HenryG
Registered
Just wondering if anyone has any experience in Panama. I'm going to be in town for a week and would like to do some diving and wonder if anyone has any operators and/or locations that they would recommend.
Panama diving?
- Thread starter HenryG
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
gb_williams
Contributor
The big question is, how long are you going to be in Panama? Coiba, in the Pacific, is supposed to be world class diving ... lots of exciting big stuff. The catch is, once you get to Panama City, it will take a good day to get to Santa Catalina. From there, you're still hours and another day by boat to Isla Coiba. If this interests you, check out the Coiba Dive Center online. A word of caution: I haven't dove Coiba, so I can't give you first hand experience, but I have been told by dive instructors who have been to Coiba that it is more advanced diving. The depths are greater and there are often very strong currents to contend with.
My favorite diving spots are Portobelo, with ScubaPanama, and Bocas del Toro, with Bocas Water Sports. Both are on the Caribbean. Bocas del Toro is near the Costa Rican border, and about 90 minutes by air (via Aeroperlas or Air Panama) or a very long day's drive (10+ hours) and a half-hour water taxi ride from Panama City. With the new cross-isthmus toll road, Portobelo is about 90 minutes from Panama City.
Don't expect great visibility in the Caribbean. 30 to 40 feet is about it. But, both Bocas and Portobelo have magnificent varieties of coral, fish and other critters. On my last dive in Portobelo, I was actually followed by two usually very shy French Angelfish.
Both towns have a lot to offer out of the water, too. Bocas is a surfer's and backpacker's mecca. It's a town very unique to Panama in the rest of Central America. When you're not diving, the snorkeling is among the best in the world. The snorkeling reefs are in 4 to 6 feet of water, so everything is close-up and clear.
Portobelo is steeped in history. You can walk through the ruins of 15th century Spanish forts that were sacked by the pirate Henry Morgan. You can walk through the Customs House which once held 1/3 of the world's wealth in Inca gold and silver. And, you'll be diving off one of the most picturesque horseshoe shaped, palm lined, white sand coves near the spot where Sir Francis Drake was buried at sea. Maybe you'll be the lucky one to find his lead-lined coffin.
Check out the websites for Bocas Water Sports and Scubapanama and then take your pick. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
My favorite diving spots are Portobelo, with ScubaPanama, and Bocas del Toro, with Bocas Water Sports. Both are on the Caribbean. Bocas del Toro is near the Costa Rican border, and about 90 minutes by air (via Aeroperlas or Air Panama) or a very long day's drive (10+ hours) and a half-hour water taxi ride from Panama City. With the new cross-isthmus toll road, Portobelo is about 90 minutes from Panama City.
Don't expect great visibility in the Caribbean. 30 to 40 feet is about it. But, both Bocas and Portobelo have magnificent varieties of coral, fish and other critters. On my last dive in Portobelo, I was actually followed by two usually very shy French Angelfish.
Both towns have a lot to offer out of the water, too. Bocas is a surfer's and backpacker's mecca. It's a town very unique to Panama in the rest of Central America. When you're not diving, the snorkeling is among the best in the world. The snorkeling reefs are in 4 to 6 feet of water, so everything is close-up and clear.
Portobelo is steeped in history. You can walk through the ruins of 15th century Spanish forts that were sacked by the pirate Henry Morgan. You can walk through the Customs House which once held 1/3 of the world's wealth in Inca gold and silver. And, you'll be diving off one of the most picturesque horseshoe shaped, palm lined, white sand coves near the spot where Sir Francis Drake was buried at sea. Maybe you'll be the lucky one to find his lead-lined coffin.
Check out the websites for Bocas Water Sports and Scubapanama and then take your pick. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
OP
HenryG
Registered
Thanks, Unfortunately I'll mostly be in Panama City. I've been in Contact with ScubaPanama and they seem to have a couple of things that may work for me. I have a couple of non-diving co-workers coming along so Portobello may be the best bet. I appreciate all the local information.
gb_williams
Contributor
OP
HenryG
Registered
Hey guys ... Just done diving with ScubaPanama and all I can say is AWESOME. Fantastic group of professionals good facility and equipment. I was only able to dive the Atlantic side as recommended by Christian because the viz and temps on the Pacific side were not that great. I will say that their facility at Portobela is really nice. They have rooms and bungalows for rent for multi day stays, no TV in the rooms but there is a very suitable common area. All rooms have A/C and the food is great. We went for a two tank dive and though the water was a little rough for the divemasters favorite spot (sorry I forgot the name) we were able to get in two very nice dives. The divemaster of the day was Fernando who was exceptional and Christian was also out from the city to dive with us. There are no language barriers and there was a lot of laughter. For me, sometimes the surface interval is the toughest time, my friends call me "Chum", but for our interval we went back to a beach and hung out while, as my non-diving friend called it, detoxing. Back in the boat for a second reef dive, then back to the base for a home cooked hot lunch of fresh fish, rice and veg salad. Balboa's (local beer) were available and needed to wash down the hot sauce that was on the table. We paid, for the two tanks, divemaster, boat captain, lunch and a ride to and from our hotel in Panama City (Inter-Continental 1:30 each way) $160. If you do come in from the city for the day you will want to bring along some towels as I didn't see any there. DO NOT BOOK through the hotel, call or e-mail ScubaPanama directly, it is a lot more expensive to book through the hotel tour desks. I will definatly return to dive here!!! Pacific next time.
Similar threads
