Bocas Dive Center was established in 2012 by PADI Course Director and Bocas native, Eddie Ibarra.
After getting his diver certification at age seventeen, Eddie was disappointed in the scarcity of advanced classes for diving in Bocas del Toro. He traveled to Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, where he gained diving skills.
As an IDC Staff Instructor, Eddie ealized that with its easy logistics, simple access , tranquil weather, and unique culture, Bocas was the perfect place for a dive center. Eddie established BDC with the goal of creating a 5 Star Professional Dive Academy that had the facilities and staff to teach the highest levels of diving.
Since opening BDC, Eddie has taught 2,000 divers. Many divers have gone on to open their own dive shops, or have gone pro and become Divemasters or Instructors.
At BDC, they prioritise, conservation, professionalism, safety and fun. They are the only PADI 5 Star Instructor’s Development Center in Panamá. They train divers of all levels and our professional courses are gaining world-wide recognition for their quality and rigor.
As the Bocas Dive Center Director of Education, Eddie makes sure that the entire staff of BDC is dedicated to providing the highest quality scuba diving in Bocas Del Toro.