Diving in Panamá!

[divemaster86]

Hi,

I need some help planning my diving for my 2-3 week trip to Panama this December! My dad was stationed in Panama in the early 80s and always speaks fondly on diving there when he was my age. As you probably could have guessed, my mother is Panamanian and therefore I have a lot of family there. My husband and I are taking a trip down there over the holidays to reunite with my family, but would also like to do a substantial amount of diving while we are there. I haven't been to Panama at all for over 15 years... Right now I am planning ~5 days in Bocas and about 2 weeks staying in/near Panama City.

Here are my questions:

1. Everything I have read implies that "the places" to dive are Bocas, Coiba, and Portabela. Is this true or are these just the most popular sites?

2. Coiba seems like a hassle to get out to. Is it really worth the time and money?

3. Are there nice/safe places to stay in Portabelo or is better to do daytrips out there? We generally stay in nicer hotels and avoid B&Bs unless they are really nice. Hablo Español con soltura, so need to be English-speaking establishments

4. Is there any descent diving close to or in Panama City at all? Is so, where?

Muchas gracias,
Sheena

 

[gb_williams]

I've been diving in Panamá since 2000, but all my experience has been on the Caribbean side. That said, everything I've read, heard and seen about Coiba says that it is for advanced divers. There are usually very strong currents to content with and some of the dive sites are blue water dives. And, you're right -- getting would be a pain -- or at least a day's worth of driving, just to get to Santa Catalina, which is still a couple hours in a small boat from Coiba.

Scubapanama has a very nice operation at Portobelo. It's very safe to stay overnight there, and the rates are very reasonable. (The food is good, too.) They also offer diving in the Pacific near Panamá, off the islands in the Bay of Panamá Taboga and Taboquilla.

I've also dove at Isla Grande, but it has been a few years. The sites are nice. The dive operator at the time was Dive Panamá, Andres Hernandez. There is another dive resort/operation at Nombre de Dios; Caribbean Jimmy's. If you go to Isla Grande, I recommend staying at Cabanas Cholita.

 

[Reef Tank]

I've been diving in Panamá since 2000, but all my experience has been on the Caribbean side. ...

Scubapanama has a very nice operation at Portobelo. It's very safe to stay overnight there...

That is an odd statement, are you saying most places in the region not safe?

What type of diving is done at Panama, large animal or reef?

 

[gb_williams]

That is an odd statement, are you saying most places in the region not safe?

What type of diving is done at Panama, large animal or reef?

First question: No, I don't mean to imply that it's not safe throughout the country. Like anywhere, there are places where you shouldn't go. Colon is one of them. On the way to Portobelo, just east of Sabanitas there is another. I've never had any trouble in Portobelo. In Divemaster's question #3 she asked, "Are there nice/safe places to stay ...?" That's why I answered as I did.

Second question: On the Caribbean side, it's pretty much reef diving. Between the end of August and into October the seas are calm enough that you can dive the walls where you can sometimes see larger animals. On the Pacific side -- especially Coiba -- it's mostly large animals; whales, sharks, etc.

 

[DeputyDan]

Cappyjon431 owns a dive operation in Boca.
If he does not see this thread -send him a PM!

 

[divemaster86]

Thanks for the advice everyone. The reason I ask about Portabelo being safe is that it is near Colón. My family is from Colón, so I know how unsafe it is and would prefer to stay far, far away from it!

My husband and I are both advanced divers, so that is not a concern. The main thing deterring us from Coiba is the travel time. We like large animals, but is it better than some of the other hotspots in the world to warrant going out there? In my experience when areas boast whales and other large animals, we never get to see anything and leave disappointed.

One other question: Is it easy to rent a car in Panama to drive to some of these areas? Anything I should be aware of before we do?

 

[cappyjon431]

Hi Sheena,

The diving in Bocas is wonderful. The water temperature is between 83 and 88 degrees year-round (although someone's computer registered 90 yesterday!), the seas are generally flat calm on the leeward sides of islands (where most of our dive sites are located), there is very little, if any, current. Visibility averages 35 feet, but can go down significantly if we have heavy, prolonged rainfall. Most of our dive sites average a maximum depth of 45 feet.

