NatureRestricted access
Coiba National Park
- 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)
Find tours(external link) Link to an external platform. Prices, schedules and availability are set by each operator.