Best diving in Costa Rica/Panama on a budget

[jamie9090]

Hi,

My girlfriend and I are currently in Panama. We are working with the Red Cross for another week then plan to travel in Panama and Costa Rica. During this time my girlfriend would like to do her Advanced Diving course and Id like to do a few dives at the same time (I've done rescue diver).

We were wondering where is the best place in CR or Panama to go in May. Ive heard visibility is a problem in a lot of places such as Portobelo, Bocas del Toro and the Caribbean in CR. Isla Coiba sounds like the best place but it seems to be above our budget (from what ive read an Advanced course is about $300), Ive also heard that Playa del Coco and Drake Bay in CR are pretty good but I'm not sure about the prices?

Has anyone got any recommendations for any of the above places (or anywhere else) with an idea of the sort of price for an Advanced course?

Im also quite keen to do a wreck dive as Ive never done one, is there anywhere apart from Portobelo that is good for these?

Thanks in advance

Jamie

 

[cappyjon431]

Hi Jamie,

We do the Advanced Class for $225 including book, instruction, c-card, and 5 dives. We also include two free dives at the conclusion of the class.

Visibility averages about 40 feet in Bocas del Toro, it is a little better than that right now, but it is dependent on rainfall and ambient sunlight. While our visibility is lower than some places in the Caribbean, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Station recently surveyed our reefs and found over 90 species of coral, 140 species of tropical fish, and about 200 species of non-coral invertebrates (sponge, crab, lobster, shrimp, sea stars, etc.). Apparently the nutrient matter in the water which reduces visibility also contributes to very healthy reef systems.

We do have one wreck dive, an old car ferry which was sunk about ten years ago. Because it has been submerged so long, there is excellent growth on the wreck.

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

 

[jamie9090]

Thanks very much for the info, we'll definately consider diving with you in Bocas! A couple of questions: how long does the Advanced course last? and what is the weather like there at the moment?

Thanks

Jamie

 

[cappyjon431]

Thanks very much for the info, we'll definately consider diving with you in Bocas! A couple of questions: how long does the Advanced course last? and what is the weather like there at the moment?

Thanks

Jamie

The AOW class takes two full days (5 dives required, so 3 on one day and two on the other). Plan on a third day so you can take advantage of the two free dives AFTER the class.

Right now it is raining (we had rain most of the night) and it looks like we have some rain coming up from Columbia for the rest of the day and into tomorrow. The morning dive boat just got back and the rain from last night has not affected visibility (yet).

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

 

[Rich Coast Diving]

check out the treckcats on facebook, it's a group of great divecenters including bocawatersports.
We made a nice package for all budget travelers. When you use on or more dive centers there is a discount included, here at Rich Coast we offer a 10% discount if you let us know you come via TreckCats.

Happy diving

Brenda

 

[cappyjon431]

check out the treckcats on facebook, it's a group of great divecenters including bocawatersports.
We made a nice package for all budget travelers. When you use on or more dive centers there is a discount included, here at Rich Coast we offer a 10% discount if you let us know you come via TreckCats.

Happy diving

Brenda

Hi Brenda! We have a diver who is diving with us now (Narada) who had dives with Dive Little Corn and Rich Coast before coming here. TrekCats is really paying off for him!

 

[billeelou]

First week of May( start of the rainy season) went to CR and went to the Cahuita/Puerto Viejo side of the country. The Caribean vibe was very cool and managed to squeeze in a dive day with the folks at REEF RUNNERS ($90 two tank dive- $70 each day for 2 days). This is a non developed side of CR with dirt roads in both towns and much more Jamaican than Central American feel to it, with the guy on the corner selling dime bags, and Marley blasting away....

Before I start, the ocean is affected by runoff, I knew this going in and so I knew the vis would be in the lower end of the spectrum. While we were getting ready, I spoke with A man (Ulyses)who said he was down that day to dive to try to photograph the 1st lionfish he had seen, the week before and we would be diving "the pinnacle" at Punta Uva, this was a "line 'em out" dive. Long story short, he could not find the fish or pinnacle point and we spent a very rapid 39 minutes at 80 feet depth in a cloudy haze, trying to keep up and ended up 300 mtrs from the dive boat( by the way its a backroll panga, they are working on getting a ladder, or having one built for it to make it easier to get back in).

Beach break was good with CR style Pizza and drinks at Pt. Uva. 2nd dive was a shallow dive( 30-40') at 60+ minutes in an area that had some swim throughs and lobster, crabs and juvenile fish, interesting large basket sponges, but again as we hit areas of runnoff, ( cool and hazy) the vis would drop down.

Over all: the folks were nice, equipment was well used but functional(I would not have used the one given to me in a tough environment, if given the choice)<I also have an old consol that screams when I breathe too hard, too.>The locals do not respect the reef, as we saw one fishing with a spear while standing on it! Tons of lobster traps all over and looks to be over fished as all the fish we saw we juvies or small adults, yes there is BIG Crabs and Lobsters....

Good rainy day diving, but I would not make the trip to there just to dive in the rainy season. Only saw one other dive boat out there.

The larger story is that it looks like the lionfish has made its way almost to Panama but I do not have visual evidence of that. I will try to post pictures of what was there later

 

[cappyjon431]

First week of May( start of the rainy season) went to CR and went to the Cahuita/Puerto Viejo side of the country. The Caribean vibe was very cool and managed to squeeze in a dive day with the folks at REEF RUNNERS ($90 two tank dive- $70 each day for 2 days). This is a non developed side of CR with dirt roads in both towns and much more Jamaican than Central American feel to it, with the guy on the corner selling dime bags, and Marley blasting away....

Before I start, the ocean is affected by runoff, I knew this going in and so I knew the vis would be in the lower end of the spectrum. While we were getting ready, I spoke with A man (Ulyses)who said he was down that day to dive to try to photograph the 1st lionfish he had seen, the week before and we would be diving "the pinnacle" at Punta Uva, this was a "line 'em out" dive. Long story short, he could not find the fish or pinnacle point and we spent a very rapid 39 minutes at 80 feet depth in a cloudy haze, trying to keep up and ended up 300 mtrs from the dive boat( by the way its a backroll panga, they are working on getting a ladder, or having one built for it to make it easier to get back in).

Beach break was good with CR style Pizza and drinks at Pt. Uva. 2nd dive was a shallow dive( 30-40') at 60+ minutes in an area that had some swim throughs and lobster, crabs and juvenile fish, interesting large basket sponges, but again as we hit areas of runnoff, ( cool and hazy) the vis would drop down.

Over all: the folks were nice, equipment was well used but functional(I would not have used the one given to me in a tough environment, if given the choice)<I also have an old consol that screams when I breathe too hard, too.>The locals do not respect the reef, as we saw one fishing with a spear while standing on it! Tons of lobster traps all over and looks to be over fished as all the fish we saw we juvies or small adults, yes there is BIG Crabs and Lobsters....

Good rainy day diving, but I would not make the trip to there just to dive in the rainy season. Only saw one other dive boat out there.

The larger story is that it looks like the lionfish has made its way almost to Panama but I do not have visual evidence of that. I will try to post pictures of what was there later

One of my DMs reported seeing a lionfish yesterday off the north coast of Bastimentos Island (Bocas del Toro, Panama). We will be bringing a camera Saturday and Sunday to confirm.