Discover Coiba National Park 2026

Central America's largest uninhabited island and the surrounding marine reserve preserve one of the last intact coral reef ecosystems of the eastern Pacific coast and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 due to their exceptional biodiversity.

The nutrient-rich waters around Coiba are home to large populations of whitetip reef sharks and, seasonally, migrating humpback whales, with diving and snorkeling tours regularly offering encounters with both species in the wild.

From 1919 to 2004, Coiba served as a remote penal colony, whose isolation paradoxically helped spare the island from deforestation, which is why one of Central America's last intact dry forests survives here to this day.

Thanks to strong ocean currents and nutrient-rich water, Coiba is considered one of Central America's best diving destinations, with sightings of whale sharks, manta rays and large schools of fish that many compare to the Galápagos Islands.

From the port town of Santa Catalina, you can reach Coiba Island by boat in about 1.5 hours, with day trips and diving tours usually organized from there. Santa Catalina itself is about a five-hour drive from Panama City.

Central America's largest uninhabited island and the surrounding marine reserve preserve one of the last intact coral reef ecosystems of the eastern Pacific coast and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 due to their exceptional biodiversity.

The nutrient-rich waters around Coiba are home to large populations of whitetip reef sharks and, seasonally, migrating humpback whales, with diving and snorkeling tours regularly offering encounters with both species in the wild.

From 1919 to 2004, Coiba served as a remote penal colony, whose isolation paradoxically helped spare the island from deforestation, which is why one of Central America's last intact dry forests survives here to this day.