Snorkeling Isla Coiba, Panama
The Real Deal Team Personal Experience
At The Real Deal Tours we take pride in being the Activities Specialists in Latin America. So, when we send a rep out in the field we ask them to share their experiences with the team, and sometimes we decide to share them with you. Below is one of our team’s experience of exploring and snorkeling Coiba Island, one of Panama’s treasured UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Everyone has their own experience, but here is ours to help you plan your trip to Panama
One of the most magical and spectacular regions on my Tropical – Cross Country Safari in Panama was exploring Santa Catalina. This was my first time in this part of Panama and so I was excited to see what was so amazing about Santa Catalina aside from the surfing since I am not a surfer. The true gem that brings many visitors to this region in Panama is Isla Coiba. Just an hour boat ride away from Santa Catalina you will find an archipelago of 38 islands comprising one of Panama’s most incredible marine park Isla Coiba which is also a UNESCO world heritage site in Panama most definitely worth exploring even if a bit off the beaten path. Isla Coiba is known for its amazing scuba diving and snorkeling excursions that take you to visit all around the islands. The species found in Isla Coiba are similar to those of Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands which is just one reason why this is such a popular destination for snorkeling and diving in Panama.
We drove to Santa Catalina from the Valle de Anton, so once we got settled into our bungalows, we headed out to make plans for the next day. Although rooms and transportation, most guided tours, and a few meals are included in our cross country excursion, our extracurricular activities in Santa Catalina such as diving or snorkeling Isla Coiba came at an additional cost. Our guide gave us suggestions on the best things to do in Santa Catalina. When we decided on snorkeling and diving at Isla Coiba, our guide led us to the local dive shop they typically refer guests to so we could make plans for the next day’s adventure. Then our guide proceeded to help us book our Coiba snorkeling tour then we all went to dinner before going back to our hotels to chill out and rest up after the long drive.
As this was a full day excursion (we met around 7am and got back around 3:30pm), they advised us the day prior to pack a lunch. This is pretty standard practice in Santa Catalina so boxed lunched are readily available for order from various locations, but our guide suggested that we just order one from our hotel since we could pick it up fresh in the morning…great advice! I am not a morning person, so I grabbed a quick breakfast and my boxed lunch to go before I headed out for the day. It was also suggested, since we are in the tropics after all and the climate changes at the drop of a hat, to bring extra zip-lock bags to keep our things dry in case of afternoon showers….again, great advice I sincerely appreciated later.
So, just like just about everything in Santa Catalina, the dive shop was just a short walk from our hotel so I set off. When I arrived to the dive shop, there was a total of 7 of us in the group to snorkel Coiba that day. I was traveling with one couple from New Zealand, then there was a French Canadian couple, and another from Switzerland….all honeymooners except me so you could say I was the 3rd or a 7th wheel. The guide showed us on a map of the Isla Coiba marine park and pointed out 3 different snorkeling locations we would hopefully visit if the weather conditions cooperated. We checked in, got our snorkeling equipment and safety instructions and were on our way in less than 30 minutes. The boat is your standard diving boat in Panama; panga style with outboard motor and shade top. You step in and out over the boat from the shore as there is no dock. Perfect for our young group ranging from the 20’s to 40’s, but I do not think I would recommend this type of excursion for someone with back issues or mobility problems. I am used to these kind of boats though as they are pretty standard in Panama and throughout Central America.
So we set off on our way to explore the Isla Coiba archipelago. Wow!! A full day of snorkeling in Panama with so much to see!! Since Isla Coiba Marine Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, its protection status has enabled the marine life to thrive. And the water was crystal clear as well and the visibility was so incredible it was hard to believe we were in the Pacific Ocean and not the Caribbean Sea. This was the first of 2 islands we snorkeled around and I was able to see more than one type of eel, angel fish, parrot fish, schools of Sargent majors and a ton of other marine life I do not remember the name of. Our guide even pointed out a white-tipped shark resting below which kind of freaked me out even though they assured us they were not aggressive which really they did not seem to care we were hovering above so I guess he was right. I just like the take-away here; I snorkeled with sharks in Panama!
After we built up quite an appetite snorkeling, they took us to the actual Isla Coiba for a lunch break and time to explore the UNESCO marine park. Isla Coiba has many scarlet macaws that you can see passing overhead in pairs, and you can hear the howler monkeys from the trees as you are strolling the beach or exploring the trails around Coiba Island. Fun fact, Isla Coiba was previously an island prison that was shut down as recently as 2004 in favor of protection and further research. Just like Isla San Lucas in Costa Rica, the fact that it was prison is what allowed the surrounding wildlife to thrive with relatively little human interference. About 75% of Coiba Island is thick original forest and home to many species of plants and trees you do not on the mainland in Panama largely due to deforestation. Thus the rush by scientists, biologists, and thankfully groups like the Smithsonian Research Institute to preserve Panama’s Isla Coiba as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Next after Coiba Island, we loaded up and headed to the next snorkeling destination. They showed us on the map in the morning, but I honestly do not remember the name of any of the islands we stopped at except Coiba. This snorkeling locations was star fish heaven!! Just like stars dotting a crystal blue sky, I don’t know how many I saw, hundreds….it was the most incredible experience. I simply loved it!! The Coiba National Park is filled with so many different species including whale sharks, 3 types of turtles, tiger shark, and even whale sharks in season, but this was incredible!!
Our last stop on our Coiba National Park tour was another beautiful tropical island used by the Smithsonian Research Institute. With a long pristine white beach, tall palm trees providing some shade and nothing else but peaceful serenity; I did not want to do much else than take a few pictures then sit, reflect on my day and enjoy the sound of the surf. Staring in awe at how much beauty surrounded me, I felt almost like I was discovering a virgin tropical island in the Pacific. A perfect ending to a nearly perfect day. Almost perfect only because the looming weather started to move in as we headed back to Santa Catalina.
On our way back we saw clouds come in and the waves getting rougher, we had no choice but to keep going right through the rain and waves. The captain and crew said this was pretty normal for this time of year, but it was a bit bumpy for me. I hunkered down on the bottom of the boat as I forgot my sun glasses and too much water was splatting me in my face and I could not see. Reminder….don’t forget your shades. It took a little over an hour to get back from the last island we had stopped at before getting back into the bay at Santa Catalina. We went back to the dive shop, turned in our snorkeling equipment and thanked our guides for such an incredible tour to Isla Coiba. Now it was time to shower and meet my fellow traveling mates for some dinner and drinks. Wow, what a great way to spend a day in Santa Catalina!
Editor’s Note: One important detail to note here, Santa Catalina is still a small surfing town and relatively undeveloped. Aside from a couple of places such as our hotel which was owned by an English speaking couple and some broken English spoken here and there at the various little restaurants, the spoken language is predominantly Spanish only. This is part of the reason that The Real Deal Tours does not allow for pre-booking the extra activities in Santa Catalina. We have certain standards that cannot be guaranteed to be met by these outside providers such as guarantees of an English speaking guide so we cannot back them with our name. That said, I suggest you be flexible, keep an open mind and bring your sense of adventure if you plan to visit Coiba Islands from Santa Catalina. If you do that, then we can guarantee that it will be an unforgettable experience.