Every day onboard National Geographic Quest is unique and that’s what makes it exciting. We started our day with our first encounter of the tropical rainforest around the Panama Canal.

On our third day in Panama, we explored a beautiful place by the name of Iguana Island.

For many years the island was used to test military equipment, and after the United States left Panama in 1999, the government of Panama cleaned the area and created a national park.

After lunch, we had the opportunity to explore the island, led by the great staff onboard. We offered a nature walk where we spotted different birds. This time of year there are large numbers of magnificent frigatebirds nesting, which was exciting to see.

For those who didn’t want to walk, we offered the opportunity to snorkel along the amazing reef. From the beach our guests got into the water to explore and only 10 feet out they observed a large school of surgeonfish, blue chin parrotfish, and a hawksbill sea turtle.