Snorkeling on The Caribbean side of Panama

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

8 hours

Mobile ticket

Beautiful snorkeling near the bay of Portobelo, the historic terminal of the Spanish conquistadors, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you will be diving or snorkeling around colorful coral reefs in the vicinity of Sir Francis Drake’s

Additional Info

Specialized infant seats are available

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Boat and Captain

Air-conditioned vehicle

Snorkeling mask

Lunch

Gratuities

Bottled water

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

our tour will start with a pick up at 7:30 am from any hotel in Panama City. Ground transportation by Van from Panama City to Portobelo which will take around 1.5-hour. Aboard a boat to snorkel near the bay of Portobelo, the historic terminal of the Spanish conquistadors, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you will be snorkeling around colorful coral reefs in the vicinity of Sir Francis Drake’s The snorkeling sites are 15 minutes away by boat from the diving operation. Once we reach the first site, get ready for your snorkeling on the waters of the caribbean,, enjoy the different types of fish and coral reef, when we finish the snorkeling continue for a late lunch at Portobelo (Not included) and a walking tour around the old fortifications wich are part of the Unesco sites of Panama, at the end of the day you will be back to your hotel between 4 to 5 pm.

Options

Snorkeling on The Caribbean side of Panama

Pickup included

Reviews

4.75

36 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

2 Hour van ride
Joseph M,
Nov 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
Nice tour but long van ride (2 hours each way). Bring dry clothes, towel and food. After the van ride there is a short boat ride to the beach dive site. The reef is short swim from the beach. Tour guides were very nice and knowledgeable. At the boats there were some changing areas but there was no water since a pipe had broken. Reef was ok and there were some nice small fish to see. There had been some rain so water was a bit cloudy. We also got a tour of the small town Portobelo
Never let the rain stop you from making memories!
Sandi H,
Nov 25, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
We were picked promptly by Hector, Diego and Brian at our hotel. They were courteous and friendly. Once we began our journey Hector introduced everyone and began to narrate the sites. He is full of historical knowledge and antidotes. The trip to the cove took approximately 2 hours from our hotel with one rest stop for snacks and beverages. They did let us know in advance to bring drinks and food when we stopped for the restroom in case we hadn’t already packed something. A couple thing we would suggest improving are: be sure to bring dry clothes, towels, and water shoes because getting in out of the water is very rocky. The trash at the snorkeling area really needs to be cleaned up and a few more 3xl lifejackets. But otherwise it was a peaceful oasis during the morning when we arrived. We can’t say enough good things about these 3 gentlemen. We were spoiled and treated with such kindness and patience. We lucked out and ended up being the only four people on the tour. The conversations and jokes and actually getting time to know our guides was priceless. Hopefully everyone gets lucky to meet these guys. Thanks for helping us make memories. Gargamel and Shrek along with their trusty sidekick Brian made our day!
Great adventure to see another part of Panama
Chris Y,
Jul 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
Our guide, Juan was prompt and got us to the site quickly. He has a lot of great information you just have to ask. It’s pretty bare bones as it’s about snorkeling and you need to be prepared to swim and kick and snorkel. If you are not a great swimmer, wear your life jacket in the water., We saw some amazing coral and lots of fish and while it was’nt sunny, the water was clear. We chilled out on an island and it was relaxing but bring a lunch, water and sunscreen and a towel as nothing is provided. We toured a fort and saw some of the town of Portobello. Back to Panama City in the late, but not too late afternoon. This is a pretty rustic tour so don’t expect lots of amenities but it’s fun to get out there.
Hector!!
Mina L,
Jun 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Hector was knowledgeable, professional, and very patient. He explained each point step by step and showed focus and concern for our safety. Everyone should have Hector as their guide!!
A 5 star review because 10 star is not an option
S268KVhannahg,
Jun 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My husband and I went snorkeling with Hector and Diego for our honeymoon. The two of them were very informative, welcoming, and funny. We were very blessed to share this adventure with them that we booked a separate monkey/sloth tour with them. This experience was 1 of a kind. They will pick you up from your hotel as well! Book confidently with them
