Dive Review of Marina Las Perlas/Barcelo Playa Blanca in
Panama/Gulf of Panama

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Marina Las Perlas/Barcelo Playa Blanca, Dec, 2004, by Ken Robertson, Alberta, Canada ( Reviewer 5 reports). Report 887.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	The all-inclusive Barcelo Playa Blanca resort is in an area that was once a restricted military base of first, the Americans and then later of the Panamanian Army. Both President's Torrijos and Noriega had residences about one mile from our hotel. The hotel had only been opened for about two months – but was easily 4 stars. To the common surprise of myself and two other experienced divers who were staying at the hotel it had no dive operation (as advertised) and the marina owners (sub-contractors)had tried to BS us that they were not diving because the visibility was bad. Once we discovered what was up, we found a dive operator at the neighboring Decameron Resort (nice place!)and arranged to dive with him. Pablo Garrido of Marina Las Perlas proved to be a great guy and kindly arranged some diving for us. The best dives we had were at Octoque and Bona Islands. Vis was not the greatest - but hey, we have had worst, and it was, afterall, at the end of the rainy season there. There were more corals (but far less than the Caribbean side)and a little less alga than we had seen closer to the coast the day before at Farallon Island. Saw some small groups of large parrotfish, some juvenile jewfish, bonito, purple surgeonfish, numerous small spotted rays, groupers, balloon fish, triggerfish, blue striped and yellow snappers, barberfish, blennies, a small octopus, butterflyfish, king angelfish, damsels, sergeant majors, wrasses and trevally. I think if I returned to Panama I would head further up the coast toward Costa Rico - most of the locals said the diving was definitely better there. The canal is well worth checking out and a great way to spend your off-gas pre-flight day. The history of the canal makes great beach reading.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	All over the Caribbean, Mexico (both coasts), Galapagos, Greece, Tahiti, Cook Islands, Fiji, and Canada's West Coast
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	cloudy	Seas	choppy, noCurrents
Water Temp	83-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	10-15 Ft/ 3-5 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Very flexible with experienced divers.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	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	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of Marina Las Perlas/Barcelo Playa Blanca in Panama/Gulf of Panama

Marina Las Perlas/Barcelo Playa Blanca, Dec, 2004,

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 Marina Las Perlas/Barcelo Playa Blanca in
Panama/Gulf of Panama