Going to Panama City in 2 weeks... any suggestions on good diving/dive boats?

[Sperbonzo]

Can anyone help me with this? I'm going to Panama city for business on Tuesday the 14th, and leaving on Sunday the 19th. I figure I can dive on Saturday the 18th.

Can anyone tell me:

Good places to dive?

Good reliable dive boats to use?

Water Temps right now?

Any other tips?


Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

[Richard McDonald]

I have yet to dive in Panama, but I have been doing a bit of research as I will be there over the XMas holidays and I'm hoping to get a couple of dives in. From what I've read, Panama is not a premiere diving destination, but it does have a few interesting opportunities.

The options available to you depend on the amount of time you have. If you are limited in time, you could dive at Taboga Island which is fairly close to the city. Another option is Islas Perlas which is a bit further and also looks interesting. Both these spots are located in the Pacific which apparently does not have the clear visibility that is available on the Carribean side of the isthmus. If you want to dive on the Carribean side (with allegedly better vis), there are apparently a few spots near Portobello. Panama Divers will be able to help you, but I can't comment on the quality of service. Apparently you could also dive in the Canal, but having seen the water in it, I suspect that visibility is not it's strength, although it would certainly be unique!

One place we would like to try is Isla Coiba which is 3 or 4 hours by car from Panama City. Apparently there is ample marine life which is the main reason we would like to go. I've come across this dive shop that specializes at Coiba.

We were in Panama in the summer of 2005 and snorkelled near Portobello. It was quite nice and the water was warm enough that we didn't miss our wet suits. I don't know what the water temp is like this time of year.

I'd love to hear back from you if you do end up diving there. Especially regarding the quality of the dive shop and Dive Master. I'm keen on diving in late December or early January, it's been a couple of months since I dove last...

Richard

 

[Sperbonzo]

Thanks Richard, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm doing some digging and I'm thinking that I will go to Portobello as it's only 1.5 hour drive from Panama city. I'm told that vis should be anywhere from 20 to 50' and that most of the good reef dives are about 40' to 70' down. I'll let you know what else I find out and how the whole thing went.

If anyone else has some info.....?

 

[cyclical]

My wife, and two friends or ours are going to Panama December 27th, 2006 - January 14th, 2007.

I am from Panama and have dove in Portobello, and a little on the Pacific side. The diving I did on the Pacific side was a shore dive, and wasn't worth it. Visibility was terrible. However, the further you are from the mainland on the pacific side the better the water visibility is.

The problem with Panama is the rain causes visibility to decrease.

I'll upload some pics of the different areas.

 

[cyclical]

ok.. some topside pics.

First a general map of the different areas.

Pictures of Bocas Del Toro area islands: (Caribbean Side)

Pictures of Isla Grande (which is near Portobello) (Caribbean Side)

Pictures of San Blas Islands (we were in a small boat just snorkeling, the mainland that you see to the distance is the nearest land, and you stand in some areas (shallow).. (Caribbean Side)

Pitcures of Contadora Island, and Island in the Pearl Islands Archipelago (Pacific Side)

I haven't dove in the Pearl Island, there was not a dive operator on the island and my wife and I were there with family. But we snorkeled... currents in the area can be pretty strong, since it is the Pacific side and they get low/high tide. But... the area is very gorgeous... water is very pretty. Not much to do there, other than drink/eat/swim. You won't see very many cars if any at all.

On the map above the only place I have not visited is Coiba Island on the Pacific side. Isla de Coiba used to be a prison... inmates were brutally tortured there...
http://www.escapeartist.com/efam/64/Travel_To_Coiba.html

It’s obvious to see why the island was chosen as a penal colony; it’s far from the mainland and the waters around the island are infamous for aggressive sharks and strong currents...

Coiba is mountainous, covered in thick jungle and home to very poisonous snakes...

Panama’s worse criminals were sent to the island – 20 years is the longest sentence given in Panama; there is no death penalty - along with innocent opponents of the military regimes...

prisoners were tortured relentlessly...

People were hung from basketball rims for up to five days until their hands swelled up and the bones of their wrists were exposed; flies would lay eggs in the wounds and maggots would eat at the flesh. Other prisoners were tied to the back of horses and dragged, or shot in the jungle as they tried to escape...

In recent years, rival gangs from Panama City were taken to the island and unleashed on each other: photos of headless corpses lying on the beach near the prison headquarters were shown in Panamanian newspapers...

Anyways, its not operational anymore... and will definately try to dive there when we go in december.

 

[OHGoDive]

The Caribbean side of Panama is very easy to get to from Panama City, and, at least for me, was very well worth it. If you have time and want a stunning, off-the-beaten path destination that is pure luxury, try Coral Lodge at the edge of the San Blas Islands. Just incredible. Here are my comments from another thread.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=1944258#post1944258