Scuba tours in Puntarenas?

[Barwick Cruiser]

Does anyone have any info on reliable scuba tours for my DH for our stop in Puntarenas on our PC cruise Apr 2012? Is that even a good destination for diving? Thanks, Cathy

[pilotdane]

I would not pick Puntarenas as a go SCUBA diving port. The port is located pretty far up in Nicoya Bay. Visibility is not good and it's mostly sand & mud bottom. There are many other, better things to do in that area than diving. I'd see some above water pretty stuff like the jungle or mangroves.

 

If you are doing a full transit Panama Canal cruise I'd pick scuba for one of those southern Mexico (created just for the cruise ships) ports like Huatulco or Caldera. Neither are really great dive spots but I consider these ports pretty low on the interest scale so diving ends up higher on the "things to do here" list, with Hutulco being the better of the two. I don't know about full service dive tour providers there but reliable boats can be hired for the day. Unfortunately, dynamite fishing was a bit common so good reef areas areas close to the port can be best described as recovering.