendations, and travel logistics for the whole region.
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