Coiba, Panama Diving and Cultural Tour

SCUBA-BAY COIBA ISLAND/PANAMA DIVING AND CULTURAL TOUR 2027

Discover the Wild Underwater World of the Eastern Tropical Pacific with SCUBA-BAY

Coiba National Park, off Panama's south-western coast, is one of the most important protected areas of the Eastern Tropical Pacific, encompassing Coiba Island, 38 smaller islands and vast marine areas within the Gulf of Chiriquí. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005, the park is home to important habitats for sharks, rays, sea turtles, marine mammals and large pelagic fish.

At SCUBA-BAY, we invite you not just on a diving tour, but on a comprehensive discovery programme that brings together the city atmosphere of Panama City, the peaceful Pacific shores of Santa Catalina and the rich underwater life of Coiba National Park. With direct flights on Turkish Airlines, carefully planned road and boat transfers, and a total of nine dives over three days in Coiba, we'll discover Panama's many faces together.

📅 Tour Date

8 – 17 January 2027

🤿 Diving Programme

3 Days • 9 Dives in Total

✈️ Transport

Return flight with Turkish Airlines, Istanbul – Panama City

🏨 Accommodation

4 nights in Panama City, breakfast included
4 nights in Santa Catalina, breakfast included

👥 Group Size

11 Participants

🇹🇷 Organisation

Over 22 years of international diving and cultural tour experience

TÜRSAB Group A Travel Agency No: 9968 • TSSF Registration No. 001 Dive Centre

ABOUT COIBA NATIONAL PARK

Wild Pacific under UNESCO protection, an accessible Galápagos feeling

Coiba National Park and Special Marine Protection Zone lies in Panama's Gulf of Chiriquí. Covering Coiba Island, the 38 smaller islands around it and extensive marine areas, the region has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 2005. The islands' long relative isolation has helped preserve the high biodiversity of both their land and marine ecosystems.

According to UNESCO data, Coiba's marine ecosystems provide habitat for hundreds of fish species as well as numerous species of shark and marine mammal. Reefs, rocky underwater formations and open-ocean influence create a dynamic setting where divers have a good chance of encountering schooling fish, sharks, rays, sea turtles and other pelagic species.

The character of the diving experience in Coiba is shaped not only by the marine life on show, but also by the scale and remoteness of the area. Reached by boat from Santa Catalina, the national park sees each diving day planned according to sea conditions and the dive team's safety assessment. The programme includes a total of nine dives over three days.

The Panama journey isn't limited to Coiba. Accommodation and free time in Panama City give participants the chance to explore the country's city life and cultural fabric at their own pace. Guests who wish may join an optional city tour on 14 January.

🌍 Location

Panama / Central America

🏝️ Region

Coiba National Park and surrounding marine areas

🐠 Featured Marine Life

Sharks • Rays • Sea Turtles • Schooling Fish • Pelagic Species • Seasonal Marine Mammals

🏛️ Featured Natural Assets

Coiba National Park • UNESCO World Heritage Site • Eastern Tropical Pacific Ecosystem • Protected Marine Areas

🌊 Water Temperature

Approximately 24–29°C

👁️ Visibility

Generally 10–30 metres

🤿 Diving Programme

3 Days, 9 Dives in Total

• Coiba National Park

• Surrounding Reef and Rocky Dive Sites

• Open-Water and Pelagic Encounter Sites

🤿 Diving Level

Advanced Open Water or equivalent diving certification

WHY VISIT PANAMA WITH SCUBA-BAY?

In a remote diving destination like Coiba National Park, reached in several stages, the quality of the experience is determined not only by the dive sites themselves, but by managing flights, road transfers, boat operations, accommodation and scheduling as a single, coordinated whole.

At SCUBA-BAY, our more than 22 years of experience have shaped a safe, well-planned and systematic approach to organising trips abroad. Our aim isn't simply to take you to Panama; it's to plan every stage of the programme, from the meeting point in Istanbul to your return from the tour, in a coordinated way.

🌍 Over 22 Years of International Organisation Experience

At SCUBA-BAY, we have been organising diving trips at home and abroad for more than 22 years. This experience allows us to plan every part of the operation in advance, from flights to accommodation and from transfers to the daily programme, so our participants can focus purely on their tour throughout the trip.

