Dive Instruction

Tranquilo Bay offers a complete series of scuba diving courses including Discover Scuba Diving, PADI Pre-Entry Open Water, PADI Open Water, PADI Advanced Open Water, PADI Dive Rescue, Dive Master, Assistant Instructor, and Specialty Courses.  

Here are a brief description of some of the courses we can provide to you.  For a full description of each course go to PADI.com.

Discover Scuba Diving

If you would like to learn more about scuba diving, in one half day you can complete the basic underwater training and then go underwater under the direct supervision of your PADI instructor.   This gives you the opportunity to feel the sensation and experience the adventure of breathing under water and to see one of our coral reefs up close.

PADI Pre-Entry Open Water

This is an entry level course, in which you work on the first portion of the PADI Open Water Diver course, and you make 2 open water dives.

In just two days you may be certified as a PADI Scuba Diver which allows you to dive with a PADI Professional, to a maximum depth of 40 feet.

PADI Open Water Dive Course

In this course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of safe scuba diving.  The course is divided into 3 sections, academic, confined water, and five open water boat dives. You may complete the academic portion of the course either here in Bocas, or in the comfort of your own home at your own pace using PADI’s cd-rom. Either way, you will be ready to enter the water and begin to experience the adventure of the underwater world on your first day in Bocas. Upon completion of your confined shallow water dives, we will take you on 5 boat dives around our beautiful reefs while under the direct supervision of your instructor. When you finish your 5 dives, you earn the PADI Open Water Diver certificate.

As a certified PADI Open Water Diver you have the freedom to dive with a buddy independent of a professional in any part of the world.

PADI Advanced Open Water Course

The PADI Advanced Open Water Program offers you a structured program where you gain additional experience and skills under the guidance of a PADI Professional.

It is a 2 day course comprised of 5 advanced dives. Two of the dives involve deep diving, during which time you learn special procedures for diving at depths of 100 ft. Underwater navigation will be covered as well, to help you get oriented while diving.

Then you make 3 more dives, which may include night diving, wreck diving, multilevel diving, search and recovery, etc. There are other possibilities, so you should consult with your dive instructor.

PADI Rescue Diver Program

The PADI Rescue Diver Program develops your knowledge and skills so you can effectively perform diver assists and rescues, manage diving accident situations and render first aid. The program is an important step in expanding your knowledge and experience as a diver.

It takes 4 days, in which we work on how to give medical first aid care to a diver.

To earn the Rescue Diver Certification you must have a recent CPR course within the last 2 years. Or you can enroll in our PADI Emergency First Response program, which can be completed in as little as one day.

Diving & Snorkeling:

Our underwater excursions are designed to explore as many different realms as possible while focusing on habitat and species diversity.

Tranquilo Bay is centrally located in the archipelago and only a short boat ride away from a variety of depths and currents to accommodate all skill levels. Full PADI instruction is available upon request and should be reserved at time of booking.

All excursions depart directly from our facility where our staff will handle the preparation, maintenance and portage of the equipment. From the moment you arrive we will take care of your equipment for you. Save your energy to explore a new reef. Our boatmen will wash your gear and store it each day... You enjoy your vacation!

Generally, following breakfast there will be a one-tank dive, after which you will return to the facility for lunch. Following lunch you will make two more dives exploring three different sites each day.

It is not necessary to bring tanks or weights; we will provide them for you. On most dives wetsuits are not needed due to our warm tropical waters. Dive skins, thin wetsuits and shorties are comfortable and can provide protection from the wind while traveling between sites. Scuba Pro BCDs, regulators and wetsuits are available to rent and should be reserved at time of booking.

If diving or snorkeling is the primary objective of your trip, note that the Caribbean Sea is calmer and there is less rain from February through June and September through November, September and October being the most consistent of all months.

The visibility, while most times is good, does not compare with that of other well known dive destinations such as Cayman Islands or Cozumel. That being said, most of the interesting formations here in Bocas del Toro are in shallower water. In many areas the maximum depth is 40 feet and the light penetration is excellent.

Just remember, you're not coming here because it is the clearest ocean you can find, you're coming to explore the most biologically diverse Caribbean marine park in Central America.