Question Caño or Coiba Island ?

[scubacoiba]

Hello,

I have passed my padi open water in Cabo San Lucas (Baja California- Mexico) in December 2023.

I'm currently in Costa Rica in Drake bay and I will visit Panama then Colombia.

I'm gonna crossed a lot of nice dives spots but I don't have the money to multiply the dives and need to be selective.

I'm really interested by big animals (sharks, turtles, mantas)

What would you recommend to me ?
- Isla del caño - Costa rica (we have a lot of rain and Diving center told me baja del diablo is not guarantee).
OR
- Isla coiba - Panama
OR
- other spot in Colombia (Malpelo ?)

Knowing that i dont think return in those countries and i would like to don't miss a "must to see spot in world"

i cannot do galapagos and Coco Island.

Also i was thinking maybe i can pass the advanced in Panama/Colombia.

And doing one dive in pacific and one dive in caribean if i read the expérience is completely different (bocas del toro, Providencia, tayrona...) i don't know.

Thank you for helping a begginner in this new world

Well, it is too late, but definitely Coiba. Why? It is a part of The Tropical Eastern Pacific orridor (together with Galapagos, Cocos, Malpelo) but the only pillar of it what you can dive from land in dauly trips from Santa Catalina. You can see everything really here what you can see at the more famous cousins, just maybe in smaller schools. Coiba is not pelagic but sits on the mainland shelf, drops only to the abyss south and west of it. You see reef sharks and turlte on almost every dive, big schools of different silvery fish (jacks, trevallies, barracudas, snappers, spade fish) but also colorful reef life. Depending on the time of the year you can see humpback whales, hammerhead sharks, Mantas, Devilrays, pelagic sting rays, whale sharks, just name the fish on your bucket list and you can check off a lot here.

You get the most out of it if you are experienced, and go on a Multi Day trip for experienced divers staying closer to Coiba than Santa Catalina, as offered by Scuba Coiba Scuba Coiba – Best Diving Coiba Panama