Anyone have first-hand info on diving in Panama?

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sactomags

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Messages
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Location
Palm Bay, FL
# of dives
200 - 499
If anyone has been to Panama for diving, I'd appreciate hearing from you. Where did you dive? What dive op did you use? Would you go again?

Any information appreciated as we're checking this area out for a potential future trip (next year).

Thanks!
Margaret
 
sactomags once bubbled...
If anyone has been to Panama for diving, I'd appreciate hearing from you. Where did you dive? What dive op did you use? Would you go again?

Any information appreciated as we're checking this area out for a potential future trip (next year).

Thanks!
Margaret

I dove off a liveaboard, the Coral Star, in the Pacific in early 2001. I'd go again - the Coral Star was the most luxurious (of about a half-dozen) I've ever been on, but the mechanics of getting geared up and into the water are much easier on many other boats.
 
I dove Bocas Del Toro last year. Very funky and laid-back. There ain't no 5 star hotels here, but it was absolutely the cheapest dive vacation I've taken. It's best point is the macro life. We saw no big critters. Dove with Bocas Water Sports. If you're interested at all, PM me and I'll give you contact details, dive details, etc.
 
Hi, Margaret,

I have dived several times on the Caribbean side of Panama; at Diver's Haven resort. I can highly recommend diving there. There are no cattle boats; actually there is only one boat in the ocean. There is macro life as well as the big stuff like tarpon and shark. You can look at my posts on SCUBADUBA and on scubadiving.com. Or email me for more details.

Oh, I forgot: diving there will be the most exciting and inexpensive dive adventure you will ever have!
 
Hi, Margaret (again),

I;m not sure I mentioned the dive op: Diver's Haven resort. It is located just east (soutn?) of Portoblelo. I go every chance I get. I've gone on 6 different dive trips there.

divelady
 
There is a post on the Lonely Planet Central American Thorntree website about somewhere or other in Bocas del Toro. There's a place I always wanted to go and was intrigued to find out there was diving there.

Pretty remote and supposed to be very peaceful. Just went to LP and now I can't find the darned post!

Maybe a googul? Yeah, there's a bunch of stuff there. Liveaboards, resorts, what-have-you.
Terry


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=bocas+de+toro+diving+panama
 
I live on Bocas del Toro and I can say the diving is not very good. The dive operators have no radios, no oxygen, no water and offer no fruit between dives. The island is close to the mainland and the water is often very cloudy form the runoff of many rivers. There is no dry season here, it rains about 300 days a year. Not good for vis. Hotels can be inexpensive, but no one is giving anything away. A $15 hotel room is a $15 hotel room because that is all it is worth and maybe more than it is worth. Cozamel can be had for the same price and offers great diving. You don't see divers from Panama here, they go to other places in Panama; Coiba Island for sharks, very big fish and sometimes whales, Portobello for spanish ship wrecks and the Canal to see the trains and leftover equipment to build the canal and left in place to be flooded by the canal. You can dive the Caribbean, the canal, and the Pacific on a one day dive trip. Panama is a very nice place to live and visit and if you are in Bocas take a dive, but is diving is the main reason for your trip, don't look to Bocas, look elsewhere. Pete
 
I dove the Cobia Explorer in 6/2000 The diving was great. Sharks on every dive. Hugh amounts of fish. But the Explorer is gone. The Coral Star Is there. Check it out!!!:D
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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