Diving Planet

Diving Planet has been a fixture of the Colombian diving scene since 1995. Based in Cartagena, they provide access to the Rosario Islands National Park of Coral Reefs, a protected marine area located about an hour away by boat.

The centre is well-established, holding a PADI 5 Star affiliation and focusing heavily on reef conservation and safety. Whether you are starting your training or looking for advanced reef and wreck dives, the operation is built on three decades of local expertise.

The team is composed of PADI instructors and divemasters who lead dives in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. This multilingual approach makes the centre accessible to a wide range of international divers.

Beyond standard recreational diving, the centre is deeply involved in marine biology and social responsibility. Through their Dive to Heal foundation, they manage adaptive diving programmes for people with disabilities and lead coral restoration projects via Coraltheca, a dedicated rescue and sexual reproduction centre for corals.

The training programme covers the full spectrum of PADI certifications. You can begin with Discover Scuba Diving or the Open Water Diver course and progress through to Advanced Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver.

For those looking to specialise, the centre offers several PADI specialties, including Nitrox, Deep Diver, and Wreck Diver. They also provide niche training such as Peak Performance Buoyancy, Fish Identification, Underwater Naturalist, and Mindful Diving, as well as professional-level courses like Divemaster.

The centre utilises a lancha rápida (fast boat) for transfers and dive trips. These vessels transport divers from the Muelle de la Bodeguita in Cartagena or directly from hotels within the Rosario Islands to the dive sites.

For those departing from Cartagena, the boat trip includes lunch. If you are already staying in the islands, the centre provides transfers to your hotel via boat, though lunch is not included for these departures.

Full rental kit is available on-site for divers who do not wish to travel with their own equipment. This includes all the essentials required for reef diving.

Nitrox is available for use, allowing for extended bottom times on multi-dive trips. The centre also offers night diving services, so ensure you have a reliable torch or check availability for hire.

The reefs are defined by their incredible hard and soft coral structures. You will find massive corals, pyramidal corals, and extensive fields of soft corals that provide the foundation for the local ecosystem.

In the water, you can encounter a diverse array of reef fish including parrotfish, damselfish, butterflyfish, and angelfish. Larger residents like the Atlantic lizardfish, triggerfish, and various species of moray eels move amongst the reef structures, while porcupinefish and pufferfish are also frequently seen.

For macro enthusiasts, the area is rich with life. Look for octopus, sea anemones, various species of crabs such as the boxer crab and swimming crab, and delicate creatures like seahorses and various types of shrimp, including Pederson cleaner shrimp. You might also spot sea slugs, sea urchins, and various species of starfish.

In September, the corals enter their spawning season, which is a significant biological event for the reef.

The diving environment in the Rosario Islands is generally characterised by very light to moderate currents. This makes it a reliable location for a wide range of divers, from those on their first few logged dives to advanced practitioners.

Visibility is typically good, ranging between 10 and 20 metres, providing clear views of the reef walls and coral gardens.