Panama
- Thread starter elbee
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Kristjl8
New
I'm heading to Bocas del Toro a week from this friday for a couple days of diving before a wedding in Panama City. We are planning to dive through Bocas Water Sports, an LDS down there that i've heard is pretty good. Check them out online. I can let you know when i get back how it all went.
Hi elbee. My wife and I are the the owners of Bocas Water Sports and we would be glad to answer any specific questions you may have about diving, accomodations, restaurants, or transportation in Bocas del Toro, Panama.
We went to Bocas last December to do a couple of weeks of diving and fell in love with the area. On the last day of the trip we found out that the shop was up for sale so we made an offer, gave notice for our day jobs (I was teaching at UNC-Wilmington, my wife was an ER nurse) and moved down this past May. Since buying the shop we've purchased all new ScubaPro gear, hired two additional DMs (we feel it is important to hire only local guides, DMs, instructors and captains), and renovated the shop. We love it here and are very pleased with the move.
If you have any questions please PM me. A good general site about Bocas del Toro is Bocas.com.
Best,
Jon
We went to Bocas last December to do a couple of weeks of diving and fell in love with the area. On the last day of the trip we found out that the shop was up for sale so we made an offer, gave notice for our day jobs (I was teaching at UNC-Wilmington, my wife was an ER nurse) and moved down this past May. Since buying the shop we've purchased all new ScubaPro gear, hired two additional DMs (we feel it is important to hire only local guides, DMs, instructors and captains), and renovated the shop. We love it here and are very pleased with the move.
If you have any questions please PM me. A good general site about Bocas del Toro is Bocas.com.
Best,
Jon
WOW! I am jealous! You don't hear about many people who get the opportunity to live a dream! What an exciting venture. O.K. now the questions...
1. What is it like in Boca in December...weather, viz?
2. Any recommendations on where to stay?
3. What airport do you fly into?
I like warm water diving...usually wear a 3mm. My husband is part polar bear so temperature is not a big deal to him.
4. Anything else you can add would be great!
Take care,
elbee
1. What is it like in Boca in December...weather, viz?
2. Any recommendations on where to stay?
3. What airport do you fly into?
I like warm water diving...usually wear a 3mm. My husband is part polar bear so temperature is not a big deal to him.
4. Anything else you can add would be great!
Take care,
elbee
Hi elbee,
Bocas in December is warm (air temp is about 85 during the day and water temp is about 82-83). December is actually part of what I call an mini-rainy season. Historically we do get significant rainfall in December, although when we came as visitors last December we had almost no rain for the two weeks we were here.
As you have probably heard, vis in Bocas is not great. I would say it averages about 40 feet, with it going down to 20-25 feet after significant rainfall and going up as high as about 60 feet after a dry spell. This is offset by beautiful reefs, no current, and no high seas (most of our sites are on the lee side of islands. It is very easy diving). We never need to cancel a dive trip due to high seas.
I recommend Lula's to stay (Lulabb.com). It's a quaint bed and breakfast owned by a couple from Atlanta (they are both divers). It has hot water, A/C, clean rooms and decent breakfasts. They charge approximately $50/night.
The easiest way to get to Bocas is to fly into Panama City and take a puddle jumper from Panama City to Bocas del Toro airport (Aeroperlas and Air Panama make multiple flights per day). Be aware that you must go from the international airport in Panama City to the small regional airport (Allbrook) to go on the puddle jumpers.
A 3mm is more than sufficient. I dived in a bathing suit all last December (although I might be part polar bear too). The water temp is pretty much a constant 82-83.
Restaurants here are excellent. We have good sea food, a Peruvian restaurant, an Indian restaurant, a Thai restaurant, Mexican, etc. Meals range from $3 at some of the "local" restaurants to about $15 at the more upscale tourist places.
