Boca Brava, Panama

[themujer]

Anyone have any experience diving the Boca Brava area of Panama? It sounds fantastic. Any recommendations for either Boca Brava Divers or Golden Frog?
We won't go to Coiba. My boyfriend might be getting his open water cert. but more likely will just do a discover course and then do a dive or two with me.
Sounds like Coiba offers more advanced diving -- closer islands OK for a beginner?

 

[LowVizWiz]

Coiba is not for the faint of heart... it's definitively not resort type diving.

I suggest Portobello/Isla Grande.

Be advised that there has been flooding recently near the Boca Brava area some roads are not usable so you may want to contact your dive op before you go.

 

[themujer]

thanks for the advice.

 

[scubajcf]

I know Rey at golden frog very well.
He is a great instructor and very well respected in that area.
You will be well taken care of with them.

 

[themujer]

just thought i would update this with info from my trip. unfortunately, i didn't get to dive at all. it wasn't a "dive trip," but i thought maybe i'd get a couple dives in at boca brava. it turns out it was going to cost $250 per person for two dives (there were only two of us who wanted to go out), or $200 per person if we could somehow convince two more people to go with us. this was with boca brava divers. the web site had said the cost was $150, which was already kinda pricey.

boca brava, however, was wonderful. met great people at hotel boca brava and did a great snorkeling trip to islands about an hour away. even saw whales from the boat! i suspect this area will become more developed in coming years, and with more tourists would likely come cheaper diving rates.

 

[HerraduraDivers]

Coiba is for every diver!

I just came back from my second trip to Santa Catalina and 4 Dives at the marvelous Isla Coiba.

Just playing around (testing if the mask fogs) with mask and snorkel i saw 2 Turtles and 1 white tip shark.

What i saw during the Dives? It would be to much to list here.
But it was like always GREAT!

My girlfriend (she is recently certified) dove with me and she had absolutely NO problems or feel unsafe at Coiba.

Shure, if somebody thinks that a beginner has to do the first 20 Dives at 15 ft. depth with 100 ft. visibility, he may think that Coiba is difficult,
but even then Coiba is the right place because the vaste choice of the divesites will permit always good conditions.

The diving operations from Coiba Dive Center was like always professional and friendly and i can recommened Julie & Glenn 100%.

Chris Karrer