🇹🇷 Turkish-Speaking Guidance

Being able to get support in your own language abroad is a real advantage, especially on group trips. Throughout the tour, the SCUBA-BAY team accompanies our group and offers Turkish-language support wherever you need it.

✈️ Travel with Turkish Airlines

For our Coiba Island/Panama programme, we choose Turkish Airlines' scheduled international flights. Planning the programme through a single airline helps the operation run more smoothly and keeps the trip more tightly managed.

👥 Limited Group Size

Our Coiba Island/Panama tour runs with a maximum of 11 participants. The limited group size makes the diving operations run more efficiently and makes communication and coordination within the group much easier.

🛡️ Legal Protection

As a TÜRSAB Group A Travel Agency, SCUBA-BAY runs all its trips under the Package Tour Regulations. This means our participants enjoy not just a well-planned trip, but genuine legal protection too.

🤿 One of Turkey's Longest-Established Dive Centres

Registered under number 001, the first dive centre ever registered with the Turkish Underwater Sports Federation, SCUBA-BAY has spent many years running diving courses and trips abroad. This heritage forms the foundation of every international tour we run today.

🤝 Support That Begins Before the Journey

Our relationship doesn't end at booking. From pre-trip preparation and equipment recommendations to flight updates and the support you may need throughout the tour, the SCUBA-BAY team is with you at every stage.

Tour Summary

🌍 Destination

Panama – Coiba National Park & Santa Catalina

📅 Tour Date

8 – 17 January 2027

✈️ Transport

Direct international return flights with Turkish Airlines, Istanbul – Panama City, plus private road transfers between Panama City and Santa Catalina.

🏨 Accommodation

Hotel stays in Panama City and Santa Catalina

🤿 Diving Programme

3 days • 3 dives a day • 9 dives in total

🎓 Minimum Diving Level

Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent certification

🌊 Water Temperature

Approximately 24–29°C

👁️ Average Visibility

Generally 10–30 metres

👥 Group Size

[Group size information]

🇹🇷 Organisation

• Turkish-speaking guidance

• An expert SCUBA-BAY organisation team

• TÜRSAB-licensed Package Tour protection

• Over 22 years of international diving and travel organisation experience

Tour Highlights

• Diving in Coiba National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site

• Discovering the rich marine ecosystem of the Eastern Tropical Pacific

• Dives with a high chance of encountering sharks, rays and large schools of fish

• A variety of dive sites with open-ocean and rocky reef character

• A programme of 3 dives a day over 3 days, for a total of 9 dives

• Scheduled international travel with Turkish Airlines, Istanbul – Panama City

• Free time in Panama City and an optional city tour

• Turkish-speaking guidance and SCUBA-BAY organisation

Featured Marine Life

Coiba National Park and its surrounding marine areas sit within one of the richest marine ecosystems of the Eastern Tropical Pacific. The region's currents and nutrient-rich waters create an important habitat for sharks, rays, large schools of fish and other pelagic species. The marine life we encounter on the dives throughout our tour programme may vary depending on the season, currents, water temperature and dive site.

🦈 White-tip Reef Sharks

🔨 Hammerhead Sharks (may be encountered seasonally and in open-water crossings)

🦈 Bull Shark (may be encountered at some dive sites)

🐋 Whale Shark (seasonal encounters possible)

🪽 Manta and Mobula Rays

🦅 Eagle Rays

🐢 Sea Turtles

🐟 Large Jack / Trevally Schools

🐟 Barracuda and Snapper Schools

🐟 Large Groupers

🐋 Humpback Whales (may be seen seasonally in the area; encounters cannot be guaranteed during a dive)

🐚 Seahorses, Frogfish and other macro life

Flight Information

Transport for our Panama Diving Tour is provided on Turkish Airlines' scheduled international services. Thanks to the direct flight between Istanbul and Panama City, our programme begins exactly as planned, and we return to Turkey on the same flight network. Flight times may be changed by the airline for operational reasons; should this happen, we will share updated information with our participants.

🛫 Outbound TK 903

8 January 2027

13:50 → 20:05

Istanbul (IST) → Panama City (PTY)

🛬 Return TK 801

16 January 2027

18:50 → 15:35 (+1 Day)

Panama City (PTY) → Istanbul (IST)

Tour Price

Diver $3,600

This price applies to guests joining the 9-dive package included in the programme. The services included in the tour price are set out in detail in the "Included in the Price" section below.