Hector and Diego are lovely!
NARISSA H,
Jun 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
We had Hector and Diego who were the best part of the tour - very nice, friendly, helpful guys. Our hotel was outside of Panama City but we were still on the pick-up list without extra fees. We joined another group of two and we headed out to make the 90 minute trip to Portobelo. Hector pointed out areas of interest and gave us information regarding the history and development of Panama. We made a pit stop on the way to Portobelo Bay. There you can get breakfast, drinks, snacks for the car - remember that snorkeling is thirsty work and rehydration is important! We got to the dock and then took a 5 minute ride on the dinghy to Portobelo Bay. We snorkeled on one side of Playa Huerta for about an hour and then the other side for about another hour. I think most of the time, people rest in between, but we decided as a group to take advantage of the weather and snorkel the other side before the rains were due. The coral structures at Playa Huerta are plentiful - our conditions were a but murky and visibility was a bit compromised due to recent rains, but sometimes that's the breaks w/ snorkeling/diving. My friend and I are seasoned snorkelers/divers so we brought our own equipment, but we borrowed fins that were in good condition. We finished snorkeling just as it started raining, and we took the dinghy back to the dock. **REMEMBER to bring a towel as there is a place to shower/rinse off the salt water after your swim. There is also a place to change into dry clothes. After our snorkel, we went to see the Portobelo ruins and the Museo de La Real Aduana de Portobelo (Royal Customs House Museum). The museum focuses on the history of Portobelo, including its role in transatlantic trade and the influence of Afro-descendant people on the region's culture and identity. Our visit was bit shortened by our fatigue (snorkeling can be tiring) as well as the rain, but I am glad we stopped by. Then back in the van to our hotel. All in all, a good way to explore the Caribbean side from Panama City.
Great excision. While...
William H,
Jun 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
Great excursion! While our vaca was primarily on the Pacific coast, it was nice to get into the Caribbean.
Snorkeling in Portobello!
Jason B,
May 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This was one of the best snorkeling tours that I have been on! The waters around Portobello are pristine, and the coral that we saw was amazing Juan contacted us the night before to confirm our pick-up time and he was right on time. We learned quite a bit about what we would see on the drive from Panama City to Portobello. Once we arrived at the beach where we snorkeled from, we got an unexpected surprise of howler monkeys in the trees. There are many types of coral in the waters and lots of colorful fish. We spend about an hour and half in the water, which was more than we expected. The snorkeling gear that was provided was high quality as well. We also got to learn about the history of Portobello. Unfortunately our visit to the fortifications was cut short by rain, but we did get a glimpse and learned about the history of the area. We highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants to spend some time in the water in Panama!
Fun time
Jeffrey K,
Apr 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
Unexpectedly private tour experience with Diego and Hector. Lots of fun and good conversations through out. Snorkeling was mediocre and a too brief for a very nice spot. Only had 2 hours at beach before it was time to move on. Good amount of tropical fish and coral, but nothing big. Very controlled and guided Snorkeling tour so it's good for novice snorkelers. You don't get time to explore on your own which was disappointing. Portobello is a very small town with no food options. Fort was ok, but not well preserved. With no food or water provided the price was a bit high, but we still had a good time. Overall, solid experience and makes you want to get back to the Caribbean side soon!
We were excited about...
Diane B,
Mar 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00
We were excited about snorkeling, and for the cost of this experience, we had high expectations. Our guide seemed to be preoccupied and did not provide us much narrative on what we were looking at and experiencing. The beach was secluded and we reached it by boat. The guide did lead us over to a beautiful snorkeling spot; but overall the water was murky and rough. We did go to a restaurant in town and happen chanced upon a local dance troop performing tribal dances. Our guide dropped us off at the restaurant, so when the descriptions of the dances were shared in Spanish, we had no explanation. The trip was Somewhat redeemed by a sloth and baby that our guide found for us and a very charming van driver. I would think stopping for some local Panamanian snacks as well as offering a juice or fruit would be a plus for this long day trip.