Costa Rica, Panama, Beliz inquiry

[Franek]

Hi,
This is my first post on this forum, my English is a slot machine for which I apologize
I have a few questions for my friends.
In December we are going to Central America and
we are interested in diving sites in Costarice for beginner divers, we have already completed the 12m swimming pool and we want to complete the PADI OWD in Costarica.
We will also want to dive in Panama and Beliz this is how our trip was arranged.
We appreciate your diving advice for beginners.
M&M

 

[RyanT]

Panama Divers did a good job for me, but that was back in 2011.

They're terrible now.

 

[Franek]

Thanks for the recommendations, I have a question about the hardware.
We want to take all the diver's equipment on the trip, your friends have experience in flying with your own equipment, does it not cause problems at airports?

 

[Franek]

We found there is a Polish Base in Costa Rica, and we know the owner. He comes from our city, we do not know if you can give names here, so everyone will find it.
Of course, we will not fail to take advantage of your hints and suggestions on where to dive. Our trip to Costa Rica - Panama - Belize - / Roatan? / Mexico and return to Poland for weeks

 

[RyanT]

We want to take all the diver's equipment on the trip, your friends have experience in flying with your own equipment, does it not cause problems at airports?

Flying with tanks or weights is difficult. Dive operations supply them anyway, so it is just a non-issue. It is easy to fly with all other equipment.

 

[Franek]

The cylinders are not flying, this is the domain of the local Bases

 

[TMHeimer]

They're terrible now.

How so?

 

[RyanT]

First, they are unreliable in responding to customer inquiries, sometimes they respond, sometimes they don't. Some tourists have showed up at their shop accidentally after booking with their competitors (it happens when you're not sure where you are going). Instead of telling the customer that they were booked with the other shop, they took them out anyway and charged them. The customer then had to go to the shop they originally booked with to ask for their money back, after not showing up. This is just unethical. As for the dive experience, they take customers to the same two sites, while the other operators down the road take their divers to a variety of different sites.