Scuba Coiba has changed divemasters since I was last there, two years ago. That's a very good thing, and I've read good reviews about the new DMs. Yes, Coiba can be very challenging with strong currents and low visibility. In late January/early February, I found the currents to be much stronger than Cozumel. The visibility will vary from 60-70 feet to barely 10 feet. Remember, you can always abort a dive if you are uncomfortable.
In January, you will encounter thermoclines, where the temp drops from low 80s to low 70s/upper 60s. So, wearing a 5 mm full suit and a fleece cap or hood is good idea. There were only two male XLs at Scuba Coiba when I went. I took the one with the smaller hole which quickly grew into a large tear. If you don't have a 5 mm full suit, I'd recommend renting one from your local dive shop before you go. Or, you could use a 3 mm full suit and a shorty.
The marine life of Coiba is very similar to Hawaii. On Coiba, you'll see the same types of tropical reef fish, plus plentiful frog fish and many more reef sharks. There's also a good chance you'll see mobulas and whale sharks. Don't expect to see much coral. The bottom is mostly rock and coral is in small patches.
Lorenzoid is right about the bunkhouses on Coiba. They're Spartan. But, we did have air conditioning and electricity between 7 pm and 7 am. The food though, was great! And, Herbie (the owner/operator of Scuba Coiba) arranged a separate room for my wife and I, so we did have more privacy.
At Pedasi, you'll dive Isla Iguana. Our Panamanian friends, who have also dived Coiba and Contadora, did not like Isla Iguana. They found the visibility to be poor and very little marine life. They also persuaded us not to go to Contadora for diving, just snorkeling. After numerous attempts in both Spanish and English, I finally gave up on trying to contact the dive shop there.
I've been diving Bocas del Toro since 2000 and Isla Grande/Portobelo since 2003.
Portobelo is the closest dive op to Panama City. (It will be 2 1/2 hours from Playa Coronado.) Golden Frog is a new op in Portobelo, and I haven't used them, only Scubapanama. (Lorenzoid -- what does Golden Frog charge for a 2-tank dive? Last I looked, they didn't have their rates online.) Scubapanama and their neighbors, Panama Divers, charge as much as dive ops on Grand Cayman for far, far less service, equipment and quality diving. Plus, they will nickel-dime you death.
Portobelo used to be my favorite place to dive in Panama. The water was warm and the reefs were lush, colorful, healthy and full of marine life. Scubapanama charged $85 for a 2-tank dive and the same for a 1-tank night dive. Since 2010, all that has changed. Sediment and run-off from construction, over-fishing and lionfish have decimated the four dive sites you can get to December - August. (More and much healthier sites open up on the barrier reef when the seas calm between September and mid-late November.) The numbers and species of marine life is low. Many of the colorful hard corals are dead and/or covered in silt. On a good day, you'll get 40 feet of vis on the sheltered dive sites. Much more on the Wall -- when you can get there. Following the lead of Panama Divers, Scubapanama raised their rates to $125 for a 2-tank dive plus $10 rental per tank and $35 for the DM, which is divided among the divers on the boat.
If you do go to Portobelo, Scubapanama (Sunset Cabins) does have nice, but very basic, cabañas (cabins) at reasonable rates. Sra. Chong (the housekeeper) is a great cook, but you'll find lunch and dinner just as good and far cheaper next door at one of my favorite restaurants in Portobelo, Los Cañones.
Bocas del Toro has always been a go-to place for international backpackers, known for cheap hostels and a party atmosphere. Over the last ten years, it has become gringo touristy, filled with rich condo renters and trendy "eco-tourists" who love to tear up the jungle in their ATVs and ride ziplines through what was once monkey and sloth habitat. Before the condo development stripped that portion of the land on Bastimentos, you had to be careful not to step on frogs when walking to Red Frog Beach. Now, you don't see any.
As for the diving, it's better than Portobelo and the costs are less, too. The water is bathtub warm, but not great on visibility. Expect anywhere from 10 to 60 feet, depending on how much it has rained recently. (Rain drives sediment down the streams and into the sea.) Overfishing and lionfish have also taken their toll, here. But, there are still large, beautiful coral formations and lots of fish and critters to see. Bocas actually has more species of coral and reef fish than Grand Cayman -- just not as many dive sites, nor as much visibility, nor are the dive sites as spectacular as Grand Cayman, Cozumel or Roatan. In fact, most of your diving will be between 15 and 40 feet. There are more toadfish and brittle stars here than I've seen anywhere else, including Roatan and Cozumel. If you look, you can find lots of nudibranchs and sea horses in the soft corals. There are the typical Caribbean reef fish ranging from nurse sharks and rays to green and spotted morays to drums, grunts, snappers, tangs and the rest.
The best dive op is La Buga. Hopefully, Leandro is still there. (The best DM/Instructor in Bocas.) Avoid Starfleet.
¡Desfrute Panamá!
