Jan 2016 (El Nino?) Costa Rica/ Nicaragua/ Panama divesite/ operator recmmndtns pls!

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weboflies

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Location
Cannada
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25 - 49
Some friends and I are going to Costa Rica and Nicuragua, (and a small possiblity of Panama as well) this coming January.

What are the best sites and the best operators at those sites? This would be, regrettably, excluding Cocos Island. Liveaboards aren't in the budget this time. What we are looking for is basically sites with the best marine life.

Also, with this being an El Nino year, can anyone shed any light on how that's affecting the diving there, and whether that's likely to carry over to January?
 
All of those countries have two coasts, Pacific and Caribbean.

Where are you headed? To the left or right?
 
I can recommend the Pacific side of Costa Rica. I had a great time at Playa del Coco. Also Little Corn Island on the Caribbean side of Nicaragua is an awesome little place. It takes some effort to get there, but it's well worth it.

I can send you trip reports on either of those (and also the Pacific side of Panama) if you'd like them.
 
We did a trip through Panama a couple of years ago and ended up spending a week at Coral Lodge (Coral Lodge - San Blas Islands, Panama - Overwater Bungalows), just outside of the Kuna Indians San Blas Islands (Scuba diving & snorkeling - San Blas Islands). The Indians only allowed snorkeling at that time, not sure if they have change the laws or not. Drop dead gorgeous dots of island behind a pristine reef with crystal clear water! I wanted to dive it so bad! I did a couple of tanks in the area of Coral Lodge, but there was no fringing reef just open, rough water with poor vis. I had heard that there is a dive shop just outside of the Kuna's territory but I cannot remember the name. There are a few small lodges on the islands run by the Indians but are very basic with no AC & not always elec.
 

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All of those countries have two coasts, Pacific and Caribbean.

Where are you headed? To the left or right?

Most of the time will be on the Pacific coast. but we'll be making a run over to the Caribbean side for the Corn Islands at the very least.

---------- Post added September 13th, 2015 at 08:20 PM ----------

It's looking to be most likely the Catalina Islands, and Corn Islands for us. Anyone have any good operators in those places to recommend?
 
We did a trip through Panama a couple of years ago and ended up spending a week at Coral Lodge (Coral Lodge - San Blas Islands, Panama - Overwater Bungalows), just outside of the Kuna Indians San Blas Islands (Scuba diving & snorkeling - San Blas Islands). The Indians only allowed snorkeling at that time, not sure if they have change the laws or not.

It has been and still is illegal to scuba dive in the San Blas Islands.

You should consider Coiba Island on the Pacific side. Good possibility you'll see whale sharks and mantas or mobulas in January, along with lots of reef sharks, schools of barracuda and jacks, frog fish and a great variety of morays. Staying on the island is quite an experience, too. There are two dive ops based in Santa Catalina -- Coiba Dive Center and Scuba Coiba.
 
It's nice to go to Catalina Islands if you're in Costa Rica, the dive sites there are best reachable from Playa Flamingo. You can review the description of diving there by following this link --> Diving in Catalina Islands. And here (Dive centres visiting Catalina Islands) you will find dive centers that can take you there. You'll be able to compare the prices and make your reservation online.
 

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