From: Rene Gomez <rene.gomez@scubapanama.com>
FOR YOUR DIVING FANTASIES..........
Want to dive where the oceans meet?......COME AND SCUBAPANAMA!
Whether it is snorkeling or tank diving (scuba), the diving enthusiast is bound to find his appeal in any of the various waters of Panama. Panama offers both, the lively and colorful clarity of Caribbean style Atlantic; the vast and mysterious Pacific Ocean full of large marine species, exactly where Balboa discovered it; and the jungle-encircled Gatun Lake, bed of the Panama Canal.
The isthmus of Panama, running on an east-west axis, finds the Atlantic Ocean on its northern shores. Starting from the west, the first dive site is Bocas del Toro; an ideal place to live an unforgettable experience. You will be glad to have discovered this beautiful unspoiled spot, visited by Christopher Columbus in 1502, during his forth and last trip. Bocas offers countless clean beaches, clear waters great for diving along fabulous live coral reefs. A typical diving excursion to Bocas del Toro would be a three-day excursion. On the first day, you would leave the domestic Paitilla airport in mid-morning, arrive at Bocas just before noon. Register through immigration (carry your bi-lingual card or passport) and straight to the hotel of your selection. If your interest is diving, we recommend you stay at Botel Thomas, which caters to divers in particular. There you will be given your room (double occupancy) and lunch. After lunch, off you go, on a local cayuco for four hours, on Caribbean reefs or looking for old bottles. On the second day, after a continental breakfast, you take either a Boat or bus ride to BOCA DEL DRAGO (1 hr ride), a special beach, ideal for picnicing, beachcombing, swimming, or snorkeling. There, you can rent a cayuco to travel to either "swans key", "flat rock", "sail rock", or to travel the water channel through the jungle. Return to the botel at the end of the day. The trird day, after breakfast, the morning is for you to roam the town, sit at the baranda or simply wait for the plane to come (11:00) to take you back to Panama City. Non-divers, could plan side trips to other islands, indian villages, the mainland, to the border. Visit "Chiquita Banana" birthplace, go thru the banana plantations and processing plant. Walk thru a cacao (chocolate) farm - the best quality in the world. Ride the "Banana Express" train, rustic and picturesque and the ferry boat "Isla Colon" across the Almirante Bay. Much more to see and do.
From Bocas, moving due East, the next dive-accessible area is that of Portobelo, from where all gold from South America left for Spain. Portobelo, lust of Pirates, harbors on its depths, their galleons and mysteries. Right before the town, there are several dive operators who would gladly take you on a dive excursions to places like "Buena Ventura Island" for shallow and deep diving; with an intriguing drop-off. Or, if your interest is in looking for pirate's history; "Drake's Island" is your site; right where Sir Francis Drake was set to rest. Divers stil look for Drake's coffin, that is perhaps totally encrusted with coral. A short boat ride can take you to "Salmedina Reef", a semi-submerged reef that took its share of wooden vessels. Not far, lies "Three sisters" islands with a conglomerate of underwater terrain, sea flora and fauna. Close to shore there are several dive sites totally accessible by car. When planning to stay overnight, we recommend the SCUBAPORTOBELO Cabins, specifically designed for the diver; with divemasters, boat operators, available to you. These people even dropped a C-45 airplane in 75" of water as an added dive attraction. There, you will be staying on the thatch roof bohios, built on the beach overlooking the ocean. Fresh water showers, restrooms, electricity, restaurant with Creole afro Antillean meals, rental of diving equipment, games and marine activities. Do enjoy the romantic sunsets and evenings at its fullest, because in the morning, you can wake-up and be in the water in two minutes flat. Because of the rivers running into the sea, this area is known to have the famous Tarpon; a great rod-fighting fish; very impressive to see underwater.
Moving further East, we find two idyllic islands for diving. The first one is "Isla Mamey", an island set out specifically for divers and sun-worshipers. From "Puerto Lindo" on the mainland, where for only $1.50 a local boat takes you to the island . The second island is "Isla Grande" a typical Antillean community with a beautiful beach and several gest houses plus a main hotel to suit your diving and rooming needs. If air conditioned rooms at the end of your dives is what you are looking for; you can find them in Isla Grande. The island also displays a magnificent northern shore with shallows, canyons, caves, and deep dive. Needless is to say that crab and lobsters are the main goal of any diver that goes there. On its western end, a unique labyrinth of canyons offer a beautiful dive.
