COIBA ISLAND TOURS

The Coiba National Park consists of a group of Islands in the Pacific Ocean south of Veraguas Province. The park covers 270,125 hectares, of which only about 20% is land, the remainder is marine and contains many coral reefs, the largest of which covers 135 ha. The island Coiba (50,314 hectares) is the largest island, not just of the archipelago, but of all Panama. It is the only island in the park with permanent buildings (including the ruins of the prison, the police station and the ANAM buildings and biological stations) and permanent human presence.

Coiba Island was used as a prison from 1919 to 1991, and thus not accessible to other people. As a result, human impact on the area has been very limited and was restricted to the prison and its immediate surroundings, where prisoners had to grow food to feed themselves and the guards. The remainder of Coiba Island, the other islands and the surrounding sea remained virtually untouched. In 1991 the prison, mostly used by the Noriega regime used to detain political prisoners and homosexual men, was closed and Coiba Island and its surrounding waters were declared a National Park. Most prisoners were released or relocated to other prisons. or moved to other prisons, but a few opted for a job with ANAM as caretaker of the prison and its surroundings. In the beginning of 2011, rehabilitation works began to turn the police/prison area into a coast guard base. This makes it unfortunately less interesting to visit and visits might be restricted in the future.

Coiba National Park has been declared a UNESCO World Natural heritage site because of its biodiversity and its important role in the Eastern Pacific Tropical Ecosystem. The Coiba archipelago is part of a huge marine corridor that includes Malpelo Island, Gorgona Island, Cocos Island and the Galapagos Archipelago. Many pelagic animals such as leatherback turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, marlin, sail fish and tuna depend on islands like Coiba for their survival.

The marine biodiversity is therefore the true gem of Coiba, with 69 identified species of fish, 13 types of crustaceans (crabs & lobsters), 45 species of snails and 12 species of echinoderms (sea urchins and sea cucumbers). Snorkeling is a good way to get an idea of the incredible richness of Coiba waters. The reef around the small islet of Granito de Oro is easily accessible and supports a wealth of species, including turtles and small (and harmless!) white-tipped reef sharks.

The seas of Coiba are also the habitat of the humpbacked whale, the orca, the pan-tropical dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin. In fact there are records of 19 more whale species that occasionally visit Coiba waters. During the boat trip to, around and from Coiba, you are likely to see dolphins and from mid July to mid October, you may well see humpbacked whales. Devil rays and turtles are often seen from the boat as well.

The islands are home to 36 species of mammals, 39 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 147 species of birds. Some of the land animals have been isolated from the mainland for so long that they have evolved in different species. The Coiba spinetail (Cranioleuca dissita) for example, is a bird that only occurs in Coiba and nowhere else in the world. Some biologists consider the agoutis on Coiba as varieties of their mainland relatives, but others argue that they are separate species. The spider monkeys and howler monkeys of Coiba each form a species with their respective relatives in Cerro Hoya National Park. These two species are separate from the spider and howler monkeys you find elsewhere in Panama. Coiba is the only place in Panama where one can see flocks of the threatened Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao). The best place to see them is Playa Quebrada, at the other side of the island. The Coiba spinetail is usually found along the ‘Los pozos’ trail near the prison. The agouti is present near the ANAM camp, the howler monkeys are often found along the ‘los monos’ trail.

Since there is so much to see on Coiba, we recommend a two-night trip to Coiba. We organise trips departing from Heliconia Bed and Breakfast that include all your food and drink, accommodation, transport and a guide. All you have to do is book with us and enjoy the trip and prepare your own dinner on the second night.

Prices depend on the group size, but we organize also for 2 people only. Contact Us Now to ask your questions!