Discover the natural wonders of Panama as you earn your NAUI Scuba Diver or Advanced certification, work on sea turtle conservation projects, and volunteer alongside indigenous communities.

15 days • Isla Solarte, Bocas del Toro and San San Pond Sak, Panama • Ages 14-18

Combine your love for service and marine life on this incredible two-week course. Travel to the famous Caribbean archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama to begin earning your Scuba Diver or Advanced Scuba Diver certification. Your first lessons will set the foundation for dive techniques and then progress towards more advanced skills that will be put to use on colorful coral reef dives, shipwreck dives, and a magical bioluminescent night snorkel or scuba dive. For those who are already scuba certified, earn your advanced certification on special dives including a compass navigation dive and deep water dive.

After your scuba adventures, head out by powerboat on a 3-day island hopping service expedition. Stay overnight and discover the way of life for remote, indigenous island communities while giving back on a variety of development projects based on the current needs of the Ngobe/Guami indigenous community.

Transfer to the natural wetlands of San San Pond Sak where you will discover why local sea turtle populations are an endangered species. Get hands-on experience helping to release newly-hatched turtles, excavating old nesting sites, and completing night patrols to monitor mama sea turtles laying their eggs in the sand.

Additional activities on this course will include spotting elusive sloths at Sloth Island, testing your balance wakeboarding and kneeboarding, exploring a limestone cave, enjoying the white sand beach of Playa Carenero, volunteering on a local sheep farm, and giving back to the environment on rainforest conservation projects.

Itinerary

PLEASE NOTE: This is a sample itinerary. Details are subject to change.

Day 1
Fly to Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) where you will be greeted by our staff and be driven to our rainforest base in San Ramón de Tres Ríos, Cartago Province. Meet your coursemates and newfound friends, instructors, and participate in a “duffle shuffle” to prepare all you need for course. Overnight in furnished dorms.

Day 2
Wake early, depart to cross the Panama border, and take a boat taxi across Caribbean waters to your picturesque island home in the archipelago of Bocas del Toro. Settle in, cook a delicious dinner, and watch the warm sherbet sun set over the serene waters. Time permitting, learn some of the basics of Scuba with your NAUI Instructor and coursemates. Overnight indoor camping at our island home on Isla Solarte.

Day 3
Take a morning theory course in scuba diving, learn about the equipment, and take your first lesson in a shallow water setting. In the afternoon, boat out to your first dive location to see spectacular tropical coral reefs and colorful fish that surround these islands. Overnight indoor camping at our island home on Isla Solarte.

Day 4
Continue to build on your diving skills as you glide and explore new coral reefs, sunken catamarans and shipwrecks. If you are already certified, earn your advanced certification by completing special dives including a compass navigation dive and a deep water dive. In the afternoon, take a break from your scuba studies to wakeboard or kneeboard through the calm, island waters. Overnight indoor camping at our island home on Isla Solarte.

Day 5
In the morning, spend time meeting and playing soccer with the school kids next door to your island home. Discover more about their day-to-day life while putting your Spanish to the test. Scuba dive in the afternoon and practice responding to visual commands from your Scuba Master on the ocean floor. Finish up your last study session in preparation for your scuba exams tomorrow! Overnight indoor camping at our island home on Isla Solarte.

Day 6
Take your practical and written exam toward earning your scuba diver certification. Once the sun sets, enjoy a celebratory bioluminescent night snorkel or dive—waving your hands and gliding through the waters as thousands of magical bioluminescent lights illuminate your path. Overnight indoor camping at our island home on Isla Solarte.

Day 7
After a filling breakfast, cruise to a local limestone cave filled with stalactite and stalagmite formations. Here, you’ll have a chance to swim and explore while learning about this unique ecosystem. In the afternoon, head to beautiful Playa Carenero—one of the most pristine white sand beaches in the region. Enjoy the Jurassic Park-esque jungle backdrop as you splash in the warm waters. Overnight indoor camping at our island home on Isla Solarte.

Day 8-10
Load up a powerboat with supplies that will aid your 3-day service expedition to two remote, indigenous island communities. Enroute to your first community, make a stop at Sloth Island for guaranteed sloth sightings. Cruise around Sloth Island and into the inlets to spot the slow moving creatures that call this island home. Speed off to lend a hand to an indigenous community, and begin your service projects. The project for each community you visit will vary based on their current needs, but may include building recreational equipment, language exchanges with local students, and cleaning up trash that drifts to the shoreline. Overnight camping in host community centers.

Day 11
After your service expedition, transfer back to the mainland and to the community of San San Pond Sak where you will meet local conservationists and learn about the active conservation efforts for endangered leatherback and hawksbill sea turtle populations. Overnight in community dorm bunk beds.

Day 12
Wake up to the sounds of the ocean and make your way to the sandy beaches to volunteer at one of the most important sites for nesting sea turtles in the world. Excavate old nesting sites in the sand, release newly hatched baby turtles, and complete night patrols to monitor the mama sea turtles laying their eggs along the beach. You will also assist in planting and harvesting pineapples, plantains, and coconuts for the community. Overnight in community dorm bunk beds.

Day 13
Begin the transport back to our Costa Rica rainforest base. Arrive back at the rainforest base in San Ramón de Tres Ríos for gear return and a homemade meal. Overnight in furnished dorms.

Day 14
Spend the morning volunteering on a sheep farm! Feed baby sheep, clean their homes, move animals to the open pastures, and paint or repair the animal houses and fences. Return to base for lunch and then head into the scenic rainforest reserve behind our base. Give back to the rainforest by planting new trees, maintaining the greenhouse garden and forest trails. Take a mini tour of the nearby water plant to learn how rain and ground water is processed and carried to the homes of each Costa Rican family in the area. Celebrate all of your achievements on course tonight with a group reflection and a delicious final dinner. Overnight in furnished dorms.

Day 15
Transition to your next course or transfer to the Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) for departure. Say hasta luego to your friends and coursemates. ¡Nos vemos pronto en Costa Rica!

Accommodation

Accommodation varies throughout this course, but will include sleeping on the floor of our island home on Isla Solarte with a sleeping pad, camping in host community centers with a sleeping pad, and community dorm room bunk beds. All participants are provided sleeping mats and sleeping bags.

Cultural education: participating in language exchanges with local school kids.

Sustainability education: assisting with sea turtle conservation efforts. Cleaning or installing drinking water catchment systems. Repairing school desks, painting school buildings, and installing recreational equipment.

Local biology education: protect endangered sea turtles at one of the world’s most important nesting sites for Olive Ridley sea turtles. Patrol the beaches at night to ensure the safety of nesting turtles, hunt for hatchlings during to day to protect them as they make their way to the ocean, and participate each morning in cleaning debris from the beach.

Adventure activities education: Earn their Wilderness First Responder, CPR for the Professional Rescuer (BLS) certification, Whitewater Raft Guide and Whitewater Rescue Technician, Scuba Diver or Advanced Scuba Diver certification, Lifeguarding with Waterfront Module, Recreation Rappel Operator.

Teaching lifesaving First Aid & CPR/AED skills and animal care techniques to the local community.

* All staff get the opportunity to go on one course in their first 6 months of working at OBCR*

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Costa Rica | Outward Bound Costa Rica | Scuba, Sea Turtles, Service & Sloths

Costa Rica | Outward Bound Costa Rica | Scuba, Sea Turtles, Service & Sloths

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