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FAQs

You Asked, We Answered!

HOW DO I GET TO PANAMA DIVE SCHOOL?

  • We are located on Isla Carenero. just a one minute taxi boat ride from the main island. 

  • The Carenero Boteros taxi boat dock is located on 1st Street down Ave. Central from the central park, and the entrance to the boat dock is next to Tropical Birds restaurant.

  • Ask your Captain to take you to "Panama Dive School, la escuela de buceo." The fare is $1 per person.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO DIVING ?

Click here for information about the courses we offer.

WHATS THE BEST SEASON FOR DIVING IN BOCAS DEL TORO?

  • Diving season in Bocas del Toro is year-round! However, the best season for diving is late August to early November, also known as cave diving season, when swell is down and seas are flat, allowing safe and beautiful conditions to explore Isla Bastimentos' intricate cave systems.

WHEN CAN I DIVE TIGER ROCK?

  • Tiger Rock is one of Panama's Best dives! However, this dive site is only available in September to advanced divers.

DO YOU OFER NITROX? 

  • No, the reefs in the Bocas del Toro area are scattered/spotted reefs that break up along the bottom and the best parts of the reef can be observed best by moving from site to site instead of doing longer dives at one site, with only a small boat ride in-between dive sites.

HOW FAR AWAY ARE THE DIVE SITES?

  • All dive sites in the bay are only a max 10-minute boat ride away, with the exception of seasonal trips.

HOW DEEP ARE THE DIVES?

  • Diving in Bocas is shallow, with the exception of Tiger Rock.

  • Most dive sites reach a max depth of 16-18m (55ft-65ft), with an average depth of 10m-14m (33ft-45ft) on the reefs. This means lots of light and long bottom times!

HOW LONG DO YOU DIVE FOR ?

  • Fun dives can be anywhere from 50 - 70 mins under the water, depending on air consumption.

HOW MANY DIVERS PER GROUP?

  • We like to keep small groups underwater, 4 divers per Divemaster (DM).

  • We add one DM per every 2 additional divers.

HOW DIFFICULT IS DIVING IN BOCAS COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF PANAMA ?

  • Diving in Bocas del Toro is extremely easy and accessible for diver of all levels. A small tidal change on the Caribbean side allows for very consistent conditions.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING ON MY FUN DIVE TRIP?

  • All equipment is included in the price of your fun dive, here are a few things you can bring:

    • Reusable water bottle

    • Reef safe sunscreen 

    • Hat and sunglasses 

    • Towel

WHAT TIME ARE THE DIVES?

  • Morning 2-tank dive – 8:30 AM at the dive shop, returning around 12:30 PM

  • Afternoon 2-tank dive – 1:30 PM at the dive shop, returning around 5:30 PM

  • Night 1-tank dive – 6:30 PM at the dive shop, returning around 8 PM

Note: Students should arrive half an hour earlier for gear assembly and skill briefing.

WHAT IS VISIBILITY LIKE AT THE DIVE SITES?

  • Year-round dive sites get an average of 8-10m (25-33ft) visibility.

DO YOU DIVE IN THE RAIN?

  • Safety is our priority, but luckily, in Bocas, most of our dive sites are protected in the bay and are safe to visit on rainy days. If conditions appear unsafe, we can postpone until conditions improve.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCED DO I NEED TO BOOK MY FUN DIVES?

  • We ask for a minimum one-day notice for morning dives.

  • We accept walk-ins for certified divers. If we have space on board you're welcome to join!  

  • Heads up! In high-season we recommend you book your dive with a little more anticipation!

FAQ: what do i bring on my fun dive?

DO I NEED TO LEAVE A DEPOSIT FOR MY FUN DIVE TRIP?

  • Yes, we take a $25 USD deposit per diver to reserve your Divemaster and save your seat on the boat.

  • Deposits can be sent in advance via Paypal or paid in Cash at the dive shop, at least one day prior to the dive trip.

WHAT IS YOUR RESCHEDULING AND CANCELLATION POLICY?

  • Schedule changes and cancellations can be made up to 2 weeks before the date of the dive.

  • We will happily accommodate any changes with no extra charge, as long as they've been requested 2 weeks before the original dive date, and if we have space available on the requested date.

  • The deposit is non-refundable when changes and cancellations are made less than 2 weeks before the dive date.

WHAT ARE MY PAYMENT OPTIONS FOR MY FUN DIVE/ DIVE COURSE ?

  • We accept Cash, Paypal, Visa & Mastercard!

  • A %4 fee will be applied when paying by card.

CAN I DIVE IF I AM NOT CERTIFIED?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO LEARN TO DIVE

HOW OFTEN DO YOU START OPEN WATER COURSES?

  • We can start an open water course any day of the week, whether we have an ongoing course or not.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET DIVE CERTIFIED?

Rescheduling and Cancelling

CAN I COMPLETE THE THEORY FOR MY COURSE ONLINE?

  • Yes, all courses come with PADI e-learning.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCED SHOULD I BOOK MY COURSE?

  • We accept last minute bookings, but we recommend a 3 days notice before starting your course, so students have time to review course materials.

DO I HAVE TO LEAVE DEPOSITE TO BOOK MY DIVE COURSE?

  • Yes, we take $140 USD deposit to book your instructor and issue the PADI e-learning for your course.

  • Deposits can be sent in advance via Paypal or paid in Cash at the dive shop at least one day prior to starting the course.

    • Students will not receive e-leaning materials until the deposit has been paid. 

  • Heads up! in high season we recommend you book your course with a little more anticipation.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME FOR MY DIVE COURSE?

  • We provide all materials and equipment needed for your PADI course. Here are a few things you can bring:

    • Reusable water bottle

    • Reef safe sunscreen 

    • Hat and sunglasses 

    • Towel​

  • On Thursdays and Fridays, the restaurant next to the dive shop (Leaf Eaters) is closed. We recommend you bring lunch with you, as Isla Carenero is a small island and options are limited.

IS LUNCH INCLUDED?

  • No, lunch is not included in your PADI course or fun dive trips. 

  • ​Some of the best food in the Bocas Del Toro area is available on location at the dive shop. 

    • ​​Leaf Eaters Cafe with full Vegan menu & The Big Fish with only sustainably sourced fish from Open Blue, the only open water fish farm in Panama, both kitchens are open SATURDAY - WEDNESDAY from 11 AM to 4 PM.

WHAT CURRENCY DO THEY USE IN PANAMA?

  • Panama runs on US dollars ($) currency, and most businesses only take cash.

  • Exchanging money on the island can be a difficult task.

HOW MANY ATM'S ARE ON THE ISLAND?

  • There are now 3 working ATM's located on Isla Colon.

    • The ATMs outside supermarkets only allow you to withdraw up to $300 USD at a time.​

    • The ATMs outside Banco Nacional allow you to withdraw up to $500 USD at a time.

  • Beware! During high season, the ATM's do run out of cash!

HOW DO I GET TO BOCAS DEL TORO?

  • Bocas del toro can be accessed by boat or plane.

  • There is a small international airport (Bocas Del Toro, José E. Hall [BOC]) on the main island, Isla Colon. You can book a flight straight to Bocas from both Panama City and the City of David.

  • You can also get to Bocas by overnight coach bus from Panama city to the Almirante port, and from there take a 15-20-minute boat ride to the island.

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