Coiba Marine National Park Extension

Early in the morning you will be picked up at your hotel in Panama City for your land transfer to Heliconia B&B or similar, located in Veraguas Province. We will tour the town and discover Panama’s authentic folkloric culture. (B)

Go on a boat to the Coiba Marine National Park, this national park contains some of the most diverse waters in Central America, and check into the basic accommodation provided by  National Ministry of Environment (ANAM). During the next days you will head out for snorkeling tours to the surrounding islets and reefs, watching out for White-tipped Reef Sharks, Manta Rays and other tropical species that inhabit the area. We will do several hikes around the primary and secondary rainforest-covered island visiting hot springs and watching out for monkeys, birds and the endemic Coiba spinetail. You will go on a trip to the mangroves to spot all sorts of water birds and look out for the American crocodile. (B, L, D)

We will visit two other reefs. At Isla Machete we often find octopus, snappers and white-tip reef-sharks, as well as small rays. The site at Cocos Island is good for moray eels. In the afternoon we will explore the mangroves and will learn about this important ecosystem. Here you may see all sorts of water birds and perhaps an American crocodile. After a short hike to los pozos trail, where we will be surrounded by secondary forest and some primary forest, we will head to a hot springs. This is a good place for wildlife observation such as howler monkeys and the endemic Coiba spinetail if you are a birder. We will be back at ANAM late in the afternoon.. (B, L, D)

 We pack our gear enjoy a light breakfast. On the way back we may go snorkel at one more reef, which has a nice drop off where many fish hang out.  Return to Panama City. (B)