Panama Scuba Diving

[DeepSeaDiver]

Hello Everyone,
I've been wanting to take a trip to Panama and have been looking into possible scuba diving locations. I came across the Islas Secas resort and was wondering if anyone has heard anything about their diving conditions? It sounds like it might be promising, so any information on it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

-Deep Sea Diver

 

[jerrynuss]

Diving in that area is like Cocos Island, Costa Rica. Panama has a lot of so-so diving and then some outstanding diving. For diving like the Bay Islands of Honduras try Boca del Toro. For big animals and diving like Cocos then Secas and the islands around Coiba are great places to go. back when I was living there we didn't have any dive support so we had to haul cylinders and gear from Panama City. Now there are several shops in the Boca Del Toro area and at least one that I know of up the Pacific coast in the area around Coiba. I've been to the San Blas area and Pearl islands and threy are also really nice. The diving around Panama City is not that good at least for taking a trip down there. If it were me I'd go west on either coast.

 

[djbh]

Hi deepseadiver
I was in Panama a couple of years ago.Reviews are mixed on this destination.
When I was there the diving was fabulous.I was on a small Island called Contadora.
The guide was great so was his boat.Captain Morgan Dive Center.(Peter Ernst owner)Saw sharks on all dives as well as Turtles,morray eels,no corals,the pacific in that area is rubble,boulders,huge walls,cliffs,sort of like going rockclimbing but in the water.
Vis was excellent,but as I say it is not the Bahamas,fish were rare,but then I was there for the big fish,and that there was.Saw white tip,black tip,gray sharks.The area is known for having Bull sharks and some tigers , was hoping but didn't see any.If you are looking for corals and tropical fish it is not the place,if you are looking for wild adventurous diving with unpredictable big fish that it is.
Let me know if you want to know more.
ciao