| Have you ever wanted to scuba dive amongst large | | | | aptly named dive in the area, and boasts large schools |
| groups of pelagic fish and see beautiful coral reefs | | | | of snappers and other large pelagic. After doing an |
| teeming with colorful fish? Santa Catalina in Panama | | | | hours dive, you will typically go to a nearby beach to |
| has opened up a lot of doors for scuba divers and is | | | | enjoy your surface interval in the sun before going out |
| attracting visitors from all over the world. | | | | to dive again. Another beautiful site in the area is El |
| If you want to do some diving from Santa Catalina, | | | | Palo Grande, or the Big Tree. This site is also notable |
| you have two main options. You can choose to dive | | | | for its large schools of colorful fish, including barracuda, |
| along the Caribbean coastline, or you can venture | | | | surgeon fish, groupers and puffers. Free swimming |
| further a field and visit the Coiba National Park. Both | | | | morays are often seen in the area; in various colors |
| offer spectacular dive sites, amidst a relaxed | | | | and lengths. |
| surrounding and a friendly atmosphere. Many trips to | | | | Coiba Island is another definite must if visiting Santa |
| the national park start from the Santa Catalina town, | | | | Catalina. Located about an hour and a half by boat, the |
| so it would be worth trying both places out. | | | | scuba diving is definitely worth the trip! Divers are |
| The dive sites on offer around Santa Catalina do not | | | | offered an abundance of reefs and beautiful fishes, as |
| disappoint. Water temperatures are typically warm | | | | well as large schools of fish. Scuba divers are given |
| throughout the year, with a nice 28 C in January. | | | | the chance to see rays, sharks, dolphins, marlin, sailfish |
| Divers will be wearing a 3 mm wetsuit which is | | | | and tuna on the various dive sites around the island. |
| generally adequate all through the year. Just off the | | | | During surface intervals, you can explore the national |
| coastline are several small islands that jut out from the | | | | park and see the great range of wildlife in the vicinity. |
| sea. Many of the local sites are based around this | | | | The nearby islands of Boca Chica and Boca Brava |
| area, as well as several other sites located about an | | | | also offer great diving, as well as live-aboard trips |
| hour away. Lanchas or small skiffs ferry the divers out | | | | around the islands. Boca Chica has its own dive centre, |
| to the fantastic dive sites, where they can enjoy the | | | | and the owner offers four or five day trips on his |
| beautiful marine life that is available in abundance. The | | | | custom made dive boat. Between the island and the |
| sites feature large schools of fish and colorful coral | | | | Coiba National Park are a further range of dive sites |
| reefs. White tip reef sharks are a common | | | | to be enjoyed. Panama is host to some |
| occurrence in the area, and if you are lucky you may | | | | world-premiere dive sites that have been compared to |
| see a hammerhead, bull shark, nurse shark or a tiger | | | | Palau and the Galapagos. It is a country worth visiting |
| shark as well. | | | | for its beauty or for its diving alone. |
| Punta Pargo or Snapper Point is a very popular and | | | | |