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Light sandy beach with palms and vegetation beside the sea.

Panama · Coiba and Santa Catalina

Marine life by season

Humpback whales from July to October, whale sharks from January to March and hammerheads mostly from April to July, according to official sources and operators.

4 places1 closed or restricted, flagged

  1. 1

    WildlifeSeasonal

    Humpback whale watching

    Waters between Santa Catalina and the park; departure from the Santa Catalina dock.0.6 km from the centre

    Entry
    From US$700 per boat
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Coiba National Park is one of the humpback whale watching areas MiAmbiente names on Panama's Pacific coast. Tours leave from Santa Catalina.

    July to October only, when humpbacks arrive from the South Pacific (MiAmbiente, 2025; Visit Panamá). Out of season, take the snorkel or dive tour instead.

    Source: Panamá da la bienvenida a la temporada de avistamiento de ballenas jorobadas – CB24 · 2025 · +4

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Private whales-only tour: from US$700 per boat, with no park fee for that option (Snorkel Coiba, checked October 2026). The operator also offers an option combined with Coiba and snorkeling. In season, regular snorkel day tours may also see whales.

    Tip: Visit Panamá gives July to September as peak months and another official page says July to October. Code of conduct: at least 250 m away, 30 minutes maximum (15 with a calf) and no swimming, diving or paddling near whales.

    Nearby: Coiba snorkel day tour (0.2 km) · Scuba diving Coiba from Santa Catalina (0.3 km) · Santa Catalina beach (0.4 km)

    Sources: Panamá da la bienvenida a la temporada de avistamiento de ballenas jorobadas – CB24 · Arranca la temporada de avistamiento de la ballena jorobada – Panamá América · Whale Watching in Panama – Visit Panamá (ATP) · Santa Catalina – Visit Panamá (ATP) · Snorkel Coiba (operador)

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  2. 2

    WaterOpen

    Scuba diving Coiba from Santa Catalina

    Dive centers in Santa Catalina village; dives inside the park.0.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    $140
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Several Santa Catalina dive centers run day trips to the park with two or three dives. The park has 760 marine fish species and 33 shark species on record.

    Source: Dive Trips with Scuba Coiba (operador) · 2026 · +3

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    2 dives US$140; 3 dives US$160–165; local Santa Catalina dives US$95 (2 tanks). Park fee not included, nor, at one operator, gear rental (US$20 per day) (Scuba Coiba and Panama Dive Center operator pages, checked October 2026).
    Time needed
    Day trips 8:00 to 16:00 (Scuba Coiba, checked October 2026); confirm the meeting time with the operator.

    Tip: Trips with a night on the island are not available while overnight stays remain suspended during the Gambute works. Whale sharks: January to March according to Visit Panamá; the operator says they are seen 'with luck' on regular trips.

    Nearby: Coiba snorkel day tour (0.2 km) · Santa Catalina beach (0.2 km) · Humpback whale watching (0.3 km)

    Sources: Dive Trips with Scuba Coiba (operador) · Pricing – Panama Dive Center (operador) · Nautical Itinerary: 9 Days Along the Pacific Coast – Visit Panamá (ATP) · Coiba National Park – Natural World Heritage Sites

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  3. 3

    WaterOpen

    Contreras Islands (shark diving)

    North of Coiba National Park, Gulf of Chiriquí.59.8 km from the centre

    Entry
    3 dives (air) US$205
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Island group north of Coiba with seamounts exposed to swell and currents. A Santa Catalina operator runs dives here to look for hammerheads and other species.

    Source: Dive Trips with Scuba Coiba (operador) · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    3 dives on air US$205; on nitrox US$235; plus the park fee (US$20 foreigners, US$5 residents) and US$20 per day gear rental (operator data, Scuba Coiba, 2026).
    Booking
    Requires an advanced certification with 30+ dives, or Open Water with deep-dive experience and 50+ dives (Scuba Coiba, 2026).

    Tip: According to the operator, hammerheads are seen mainly from April to June or July, in small schools.

    Sources: Dive Trips with Scuba Coiba (operador)

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  4. 4

    NatureRestricted access

    Coiba National Park

    Gulf of Chiriquí, off the south coast of Veraguas; 1 to 1.5 hours by boat from Santa Catalina.62 km from the centre

    Entry
    B/.20
    Hours
    8:00 to 15:00
    Booking
    Required

    Marine and land national park in the Gulf of Chiriquí, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. It protects Coiba, the largest island in Central America, 38 smaller islands and the surrounding sea, with 33 shark species and 20 cetacean species recorded.

    Open for day visits only. MiAmbiente suspended overnight stays while the new Gambute headquarters is built (24 months from 3 April 2026). Granito de Oro island remains fully closed, and visits to the old prison are suspended from 1 May 2026 for six months. Visit the park on a day tour from Santa Catalina or Pixvae.

    Source: Sistema de Reserva de Áreas Protegidas – MiAmbiente · 2026 · +9

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Admission in MiAmbiente's payment system (2026): foreign adult B/.20; Panamanian adult B/.5; foreign student B/.10; Panamanian student B/.3; senior B/.2.50; under-12s free. Local operators reviewed publish the same figure (US$20 foreigners, US$5 Panamanians and residents) separately from the tour price; Scuba Coiba and Premier Coiba Tours state it per person per day.
    Hours
    In 2022 MiAmbiente set visits from 8:00 to 15:00 from Santa Catalina, Playa Banco and Puerto Mutis. 2026 hours not confirmed by the official source at the time of review.
    Booking
    MiAmbiente sells the entry online (reservasap.miambiente.gob.pa): you choose the date and register each visitor's details and ID document (ID card or passport, as applicable); the page announces payment through the PlaceToPay gateway: check the accepted methods when paying. A MiAmbiente notice of April 2022 announced that from 1 July 2022 cash would no longer be collected in the park and that entry would be refused without proof of payment; the official sources reviewed (October 2026) show no Coiba-specific update. For their part, Premier Coiba Tours (page checked October 2026) says the fee is paid directly to Coiba National Park on the day of the trip, in cash before boarding, and Snorkel Coiba (guide updated June 2026) says it is paid in cash on arrival, without specifying to whom. Before paying, confirm with your operator who receives the money, by what means, what receipt proves your entry and whether it has already been arranged; if this does not match MiAmbiente's information, check with MiAmbiente.

    Tip: Bring your passport. Coiba is a feeding ground for hawksbill turtles: MiAmbiente has monitored them for more than 12 years and recorded 887 individuals (February 2026).

    Nearby: Bahía Damas reef (13 km)

    Sources: Sistema de Reserva de Áreas Protegidas – MiAmbiente · MiAmbiente inicia obras de rehabilitación en el Parque Nacional Coiba y limita acceso a visitantes – TVN · MiAMBIENTE anuncia cambios en el sistema de pagos para ingreso al PN Coiba · Se restablece capacidad de carga del Parque Nacional Coiba – MiAmbiente · Coiba fortalece la protección de la tortuga carey – MiAmbiente · Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of Marine Protection – Natural World Heritage Sites · Snorkel Coiba (operador) · Ultimate Guide to Visiting Coiba National Park – Snorkel Coiba · Coiba Day Trip – Premier Coiba Tours · Dive Trips with Scuba Coiba (operador)

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