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Scuba diving

Editor note (Jan 2002): I believe the French school mentioned in the article is now closed.

You can get a PADI or NAUII 4 day training and certificate that'll allow you to dive everywhere in the world for 180 US$ in Colombia. And for the expereinced diver there are lots of secret spots in Colombia that you'll love!

Scuba diving is cool.

It's not really a sport, as in that you have to work hard, on the contrary. The first thing (or one of the first things) you'll learn is that you need to relax, breath slow and move as little as possible. Like this, you use less oxygen and can stay under longer.

So what you're doing is basically just floating underwater, watching them amazing fishies, breathing deep and slow and moving a limb now and then to change direction. How's that for relaxation?

So what if you've never dived before?

You can take a PADI or NAUI course in Colombia, which are 4 days and 6 dives and (being a budget traveler) cost about 180 US $ in Taganga. (PADI and NAUI are the two big worldwide scuba diving organisations. If you get a certificate from one of them yo can basically go diving anywhere in the world. It doesn't really matter which one you choose, they just differ in the details.)

Or you can just do an introductory dive. They will explain everything to you, do a few exercises and you're off, diving in beautiful coral reefs. No certificate needed.

If you do take the course (or one of the advanced courses), and especially in countries like Colombia, you should ask to see your instructors qualifications. They have to have an official card from NAUI or PADI with their name on it that says 'qualified instructor', not 'assistant instructor', or 'divemaster ' or something.

Where to dive.

So where can you do some decent diving in Colombia?

Taganga is the cheapest place in Colombia to go scuba diving on a tight travel budget because of all the competition there. And maybe the most beautiful one. You can just show up in the morning and do two dives the same day. You will see beautiful colorful coral reefs, and loads of beautiful fishes, maybe morenas or crabs, loads of stuff.

It's next to the Tayrona park as well. One day diving (2 dives) should cost you 20 to 25 US $. You can go wreck diving, night diving (really cool), loads of possibilities.

There's a french scuba diving school where people speak french, english or spanish and equipment and safety standards are higher. They're slightly more expensive than the others (after bargaining).

But there are many more options.

I haven't personally been to all these places (I wish!), but the following ones have been recommended to me.

At the Pacific side

We start at the pacific side of Colombia. The area around the border with Panama should be avoided.

Gorgona island. This former prison colony is one of the hidden treasures of Colombia. You can see whales too, in the right season (August to December), and dolphins, and some pretty big other fish. You get there by boat. On the west side of the island there are beautiful coral reefs. The island itself is a national park, and quite beautiful as well.

Malpelo island. Even less known than Gorgona. You get there by boat from Buenaventura.(40 hours). You'll need to go on a 6 day tour or something, this is not for beginners. Hammersharks and so on it seems.

Nuqui. In may you can see gigantic turtles here, and from August on the whales. Sounds like interesting diving! Nuqui itself is a really small fisher village with a row of hotels (wooden ones) along the beach at some point, which get occupied by Colombians during holidays. The jungle comes up to the beach, and it's pretty deserted.

The Carribean

The carribean coast is pretty safe for guerilla (info January 2002), just be careful close to the border with Panama.

Isla Fuerte. This island is another unknown to foreigners and comes recommended. You can take a lancha from Paso Nuevo (1 hour), and you can stay in a few small hotels. Great diving, lots of colors.

Islas de San Bernardo. And more islands, don't know a lot about these ones. From Tolu by boat.

Islas del Rosario (Cartagena). This is easy to get to from Cartagena. Diving is more expensive than in Taganga, but cheaper than on the other islands.

San Andres. A top tourist attraction, the island of San Andres has some good diving as well it seems.

Providencia / Santa Catalina Close to San Andres, smaller and maybe more fun, although on San Andres many parts are pretty unspoilt as well.

Bahia Solano and capurgana. Although reportedly amazing, check security before going here. If you fly directly to your destination and don't go wandering around, you'll probably be ok, but still.

And that, as they say, is that. I can really recommend diving, I like it (as you may have noticed), and in not many places in the world can you do it in such spectacular surroundings and so cheap.

Also, a recent article on the BBC pointed out that many of the worlds great coral reefs are in danger of dissapearing within as little as 30 years. So be fast!

By Peter (Moderator) (Dev team) on Nov 11, 1999, 10:39 in Friendly Talkzone.

