Thread: 2008 Vacation, Advice Please on Caribben Dive Spots...

Carribean location? Try PANAMA on the ATLANTIC side. (Carribean) Try diving around PORTOBELLO. Lots of interesting ship wrecks around NOMBRE DE DIOS area. Supposedly a fleet of ships got sunk there by a hurricane that whipped up around those waters. The bay offered poor protection from storms in the North Sea (Caribbean) and may ships were lost during storms in the harbor. In 1565, an entire Spanish fleet, under the command of Aguayo, was lost there during a storm. That is why they moved their port to PORTOBELLO along with raids by FRANCIS DRAKE. The bay at NOMBRE DE DIOS was not defended from the open ocean swells during storms. Have a nice day. I'll send a link here. Nombre de Dios.

From MIAMI take COPA. Once you get to TOCUMEN airport, I suggest you do what you want to do from there. You can visit the PANAMA CANAL. I can get you some tourist information if you want. From there, you can get to PORTO BELLO by bus, car, train....you name it. I don't know much about renting cars, but the roads are pretty good. I am not a diver. I snorkel, but haven't since about 8 years ago when I lived on SAIPAN. To me, the PACIFIC is the way to go for diving/snorkeling, but like I say, try PANAMA. Go to www.czbrats.com to the message board and inquire. You will get lots of bites in there. Even tourist guides. Believe me. Tell them that the SAIPAN SAM sends you. Good luck.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by David Taylor:
Thank-you. Panama hadn't occurred to me. Have you suggestions for flights from/to Miami and the airport nearest to diving? Advice too please for possible accommodations for the stay. We've considered renting a sailboat equipped for scuba diving.

Many thanks indeed. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Here is an interesting link by the way....Nombre de Dios diving

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by David Taylor:
Thank-you. Panama hadn't occurred to me. Have you suggestions for flights from/to Miami and the airport nearest to diving? Advice too please for possible accommodations for the stay. We've considered renting a sailboat equipped for scuba diving.

Many thanks indeed. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know this is a late reply, but I have just joined.

One of the best dive spots in the Caribbean are the Islands of Saba and St Eustasious. Saba was voted best caribbean island in 2006. It offers great deeps dives and has the only decompression chamber in the north eastern caribbean. Statia which used to be the largest trading port of the caribbean has the old foundation sof its old city sunken under water.
I have never dived these locations but having worked for the airline that services these two destinations I have taken many experienced divers across. These islands are off the between path, most people have never heard of them I would definately recommend researching them.
Best way to get there is to fly to St maarten through any major US airline or Air France KLM. And then take Winair which has codeshare agreements with a bunch of airlines as well.
Hope this helped.