Isla Coiba Panama
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gb_williams
Contributor
Arbu -- yes, the ANAM cabins at the ranger station are still closed indefinitely. The dive ops are using a hostel at Bahia Honda, on the mainland, to house multiday divers. I have not read one favorable review about the place. Most complain about mold throughout, including pillows and sheets. The alternative to staying at Bahia Honda would be to stay in Santa Catalina and do day-trips.
It's also not true that Coiba is uninhabited. There are rangers living at the ANAM ranger station and a few ex-convicts were allowed to remain permanently on the island when the prison was closed.
Beyond that, Scuba Coiba did a pretty fair job of getting us to and from the dive sites. The dives were great. The food they cooked for us was excellent. Herbie, the owner, is one of the most responsive, helpful people I've dealt with in any dive shop in Panama. As I mentioned above, there were issues with a DM, who is no longer working with Scuba Coiba, and with a couple of pieces of their rental equipment.
It's also not true that Coiba is uninhabited. There are rangers living at the ANAM ranger station and a few ex-convicts were allowed to remain permanently on the island when the prison was closed.
Beyond that, Scuba Coiba did a pretty fair job of getting us to and from the dive sites. The dives were great. The food they cooked for us was excellent. Herbie, the owner, is one of the most responsive, helpful people I've dealt with in any dive shop in Panama. As I mentioned above, there were issues with a DM, who is no longer working with Scuba Coiba, and with a couple of pieces of their rental equipment.
Thanks. I've got a one week trip to the Darien planned in a few weeks and I would take the opportunity to do some diving while in Panama. But I've done over 200 dives around the world, and am just not that sure that I'm going to find anything that inspiring to do. Coiba is quite a way from Panama City too.
gb_williams
Contributor
You're right, Coiba is a good seven hour drive from the city. The closest diving from Panama City is Portobelo, 90 minutes away on the Caribbean side. Diving there used to be very good. Lionfish, warming water and run-off from nearby construction have done a number on the shallow reefs. Viz is not that great ... maybe 40 to 50 feet at best. If you decide to go, avoid Panama Divers and Scubapanama. Go with Golden Frog.
I don't want to hijack this thread to an unrelated topic, but I'd love to hear about your trip to the Darien. Who are you going with? I have friends in Panama who have crossed the Darien to the Caribbean.
Thanks again. There's a thread here Panama in January - BirdForum. It's going to be largely a birdwatching trip. I think I'll probably make my trip to Panama largely a birdwatching one and do some birding around the Canal Zone as well as in the Darien. Looks like I will forego diving.
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I had a business trip to Panama City in July, 2011, and could not pass up the opportunity to dive. I dived 2 days with Scubapanama. They picked me up at my hotel, fed me lunch, dropped me back at my hotel. The drive to Portobello is quite long.
The first day had terrible diving, I did a trip with one dive in the Pacific and one dive in the Caribbean out of Portobelo. The Pacific dive had about 10 feet of visibility, nearly no fish. The dive from Portobello was an airplane, somewhat better vis, a few fish. I nearly cancelled the second day, glad I did not. Did 2 dives from Portobello, Patch Boy and Buena Ventura. Visibility was much better, probably 50 feet. A reasonable reef with a mini-wall. Pretty good distribution of the usual reef fish.
If I were to ever visit Panama City again, I would be tempted to dive one day out of Portobelo, requesting the reef.
I had a dive shop in Santa Catalina. I sold some of my gear to Coiba Dive Center (including scuba-charters.com), some to Panama Divers and some to Golden Frog Scuba. Scuba Coiba and Panama Divers are the oldest dive operations in Panama. Any of the dive shops in Santa Catalina are the typical central american dive ops. Panama Divers probably has some of the best boats, but is located in Panama City. And, Yes, Coiba is probably one of the best areas to dive in the Western Hemisphere...
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