Everything in town is walking distance, but taxis are $1 anywhere in town you want to go. Water taxis are 2-5 dollars going to some of the neighboring islands for restaurants.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Best,
Jon
Bocas in December is warm (air temp is about 85 during the day and water temp is about 82-83). December is actually part of what I call an mini-rainy season. Historically we do get significant rainfall in December, although when we came as visitors last December we had almost no rain for the two weeks we were here.
As you have probably heard, vis in Bocas is not great. I would say it averages about 40 feet, with it going down to 20-25 feet after significant rainfall and going up as high as about 60 feet after a dry spell. This is offset by beautiful reefs, no current, and no high seas (most of our sites are on the lee side of islands. It is very easy diving). We never need to cancel a dive trip due to high seas.
I recommend Lula's to stay (Lulabb.com). It's a quaint bed and breakfast owned by a couple from Atlanta (they are both divers). It has hot water, A/C, clean rooms and decent breakfasts. They charge approximately $50/night.
The easiest way to get to Bocas is to fly into Panama City and take a puddle jumper from Panama City to Bocas del Toro airport (Aeroperlas and Air Panama make multiple flights per day). Be aware that you must go from the international airport in Panama City to the small regional airport (Allbrook) to go on the puddle jumpers.
A 3mm is more than sufficient. I dived in a bathing suit all last December (although I might be part polar bear too). The water temp is pretty much a constant 82-83.
Restaurants here are excellent. We have good sea food, a Peruvian restaurant, an Indian restaurant, a Thai restaurant, Mexican, etc. Meals range from $3 at some of the "local" restaurants to about $15 at the more upscale tourist places.
Everything in town is walking distance, but taxis are $1 anywhere in town you want to go. Water taxis are 2-5 dollars going to some of the neighboring islands for restaurants.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Best,
Jon
rainmaker
Contributor
How far is the regional airport at Allbrook from the international airport at Panama City, and what is the best way to travel between the two? Do Aeroperlas and Air Panama have websites with fares and schedules posted?
Depending upon traffic, it is approximately one hour between the international airport and Allbrook (last time I went it took 45 minutes and it was a $35 cab fare). Aeroperlas and AirPanama have websites and you can book online. Another alternative is to fly into San Jose, Costa Rica and take Nature Air from San Jose to Bocas del Toro, although this also requires going from the international airport in San Jose to the small regional airport in San Jose. Nature Air can provide transfers between the two airports (this alternative is usually more expensive because of the departure taxes leaving Costa Rica).
A good friend of mine owns Golden Frog Scuba Panama - Diving the Gulf of Chiriqui, Isla Secas and Coiba National Park in Panama.
I've dove and trained with him.
JcF
I've dove and trained with him.
JcF
Juan Pablo
New
I'm thinking of doing a divemaster course with a diveshop in Bocas in November, any thoughts, would the visibility really be an off putting factor? Any good shops to revommend. Honduras would be ideal to do my course, but for the moment Bocas is cheaper.
Visibility should not be an issue. Don't expect phenomenal visibility, but it should be about 40 feet at most dive sites (unless there has been a lot of rain, in which case we avoid certain sites). The best time to dive Bocas is September/October when we are able to access many sites on the outside of Bastimentos Island-an area with awesome swimthroughs, bigger animals, and visibility of 80'+.
As far as shops, obviously I would recommend my own, but the truth of the matter is that all three of the shops here are professionally run. The shops are Bocas Water Sports (us), Starfleet Scuba, and LaBuga Dive Center. You can´t go wrong with any of these operators.
If you need any info on transportation,hotels/hostels, restaurants, bars, etc., please feel free to PM me.
As far as shops, obviously I would recommend my own, but the truth of the matter is that all three of the shops here are professionally run. The shops are Bocas Water Sports (us), Starfleet Scuba, and LaBuga Dive Center. You can´t go wrong with any of these operators.
If you need any info on transportation,hotels/hostels, restaurants, bars, etc., please feel free to PM me.
Similar threads