Non-Diving Participant (Non-Diver) $3,100

This is a special participation rate for guests who wish to join the tour without diving. It covers accommodation, transport and the land-based activities in the tour programme.

Included in the Price

• Economy-class flights with Turkish Airlines, Istanbul – Panama City – Istanbul

• Airport and inter-city transfers stated in the programme

• 8 nights' hotel accommodation on a bed-and-breakfast basis in Panama City and Santa Catalina

• The 9-dive package stated in the programme

• Professional Turkish-speaking guidance and SCUBA-BAY tour leadership

• Mandatory travel health insurance

• All national park entrance fees (20 USD per day)

Not Included in the Price

• International departure tax

• Lunches and dinners

• Single room supplement

• Personal diving equipment rental

• Nitrox use and extra dives outside the programme

• Optional Panama City tour

• Tips for the local guide, captain and dive team (150 USD)

• Personal expenses not explicitly stated as "included" in the programme

Tour Requirements

🛂 Passport

Guests travelling to Panama must hold a valid passport. While the official minimum passport validity required on entry to Panama is 3 months, we recommend a validity of at least 6 months from your travel date to avoid any issues with travel and transit procedures.

We recommend checking that your passport is in good physical condition and has enough blank pages before you travel.

🛃 Panama Visa Requirements

Citizens of the Republic of Turkey travelling to Panama on Ordinary (Maroon), Special (Green), Service or Diplomatic passports are exempt from a visa for tourist visits of up to 3 months.

On entry, you may be asked to show a return flight ticket, accommodation details and proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay.

💉 Yellow Fever Vaccination

For participants travelling directly from Turkey to Panama, there is no yellow fever vaccination requirement.

Our tour programme covers Panama City, Santa Catalina and the area around Coiba National Park. However, different rules on vaccination and international vaccination certificates may apply if you enter another country with a yellow fever risk before or during your trip.

🩺 Travel Health Insurance

We recommend travelling with valid travel health insurance to cover any health issues or unexpected situations that may arise abroad.

We advise keeping a digital or printed copy of your policy accessible throughout the trip.

🤿 Minimum Diving Level

To join the Coiba diving programme, you must hold at least an Advanced Open Water Diver certification or equivalent.

As dives in the region may involve currents, open-ocean conditions and variable visibility, diving experience is important.

📄 Travel and Booking Documents

All documents required for booking, travel and diving must be completed in full before the start of the tour. The necessary documents and pre-tour information will be sent to you by SCUBA-BAY.

📌 Pre-Tour Reminder

As the tour departure date approaches, the SCUBA-BAY team will share the following with our participants;

• Up-to-date flight information
• Meeting time and point
• Baggage rules
• Diving equipment recommendations
• Travel documents
• Current entry requirements for the country
• Final information notes

with our participants.

Ready to Discover Panama?

Located on Panama's Pacific coast, Coiba National Park is sometimes referred to in the diving world as the "Little Galápagos" because of its rich marine life. Part of the same Eastern Tropical Pacific marine corridor as the Galápagos, Cocos and Malpelo, the region is known in particular for its sharks, rays, large schools of fish and other pelagic species.

Reached by boat from Santa Catalina, we'll carry out a total of 9 dives over three days in and around Coiba National Park. On dives in the region, there is a good chance of encountering white-tip reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, manta and mobula rays, sea turtles, and jack and barracuda schools — all characteristic Pacific marine life.

Our programme isn't just about diving in Coiba. Our time in Panama City and the optional city tour also give us the chance to see a different side of the country.

Our journey, starting from Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, brings together Panama City, Santa Catalina and Coiba National Park within a single programme.

A dedicated Panama route we've put together for divers wanting to discover Coiba, one of the Pacific's diving areas known as the "Little Galápagos". We've done the preparing — are you ready?

📞 BOOKING AND INFORMATION

Our group size is limited to 11 participants.

📞 Phone: 0 (312) 419 12 61

📱 WhatsApp: 0 (532) 296 67 78

• Number of Days: 9
• Number of Participants: 11