Panama is a maritime country par
excellence. Its history and its economy are linked to the sea. It has coasts on
the Caribbean (1.207 km) and the Pacific Oceans (1700,6 km). This privileged
geographic condition has generated important marine and coastal zones full of
aquatic and land ecosystems like marshes, beaches and coral reefs that form
incredible landscapes of submarine flora and fauna on both coasts.
In the Panama Caribbean specialists are astonished with the extraordinary submarine beauty of the North and South Zapatilla Keys in the province of Bocas del Toro within the Maritime National Park of Bastimento Island, as well as around the waters of Punta Vieja (Old Point), Punta Hospital ( Hospital Point), Donato, Crawl Cay, Stern Island, Tiger Cay, Wild Cane Cay and Agua Oeste Cay. On Colon Island tour operators provide equipment and guides for safe scuba diving any time of year.
The San Blas Archipelago is famous all over the world for its wonderful islands of coralline origin and its crystalline waters where scuba diving and snorkeling are some of the main activities. The best months for diving are April, May, November and December.
There are
meeting sites for scuba diving and snorkeling like Portobelo Bay, Isla Mamey
and Isla Grande. It could turn out to be a great adventure to dive in these
waters full of the history of pirates and privateers from the XVII century,
where stormy battles took place and where the mortal remains of the famous
pirate Sir Francis Drake, were laid to rest at sea in a leaden casket. The best
diving months are April, May, November and December.
In
the Pacific Ocean there are ample zones of sub aqueous beauties like Coiba
Island, in the Coiba National Park, that has the most extensive coralline reefs
of the Central American Pacific becoming a great
natural aquarium. Another
possibility is to visit the Chiriquí Marine Gulf National Park where there are
species of great size like whales and dolphins among others, or enjoy scuba
diving or "snorkeling " to feel the emotions of being in a multicolored
aquarium. In these two areas the best months for diving are December to March.
The Islands of Contadora and Taboga in the Archipelago of las Perlas (the Pearl
Archipelago), are the diving sites nearest to Panama City. These Islands have
facilities for the full-featured sport of scuba diving with or without a tank.
In the Wild Life Refuge of Iguana Island there are very well preserved coral reefs that can easily be observed at shallow depths, an excellent and calm site to dive.
The waters next to the Panama Canal, specifically Gatún and Alajuela lakes are also a unique diving destination. Perhaps this is a different diving experience, because the attraction consists in seeing at the depths the remains of the first trans-isthmian railroad and the old dredges that excavated the Canal pathway.