Costa Rica is known for more than being a world-renowned fishing destination. On top of offering a host of top-notch spots for sport fishermen, the region is a haven for travellers searching for natural, untouched beauty. 

For visitors with a wanderlust and a ready rod, a charter fishing trip to Costa's Rica's Cocos Island is a must-do trip. If you've ever wondered how it would feel to be the only soul on a desert island, Cocos Island can help put your curiosity to rest. The uninhabited isle, about 500 kilometres from Costa Rica's Pacific side, is one of the country's national parks and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

After spending some time fishing along the western coast in Los Suenos or Jaco, make the relatively short trip into the depths of the Pacific. Aside from its beautiful virgin beaches, the waters around Cocos are a haven for hammerhead sharks, according to Marlin magazine. And while the island's park and heritage statuses mean the surrounding waters are protected, Costa Rica's sport fishermen can wander a mere eight miles from the isle's beaches to find premier striped Marlin fishing territory. 

The waters around Costa Rica have once again been hailed as an idyllic spot for casual and serious sport fishermen alike.

According to a recent feature in The Costa Rica News, the country's central Pacific region is celebrated the world over for its high-quality excursions.

The area has racked up numerous accolades, including more than 80 fishing records as well as a number of sportfishing records from the International Game Fish Association.

The popular pasttime can be divided into two types: inshore and offshore. Visitors can participate in both, particularly around scenic beach villages such as Manuel Antonio and Jaco.

Inshore fishing is defined as fishing in shallow waters at a depth of less than 30 metres. This type is often the preferred option for more casual fishermen, as less equipment is required, making it far less expensive than its deep-sea counterpart.

Offshore fishing is obviously the opposite—sport fishermen trek out into deeper waters on the hunt for bigger prey. And the adventurous sportsmen who try tackling offshore can expect to see more big game. Those with a fierce competitive side or looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience can take on the task in hopes of landing a mammoth Marlin or Sailfish.

Hats off to the Costa Rican Government for supporting hammer head sharks by signing a petition after Honduras petitioned to join an endangered species list according to a recent article on the Global Voices website; http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/02/28/latin-america-turns-to-iphone-app-to-take-hammerheads-off-the-chopping-block/

“In Latin America, Honduras first petitioned that the three species of hammerhead join the Cites list. Costa Rica and Brazil immediately signed on, followed by Colombia, Mexico and Ecuador.”

In Panama hammerheads swim close to shore to have their young making the easy prey for thieves harvesting them for shark fin soup. Now the app can identify this illegal practice and hopefully curb the disappearance of this apex predator.

Hammerheads are important people to swim with for tourism, to fulfill their ecological role, the sport fishing industry and as a apex predator the future of our planet and the survival of life as we know it in and out of the ocean.

At Go Costa Rica Fishing.com we applaude those that are committed to saving our environment.