Coiba Marine National Park - Veraguas, Panama
There is no better introduction to Panama than Coiba Marine National Park. Coiba, now considered the fourth largest marine park in the world, harbors the largest coral reef in the Pacific coast of Central America. This pristine and uninhabited island is about the size of Aruba and twice the size of Grand Cayman. Once a penal colony where the prisoners ran loose and the guards locked themselves in at night, Coiba has now become Panama’s fifth Unesco World Heritage Site.
Snorkeling was the highlight of the day. We visited a speck of an island named Granito de Oro. Great visibility, aided by the bright tropical rays of sun yielded angelfish, parrotfish, wrasse, eels and even the benign white-tipped reef shark. By the time we departed, the tide had risen and the beach we saw in the morning was practically underwater. Some of us decided to visit the ranger station and we were treated to exceptional views of Crimson-backed Tanagers, Red-Throated Caracaras and one of the endemic mammals of the island, the Coiba Agouti.
We had departed for the Gulf of Panama after superb snorkeling when suddenly we were treated with a sighting of a Fin Whale! One of the largest whales in the planet, the Fin Whale is a rare sighting in these waters and certainly a reminder of the nutritious and bountiful waters of Panama.
There is no better introduction to Panama than Coiba Marine National Park. Coiba, now considered the fourth largest marine park in the world, harbors the largest coral reef in the Pacific coast of Central America. This pristine and uninhabited island is about the size of Aruba and twice the size of Grand Cayman. Once a penal colony where the prisoners ran loose and the guards locked themselves in at night, Coiba has now become Panama’s fifth Unesco World Heritage Site.
Snorkeling was the highlight of the day. We visited a speck of an island named Granito de Oro. Great visibility, aided by the bright tropical rays of sun yielded angelfish, parrotfish, wrasse, eels and even the benign white-tipped reef shark. By the time we departed, the tide had risen and the beach we saw in the morning was practically underwater. Some of us decided to visit the ranger station and we were treated to exceptional views of Crimson-backed Tanagers, Red-Throated Caracaras and one of the endemic mammals of the island, the Coiba Agouti.
We had departed for the Gulf of Panama after superb snorkeling when suddenly we were treated with a sighting of a Fin Whale! One of the largest whales in the planet, the Fin Whale is a rare sighting in these waters and certainly a reminder of the nutritious and bountiful waters of Panama.
