Scuba Season
Underwater reef at Bocas del Toro
Declining

Bocas del Toro

Panama · Caribbean

Bocas del Toro on Panama's Caribbean side is a relaxed archipelago with easy beginner diving — shallow reefs, mangrove channels, and a backpacker town vibe. Not a destination for advanced divers, but excellent for certifications.

How this reef is doing

ⓘ How we measure this

Reef state

Declining

Cover has declined steadily for two decades. Shallow training friendly reefs but expect bleaching scars.

Coral cover

22%
LowHealthy
Moderate

Fish life

healthy reef of its kind ▾
SparseRich

Fewer fish than a healthy reef of its kind.

Sparse

Heat

SafeBleaching

Warmer than usual right now, but not hot enough to bleach.

Warming

Fishing

QuietBusy

Some fishing is allowed here, in marked zones.

Limited

Sources · AGRRA and GCRMN reef surveys · Reef Life Survey · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity

Coral cover over time

Live coral cover, by survey year

Across surveys in 2014 and 2024, live coral cover here has fallen from 33% to 22%. Every point is a real survey reading, never a projection.

Live coral cover, percent by year

40%0%region avg 23%20142024
Two surveys
Eastern Tropical Pacific average (GCRMN)
AGRRA and GCRMN reef surveys

What you will see

12 species across the dive sites here

Dive sites

What divers say

Not the best diving in Panama, but a wonderful place to learn and chill.
— Cert student

Good to know

Town vs. island

Stay on outer islands if you want quiet; Bocas Town is busy.

Gear & getting wet

  • Basic kit

    • Mask and fins
    • BCD and regulator
    • 3mm full wetsuit · warm water
    • Dive computer