Continuing East, we come to the famous "San Blas Islands"; 365 of them, one for each day of the year, say the Cuna Indians that inhabit these white sanded specs on the northeastern shores of Panama. To San Blas you travel by air from Paitilla Airport. You select which one of the countless airstrips you wish to land; from there, you leave it entirely to the hospitable Cuna Indians that rejoice in making your stay memorable. "Porvenir", "Nargana", "Aligandi", are three of the airstrips that divers visit the most. Right upon landing you can make the arrangements for your meals and loddging. Your hosts will make the necessary arrangements to have a dug-out cayuco available for your dive trip; operator and all. This is "snorkeling paradise", because of the vastness of snorkeling area these 365 islands have to offer. There, you would be staying in thatch roof, Cuna style homes, with a white sandy floor. You can select to sleep on a bed, or on the famous hammocks. All this, in a friendly, hospitable, unspoiled and clean atmosphere. Don't miss it.
Now, moving to the southern shores of Panama, we find the Pacific Ocean, with deep water, big fish and rocky formations; a real difference from the shallows, small colorful fish and the myriad of corals of the Atlantic. There are four primary areas divers find find of interest; The coast of Darien, The Perlas Islands, The Azuero peninsula, and the Coiba Area.
The Coast of Darien, realm of the Black Marlin, huge Amberjacks and "Dog-Toothed" Snapper is a spearfisherman's paradise. You reach the area by either flying into the town of Jaque, or by private boat. It has been known of economy conscious divers loading a zodiac with a small engine onto one of the cargo boats and go there for four or five days. Although no formal dive operation exists, there are reputable local divers that will gladly guide you through the area. Be prepared to see blue and deep waters, with large inquisitive fish coming at you as if you were just driftwood.
The Perlas Islands has it all. From shallows to deep water, from coral heads to rocky dropp-offs, from the tiny sea wrasses to the four-hundred pounders Jew Fish (large sea bass). Underwater photography and spearfishing is a must. Another of the niceties of the area is that you can get your tanks filled at the island of "Contadora". Remember Contadora? The island selected by the late Shah of Iran for his retirement. The island boasts a magnificent five star Caesar Park hotel and several other first grade "cabana" style hotels. Marine sports are available for the non-diver. By the way, the name "Contadora" was given, because it was there were in the old days they did the counting of the pearls fished out of this set of "Perlas Islands".
The Azuero peninsula has various luring dive areas; Isla Iguana, Punta Mala, Cambutal, Santa Catalina, Los Frailes, Isla Cebaco, among others. The diving is somewhat simmilar to the other areas in the Pacific in the underwater terrain and sea life. To these sites, most of the divers travel by car; a five, six, or seven hour drive awaits you. No dive operations; but very virgin territory. Last, but not least, is "Coiba". The largest island of Panama, and because of its inaccessibility was turned into a penal colony where most of the prisoners worked the land during the day and back to their cells at night. Being a penal colony, its shores, remained virgin to fishermen, boaters and divers. There is, however, a number of large and small islands that surround Coiba; where crystal waters and white sands make you feel like Robinson Crusoe. And if it is unspoiled on the top; just think how virgin is on the bottom. It is said that nothing tops diving in the Coiba area. I would rather change that to read "nothing tops diving in Panama". For the traveling diver, or the tourist that also dives, Panama offers all of the above. So when in Panama, do come and SCUBAPANAMA, which, by the way, is a complex of dive shop & dive operator, with its own training facility that boasts a private swimming pool, classroom, five bilingual instructors with multiple certifications, two exclusive dive sites, and professionalism in their personal touch with the diver.
SCUBA-COIBA
SCUBA-PORTOBELO
SCUBA-TABOGA
SCUBA-PANAMA-CANAL
SCUBA-TWO-OCEANS-&-THE-CANAL-IN-ONE-DAY!
SCUBAPANAMA
PHONE: (507) 261-4064
(507) 261-3841
FAX: (507) 261-9586
CELLULAR: (507) 673-3621