Coiba National Park, Granito de Oro, Panama
We crossed from Costa Rican to Panamanian waters in the first hours of the day. Our day in Panama began by visiting the Coiba National Park. This national park is the largest marine park of the Republic of Panama, with more than 28 islands and cays. We had a perfect clear and sunny day to enjoy its beauty.
We organized an early walk and stretching exercises in the surroundings of the park ranger station. The walk provided a great moment observing some interesting mammals which caught everyone’s attention – a couple of Coiba howler monkeys. The two females were making their first moves of the morning in search of their first meal of the day. Our eyes were enchanted realizing that Coiba is a very important and special place in the world inhabited by endemic species like this great mammal.
This first morning of exploration also gave us great sightings of some neo-tropical birds like the red-legged honeycreeper, crimson-backed tanager, and tropical parula. Our walks finished by 8:00 a.m. and we made our way to Granito de Oro. While approaching this island aboard National Geographic Sea Lion in 40-foot-deep water, we could see the bottom, definitely inviting us to explore its waters; so we did!
Granito de Oro is surrounded by white sand and turquoise, crystal waters and revealed today the natural treasures that it possess and some fish species like Moorish idol, barberfish, Chancho surgeonfish, white-tipped shark, orange-sided triggerfish, and king angelfish were present in these amazing waters.
We left Coiba National Park with the sensation that we had been to paradise and although we have left it behind physically, it will always remain in our memories as a perfect day.
