Diving in Samana Dominican Republic

[Fernie]

Anyone know who the padi dive operator? in Samana's Gran Bahia El Portillo? What are the must see dive sites? Cany any one recommend them? Whats the aprox cost per dive? How far are the sites from the hotel? Whats the reef like? Any wrecks? Aquatic Life? Any help would be great appreciated

 

[I-Love-Samana]

There is a new Scuba Diving Shop that just open in the town of Samana, as of October 15, 2011.

Its a PADI Dive Operator and it is called H2O.

You can look them up at the new website of the town of Samana,
here is the link :

Go Samana | Samana, Dominican Republic

You should be able to get all the information a diver is looking for.

 

[Rhone Man]

I dived Samana back in 2009 when doing some tec diving course. In a word, the diving is crap.

Visibility was very poor (although to be fair it was the rainy season when I was there, so runoff was causing a lot of the low viz). Very little marine life - this is a poor country with a lot of (highly unregulated) subsistence fishing. Coral not very healthy. Couple of decent wrecks to poke around on, but nothing to write home about.

Samana itself is lovely, and the hotels are gorgeous (and very cheap). Probably the only diving holiday I have had where I rated my time above the water better than underwater.

Sorry. You did ask.

 

[stano]

I stayed and dove at the el portilo. The vis was very good. Not crystal clear but 60-80' easily. No big stuff, not many fish. Enough soft coral. I got to hear whales while diving which was very cool. Saw some lion fish, some neat coral formations. It isn't nearly as good as say Cozumel but it was fair to decent. The beach there is absolutely the nicest I have ever seen. I dove with the shop right at the hotel. Prices were fair, dive boat was not very good.

 

[I-Love-Samana]

I just wanted to let know that the complete name of H2O Dive Operator in Samana is :

Ozeanic Caribbean & H2O Scuba Diving & Water Sports Center

Here is the direct link to their Web Page :
Scuba Diving in Samana, Dominican Republic - Dive Shop & Water Sports Center, Tour Operator in Samana Town, Scuba Diving in Samana with PADI Certified Instructors - H2O & Ozeanic Caribbean in Samana, Dominican Republic

 

[HowardE]

Anyone know who the padi dive operator? in Samana's Gran Bahia El Portillo? What are the must see dive sites? Cany any one recommend them? Whats the aprox cost per dive? How far are the sites from the hotel? Whats the reef like? Any wrecks? Aquatic Life? Any help would be great appreciated

El Portillo is actually in Las Terrenas, on the Samana peninsula. which is very good for wind surfing, but not so much for diving.

I have spent the better part of the last 4 years in Samana (Santa Barbara de Samana), working there finding old shipwrecks. (which would be a pile of rocks to most people who don't know what they are)

There are a couple of modern shipwrecks to dive, where there is some sea life.

The reefs are horribly covered with silt and mud, as the bay receives a lot of wash from rain storms, and the surrounding hills, and the water in Samana Bay is mostly greenish, with generally 10-40 feet of visibility.

In short, Samana is not a great place to dive.

If you're dead set on diving... I would recommend you take the short drive over to Las Galeras (about a 25-30 minute ride from Samana, and maybe 45 minutes to an hour with the new roads they have from Las Terrenas) and dive over there. In Las Galeras, there is blue water, and decent reefs.