Peter (Moderator) (Dev team) says on Nov 11, 2003, 10:40:

Bahia Solano By Peter in US 2002-02-06
Mr. Jerry's Refugio (he's Dutch) in Bahia Solano and the hotels/beach complexes such as Hotel El Valle in El Valle are NOT off limits to foreigners. There is an army base at Bahia Solano and plenty of patrols at both locations. These seaside locations are in Choco department on the Pacific coast. It is a fourty minute flight from Cali, less from Medillin. The beaches are great, deserted and you can watch whales in season. This is a great destination and economical. Europeans go all the time. If you write this off out of unwarrented fear you are missing an oportunity to visit the edge of the world.

Poor but snappy

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Peter (Moderator) (Dev team) says on Nov 11, 2003, 10:41:

Islas de San Bernando By URSULA 2002-04-10
I've noticed there wasn't information about las islas de san bernardo. I've been there many times and I love it, the coral reef and the tropical fishes are sooo beautiful, you can get there by boat (45 min aprox.) from tolu or covenas. If you go you can see the most dense poblated island in the world, "el islote" it's a tiny island with many fisherman homes, it's an interesting sight.
White sand beaches and lapislazuli blue waters, that's what you'll see in the San bernardo islands. Enjoy!!

Poor but snappy

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Peter (Moderator) (Dev team) says on Nov 11, 2003, 10:42:

Isla Fuerte ISLA FUERTE By Juan Tobon, islafuerte at epm.net.co, es.geocities.com/islafuerte200 2002-09-05 Hello friends, i´m Juan Tobon, scuba diving instructor NAUI 37581, I´m owner and manager to ISLA FUERTE COLOMBIA CENTRO DE BUCEO. It so nice to see that the foreings people want to know the underwater marvellous that we have in our country.

Isla fuerte is a small coraline island wiht 16 km2 of coral reef and is near to other oceanic reef called BUSHNEL the most beurifull and conserved reef in all colombia.

All you saw about the rates it´s true.Colombia is the cheaper dive in the world.

In Isla Fuerte you can have three days of hostage and meets and 5 dives for us 260.00

If you wnat come to isla fuerte the best way is take a local fligth from Bogota or Medellin to Monteria, then our organitation are spend for you to traslate to Paso Nuevo port, heare our outboards boats take the divers acroos 11 km ( 25 minnutes of navegation)for arrive to Isla Fuerte.

Dont miss this wanderfull island. come to know ISLA FUERTE

Poor but snappy

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Peter (Moderator) (Dev team) says on Nov 11, 2003, 10:42:

Taganga By Juan Tobon, islafuerte at epm.net.co, es.geocities.com/islafuerte200 2002-12-10
The cliff diving out of Taganga is not to be missed -- ask for sites along the national park coast line which crashes into the sea; an unbelievable boat ride. Stay at the serene and charming Ballena Azul hotel -- a real gem of a sleeper for cheap. You'll see real live indigenous Indians hanging around -- and they're not tourist attractions; they're real.
Downside --get out of town on Saturday night. Every cheesy little beer hut along the beach pulls out its monster speakers to blast music --full volume. Multiply that times 20 huts in a row along the beach, and you have pure hell. You'll enjoy Santa Marta nearby.

Poor but snappy

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Peter (Moderator) (Dev team) says on Nov 11, 2003, 10:43:

Gorgona Malpelo By chloe, chloelicitra at yahoo.fr 2003-06-12
been diving (and working)in gorgona for 2 months. Wonderful diving place, a lot better to me than the caribbean coast, for the fauna is much more impressive. It is definitely worth it. And pretty uneasy to get there, which obviously makes it a lot more interesting. Also went to Malpelo island. Definitely the best ever. A pleurer de beaute. If you're in colombia, don't miss it.

Poor but snappy

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Colombia2 says on Jun 20, 2005, 17:39:

Best Dive Spot: Malpelo Island Piece of very rare history...

Karen Rodriguez and Harold Botero were the first people to arrive to the island with the purpose of discovering its scuba diving potential. They were the ones that actually named all of the dive spots, one being "La Gringa" named after my mother Karen, who is actually American as you might notice. They also made Gorgona popular for diving even when the island was being used as a prison. You can still see prison cells and guard posts if you walk the island.

I started diving at age 8. I also dove in several other sites along the Colombian coast and Gorgona Island. Malpelo is by far the best dive. Not an easy one though, and not the most convinient. If your not an experienced diver, you should at least be accompanied by someone who is.

and hammerheads are just the tip of the iceburg here....

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cinka says on Aug 6, 2005, 11:42:

Diving in Taganga I am considering doing my PADI course in Taganga, Santa Marta or Cartagena, Isla del Rosario. Can anyone recommend where is the best place? Any suggestions for diving schools?
Thanks
Cynthia

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