2 week Central America tour

[jaoglesbee]

has anyone seen a guide or been on a trip to Central America that included diving in multiple countries? I was thinking of working my way down the coast in dive bum style and checking out a few different places.

 

[gb_williams]

I don't know about the other countries, but Costa Rica and Panama require "proof of onward travel" in order to enter the country. You may be able to do that with a Tica bus ticket, which can be purchased online, say from San Jose to Panama City or Bocas del Toro. But, when you get to Panama, unless you plan to take the bus back to Costa Rica, you'll need an airline ticket out of the country.

Crossing the border from Costa Rica into Panama at Paso Canoas or Sixaola, immigration and customs officials are usually very strict. They will also require you to show that you have at least $500 in cash or a credit card with at least that much available for charges. I have heard of instances where backpackers had to show credit card statements to pass through.

I'd recommend getting the Lonely Planet guides for countries you plan to visit. As for diving in Panama, a lot depends on what time of year you're going. Isla Coiba, on the Pacific near Santa Catalina, is definitely the best, if you're an experienced diver. Check out the websites for Scuba Coiba and Coiba Dive Center in Santa Catalina.

 

[Lorenzoid]

has anyone seen a guide or been on a trip to Central America that included diving in multiple countries? I was thinking of working my way down the coast in dive bum style and checking out a few different places.

A guided trip, no. But it's not difficult to do on your own. To state the obvious, how much time you have for this trip determines what countries you can visit. I did Mexico, Belize, and Honduras as just one such "dive bum" trip. Buses are easy to use. At those borders, as well as Guatemala, I was never asked to show proof of onward travel, cash, a credit card, etc., despite the warnings from guidebooks such as Lonely Planet about official policies. They just waved this gringo through. It is possible that if you don't look like a total bum--just a normal backpacker--they assume you have the means and intent to leave the country. At the time, Nicaragua (Corn Islands, maybe?), Costa Rica, and Panama just didn't interest me as much as those iconic Caribbean places.

 

[diversteve]

Some things you may find useful:

Probably the cheapest flights are to Cancun if you want to start in Mexico. From there you can do the bag/drag to Cozumel - it's generally several hundred dollars cheaper than flying there direct. Bus from near the airport then the ferry over. Described in detail in a post in our Cozumel forum.

The ferry leaves from the Playa Del Carmen area - also good diving. Then head south via bus - Tulum has both diving and a Mayan ruin right on the water - probably about the only place that exists.

Make your way down to Chetumal and the Belize Water Taxi will pick you up for Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker or Belize City. If you want to detour to south Belize (Placencia area) Tropic Air flies down there for about $90 one way. Dive with Splash Dive and they;'ll pick you up at the airport, take you to your lodging and pick you up for diving.

From there one option might be to fly onto Honduras via Tropic Air - they have weekly flights to Roatan where you can also catch the ferry to Utila. In Roatan's West End there's a couple of hostels and a whole lot of under $50 small resorts - that buys you a small apt. with kitchen at some. The hostel in town - Chilies - also owns Native Sons Diving. We used Coconut Tree Divers in the heart of town, their boats are across the street and they have a pretty good Roatan/West End info page on their website.

There's at least a dozen other shops in town and boat dives are currently 10/$350. Food is also real cheap, there's small restaurants, the food trucks sell fish/produce on the street mornings and there's a couple small stores in the area. We didn't even rent a car all week - the whole West End is walk able. I believe the fare from the airport is about $25 if you fly in.

You can also take the Galaxy Ferry from La Ceiba on the mainland to Roatan - it docks in Dixon Cove.

The Dream Ferry also runs between Roatan and Utila on weekends. It ports in the West End afaik and the public dock on Utila. Most of Utila lives in town, it's a backpacking destination so rooms start at $10/nt. and the diving is also around 10/$350 in town from what I was told as there's also a lot of competition there.I believe during the week the Dream runs between La Ceiba and Utila - probably replacing the Utila Princess?

I know someone who goes to Costa Rica to dive regularly. I'll leave that up to others since I've not been there.

sounds like fun...

 

[jaoglesbee]

Wow! That is awesome advice, keep it coming!

I will have about 2 weeks to travel. I have dove COZUMEL several times and am pretty familiar with that area. It might be worth stopping in Tulum to dive there.

I started diving in 2002 in the Red Sea while in the military and have dove a few other places around the world. I'd like to have a loose itenerary but don't want to skip a must see dive spot.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Only two weeks! That makes a big difference in where you can get to "dive bum style." Every day you move from one location to another is a day spent not diving. Even if you were to fly rather than take the bus (which you probably don't have time to mess with), it's still at least a full day to relocate. I know you have been to Cozumel several times, but it's still some of the best diving in the region. With only two weeks, allowing a day for travel on either end and a day in the middle, I would recommend something like five or six days in Mexico (maybe you will catch the cenote bug in Tulum) and five or six days in either Honduras OR Belize. To me, Mexico-Belize is the obvious combination, but since diversteve points out that TropicAir can fly you from Belize to Honduras, I would be tempted to look into that.

 

[dmaziuk]

Only two weeks! That makes a big difference in where you can get to "dive bum style." Every day you move from one location to another is a day spent not diving. Even if you were to fly rather than take the bus (which you probably don't have time to mess with), it's still at least a full day to relocate.

factor in the no-fly time after a day of diving

 

[Lorenzoid]

factor in the no-fly time after a day of diving

That, too. It's a dose of reality to calculate how much of my trips I spend just relocating from one place to another. In Central America, I often found myself waiting half a day or more for the next bus or ferry. I recall I was stuck in Copan for two days before I could get a bus to San Pedro Sula (and then another on to La Ceiba and then the ferry to Roatan) because of Easter--no buses running.

In a three-week trip around Bali, all by private car, something like five or six days of that was "overhead" time needed for relocating from one place to another, and yes, offgassing on the very last day before the flight home. Factoring in the approximately two days to get to Bali from Atlanta and two days back, my three week trip was more like 10 days of diving. There is something to be said for minimizing travel. But I do like the OP's sense of adventure.

 

[diversteve]

I don't think - but do not know that Tropic Air flies high enough for that to be an issue. They fly Cessna Caravans which I'm not sure can be pressurized to go high.

La Ceiba to Utila on the local carriers is a 12min. flight so I doubt they're pressurized either. Can't recall the name of the local carrier or I'd post it. He (it's only one guy) also flies to Cayos Cochino IIRC,

 

[RyanT]

@Lorenzoid makes a good point regarding travel time. Also, keep in mind that travel in Latin America always takes longer than in the U.S. or Europe. That being said, I love Panama. For really low key diving, try Golden Frog Scuba in Portobelo on the Caribbean coast. The reefs are not in as good of shape as they are in some other places in the Caribbean, but the diving is super low key. During June, my buddy and I often find ourselves the only ones on the boat. The town is totally off the beaten path, which I really like too. The owner is really responsive and can answer questions about lodging and food in Portobelo as well as the diving.