The waters around bocas contain over 90 species of coral, over 140 species of reef fish (including unusual ones such as seahorses, toadfish, and flying gunards), and over 200 species of non-coral invertebrates (crab, lobster, shrimp, anemones, nudibranchs, octopus, squid, etc.).The macro life is phenomenal, but we do not see a lot of big fish, mostly colorful tropicals.

To answer your question about Coiba, the diving is very good. It can be a little more challenging than Bocas (bigger seas, stronger currents, colder water), but it provides a nice contrast to Caribbean side diving. It is difficult to get to, but most people are pretty pleased that they made the trip.

One thing to consider if you are planning to come to Bocas is that December is the beginning of peak season for the hotels, airlines, and operators here. If you are planning to come during peak season it would be a good idea to book your hotel in Bocas as early as possible. Same for booking the commuter flight from Panama City to Bocas (unless you end up driving or taking a bus).

If you have any questions about hotels, diving, restaurants, transportation, etc. about bocas del toro, please feel free to send me a personal message via Scubaboard or you can contact us through our web site (Bocas Water Sports).

 

[gb_williams]

One other question: Is it easy to rent a car in Panama to drive to some of these areas? Anything I should be aware of before we do?

Yes, renting a car is easy. I usually go with Avis or a local firm, Barriga. (If you speak Spanish, Barriga is a good, cheap choice.)

Driving in the city is crazy making or a fast way to a heart attack, depending on your age. (See the picture attached. This is how you get through intersections in the city.) So, I usually take cabs in town. (More on that in a moment.) And, I rent the car in the morning when I leave for Portobelo or elsewhere. Depending on where you're staying in the city, Barriga is located off Via España, near the Hotel y Casino Veneto. When I rent from Avis, I prefer to take the car at Albrook (Gelabert, now), the comuter airport. They have a much shorter wait there (as opposed to the Avis across the street from Barriga) and it takes me out of the traffic of the city and right on the route to Portobelo.

Be VERY careful to walk with the rental agent all around the car when you get it. The agent will make note of all the dings and scratches. Make very sure he gets every last nick. And pay very close attention to see if there are any chips in the windshield. If the car comes back and has a chip or a mark that wasn't noted on the inspection form, you'll be charged plenty. If there's a nick in the windshield, you'll have to pay for a new one. If you have American Express, sign up for their car rental insurance. You'll find that while the cost of renting the car itself is very cheap, the cost of the insurance they insist you carry (if you don't have AmEx) is very expensive.

Once you get out of town, driving is pretty easy. Many of the roads are not in good shape, though. However, there is a new toll road that crosses the isthmus that is in wonderful shape and will get you to Sabanitas (to go to Portobelo) in less than 45 minutes. Just be very careful when you get out of the city. Make sure you take the exit to Colon. It's not well marked and comes up quickly. If you don't, that portion of the road comes to an end and you'll have to pay to turn around and get back on.

As for cabs in the city ... some people say always ask the driver "how much?" before getting in the cab. I don't usually do that unless I'm going someplace somewhat distant. The reason is that when you ask they will often jack up the price, figuring you are a gringo who has no idea where you're going or how much it should cost. Taxi rides most anywhere around town are $3 to $5. If you're going from downtown to Albrook or Balboa, $5.

I hope you have a wonderful time and great dives in Panamá! And, by the way, Cappy Jon runs the absolute best dive operation in Panamá. Bocas is very nice ... but, my favorite dive location, so far, is Portobelo.

 

[divemaster86]

Haha... funny picture. Thanks for the rental car advice! I really appreciate it.

 

[divemaster86]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the advice. So far, we have decided on 6 days (5 nights) in Bocas and have a couple hotel options we are looking into (Thanks CappyJon!!).

My next task is to find a nice place in Portobelo. Someone on trip advisor recommended this "Bananas resort" on Isla Grande, but it seems a little isolated and pricey. I would like to have a nicer place so I can have family come visit from Colón on Christmas, but more importantly, I want to be close to dive shops. Any recommendation for a dive center in Portobelo?

Any more advice you may have would be greatly appreciated?