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At least you gave us enough notice that we could respond!
Where in Panama are you going?
I've been diving the Caribbean side for a number of years at both Bocas del Toro and Portobelo. In Bocas, I recommend Bocas Water Sports, a 5-star PADI operation with excellent DMs. Here's a review from two years ago: www.scubaboard.com/forums/central-america/323572-back-bocas.html. What's interesting is that BWS has some regular customers who come there from Costa Rica because, they say, the diving is much better.
The only downside of Bocas is that it's a 10 to 12 hour drive or a hour flight from Panama City.
Portobelo is much closer to Panama City; just 90 minutes by car. There, I recommend Scubapanama. Panama Divers is another operator there, but they charge much more per dive and for lodging. Both operators go to the same dive sites, but Scubapanama is much closer to them. That may not sound like a big deal, but in a small, open boat bouncing over the waves and being blasted by one of Panama's typical rainstorms after a dive, I'll go for the shorter distance any day.
Scubapanama has clean but rustic cabins, too. They're also much closer to the town of Portobelo, which is well worth seeing. And, it's close -- very close -- to a couple of good restaurants.
On the Pacific side, there's Coiba, a large island and ex-penal colony surrounded with great diving. Coiba has a reputation for world class diving and a great opportunity to see large schools of barracuda, tuna and sharks of all types. It's also much more of an advanced dive -- blue water diving, strong currents and surges at times. I haven't dove it yet because getting there (and back) from Panama (the city) takes a large chunk of time. It's an 8+ hour drive from Panama to Santa Catalina. From there, it's from 1 to 3 hours to the dive sites in small boats. The Pacific is also a 3 to 5 mm wetsuit versus the Caribbean where I dive with just a skin and my wife wears a 3 mm. There are a few dive operators that work out of Santa Catalina. You should check the past posts here on Coiba if this interests you.
Also on the Pacific are other locations: the Pearl Islands and Taboga and Pedasi on the Azuero Penninsula. Taboga and Las Perlas are much closer to Panama, but very expensive and, from what I understand from my Panamanian diving friends, not a lot to see. My friends also said Pedasi is disappointing due to its poor visibility and not a lot to see.
Let me know if you need any more info -- travel tips, driving directions, etc. My wife and I will also be going back to Panama, in April. We'll probably be diving Bocas.
We dove with Bocas Water Sports and would definitely dive with them again in Bocas. We had a great time there. I would suggest avoiding Portobello unless you're hunting for treasure - the viz there was pretty bad.
I would suggest avoiding Portobello unless you're hunting for treasure - the viz there was pretty bad.
The viz can vary greatly off Portobelo. In September and October when the sea is calm and you can get out to the wall, the viz can be 70+ ft. Most of the time, it's like Bocas -- 30' to 45'. I've also been off Drake Island when it went from 40+ ft. to less than 10' - instantly.
I'm glad you had a good experience with BWS. They are a great crew.
I dove with Panama Divers and for $90 they picked me up at their store in Panama City, drove me to Portobelo (1+ hour ride) did 2 dives with their gear and tanks of a small boat with just the capt. and a DM, they fed me (Not a small feat, I like food a lot) and then drove me back to my parents home in Panama City.
I'd consider that a bargain anywhere in the world! I highly recommend them.
As far as visibility goes, it depends when you go. If it's the rainy season (April/May to Dec) your vis will be down, but during the dry season it's excellent. Either way you are still diving in the Caribbean so your visibility will be just fine maybe not 100+ feet but good enough to enjoy it.
Diving out of San Blas if you can get to do it is phenomenal, but it's on your own as there's no diving infrastructure to speak of out there.
Diving the pacific is a whole 'nuter can of beans! it's a lot more difficult if it's just you than if you have a group of people going to dive. Stick to the Gulf of Chiriqui and Azuero Peninsula, that includes Jicarón, Coiba and Cebaco Islands.
I have not done Bocas del Toro, but I hear it's great and I have to think there's great blue water diving around Piñas Bay in the Gulf of Panama, but I have not checked that off of my bucket list yet.
Wiz
The more I dive, the less I fish.
3/4 of the Earth are covered by water and 1/4 by land. Clearly God intended us to spend 3 times as much time fishing and diving than mowing the lawn.
I recently moved to Panama from Canada, for both diving and business. I spend my time about 50-50 between Portobello and Panama City, with the intention to visit Bocas and other locations over the next few months. I just finished my rescue diver cert and have been diving here a few times a year for four years now (parents-in-law are expats and live in Portobelo).
I can honestly say that the reefs here are healing, seemed quite bleached when I first started but looking great now. A few key sites are Drake's Island, a shoredive from the beach right nearby, Buena Ventura (Coz-esque coral heads, albeit a much smaller range of them and no real current), Three-Sisters and I have recently been doing daily solo (gasp!) shoredives right out front of the property. The really cool thing about Portobelo is that it is crazy shallow along the coast line with no beaches, rather a reef after which the deeps will drop to 200'+ offering great walls in certain places - FYI these are not typical dive sites offered by ops around here.
As with many places around, the Lionfish are abundent, I see between 2-5 per dive. There are also grouper, flounder, eels, parrot fish, needle fish, gurnard, conch and saw some rays the other day. I have to say that I do not miss Canada one bit and loving the diving here... nowhere near bored of the diving and I see something new each time! The Viz changes quickly as mentionned before, but the same happens in Roatan. Any DM worth his salt will select the site based on weather conditions.
I have dove with just about all of the operators here, a few are starting up their own gig and offer a great experience. I am not affiliated with any in particular, if anyone is coming into Panama let me know via PM and I will show you around.
Did Coiba about 1.5 years ago. Pain to get to but worth all the extra effort.World class diving but not for the inexperienced. Went with Coiba dive,had a excellent 3 day trip. Will go back in the future
Did Coiba about 1.5 years ago. Pain to get to but worth all the extra effort.World class diving but not for the inexperienced. Went with Coiba dive,had a excellent 3 day trip. Will go back in the future
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Originally Posted by ImUnderwater
and then drove me back to my parents home in Panama City. 
