Dive Review of La Buga Diving/Playa Tortuga Hotel in
Panama

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La Buga Diving/Playa Tortuga Hotel, Sep, 2010, by Stanley Zuk, NY, US ( Sr. Reviewer 11 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 5682 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	After many years of not diving in the Caribbean, I wanted to try it again. I didn't want to repeat the same good places, like Bonaire and Caymans, but instead I've decided to go to a new places, and chose Panama. Most Caribbean diving is done around Bocas del Toro islands, where in Bocas town you may choose to dive with one of the three dive operators. I was diving with La Buga divers, very nice small operator, very nice staff, good service and attitude. The only problem is that most of the pelagics are fished out, and overfishing destroyed Bocas del Toro. On some dives I could only see a few fish, or a school of baby blue tangs, and that was it. Visibility is not the greatest in Bocas, but it wouldn't really matter much, if there was something to see underwater. Unfortunately most of the dive sites are totally dead, and even snorkeling is not rewarding. Only one time we encountered one big nurse shark in sea grass when diving. Diving in caves on the northern side of Bastimentos island was equally dead, with two lion fish, and a couple of lobsters hidden in the rocks. In addition there were some lobster shells on the sandy bottom of this dive site reminding of the local fishermen. If you decide to dive in the Caribbean again, go to a good spot, like Bonaire for instance, or somewhere known for good diving. Going for diving in Panama will be just a waste of time. Panama has great jungle tours, very nice beaches in Bocas del Toro. Great chain of islands in San Blas with Kuna Yala Indians, but diving in Panama's Caribbean is dead. When I traveled in San Blas archipelago, it was relatively a bit better than Bocas del Toro, but still not worth the effort. San Blas islands are gorgeous if you are one beautiful vacation, but not for diving. It is sad, that Panama's government doesn't do anything to protect these areas, and gradually destroys them for ever, due to lack of environmental protection.
Websites	La Buga Diving Playa Tortuga Hotel
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Cozumel, Caymans, Curacao, Bonaire, Fiji, Cook Islands, Bora Bora, Vanuatu, Mauritius, Seychelles, Malaysia, Palau, Yap, Rangiroa, Fakarava, Toau, Thailand, Maldives, Zanzibar, etc.
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm, no currents
Water Temp	78-84°F / 26-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	10-50 Ft/ 3-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	[None]

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of La Buga Diving/Playa Tortuga Hotel in Panama

La Buga Diving/Playa Tortuga Hotel, Sep, 2010,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of La Buga Diving/Playa Tortuga Hotel in
Panama