Overview
Coiba National Park was created to protect and preserve the island, the reef and the marine life. Located south of Veraguas it spans 650,000 acres.
The park is a group of islands, coiba being the largest. The park contains 9 islands and some marine areas making it one of the biggest marine parks the world over.
Coiba is the largest island of the American Pacific and is used as a penal colony. It has been used as a penal colony since 1910 and because of this the rainforest there has been totally preserved.
How to Get to Coiba National Park From Panama City
You can travel by plane or car. By plane it's just 30 minutes to Santiago. From Santiago you drive about 25 kilometers to Puerto Mutis and take a boat to the island. The boat trip takes about 2 hours but may be longer depending on the weather. You have to get permission to visit, because of the penitentiary located there, from the Directorate of Penal Correction in the Ministry of Government and Justice. You also need authorization from the National Environment Authority otherwise you can't visit the island.
What to do at Coiba National Park
You can go fishing and diving as well as snorkeling and bird watching. Go on a hike and see the exotic flora and fauna. Stroll along the beaches and enjoy the crystal clear waters and fine sands. These islands are some of the most famous in the world for the big Black Marlins and Blue Marlins that people catch in that area. Like on some of the other beaches in Panama, the turtles come to nestle on the beaches between April and September. In the Damas Bay there is one of the largest reefs in the Central Eastern Pacific at 325 acres.
Services Near Coiba
On the island of Coiba there are rooms available for a small fee at the Biological Station managed by ANAM. This park is quite far away from the main tourist cities so there are only a few services available.
For more information or reservations, call from Panama: 832-7679
From USA call: (954)678-9990.
Isla Coiba (Espanol)
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