Diving
Sharks and turtles.
Alex Proimos from Sydney, Australia — CC BY 2.0 · Seibert — CC BY-SA 4.0 · LASZLO ILYES from Cleveland, Ohio, USA — CC BY 2.0
Coiba Island is the largest island in Central America, about 494 square kilometres, ringed by an archipelago of smaller islands, all within a marine national park on UNESCO's World Heritage list since 2005. The island split from the mainland thousands of years ago, so distinctive animals and plants evolved here. Its forests survived intact because for decades it was an isolated penal colony, closed in 2004, whose isolation protected nature. Today dense rainforest covers it, and one of the largest coral reefs on the Pacific coast of the Americas surrounds it. Coiba is among the world's finest dive sites: reef sharks, turtles, huge schools of fish, rays and sometimes whale sharks. Humpback whales pass in season, along with dolphins. Visitors walk short forest trails near the ranger station. It is reached on boat trips from Santa Catalina, and the sea can be choppy. Never feed or touch wild animals, and watch them from a distance.
Sharks and turtles.
Ranger trails.
In season.
Pacific off Veraguas, by boat from Santa Catalina in about an hour and a half
On a day or multi-day boat trip from Santa Catalina with a licensed operator, often including diving or snorkelling and the park fee.