Coiba Island National Park, Panama
We started our day with a very early wake up call for those who wanted to enjoy this year’s winter solstice lunar eclipse, an event that has not been seen in a few hundred years. The eclipse started just after midnight and lasted almost until dawn, when the moon reappeared. Clear skies and a beautiful scenario far away from any lights, allowed us to enjoy an event of a lifetime. The last time these two events happened at the same time, according to NASA, was in 1638.
A couple hours later, we arrived at our destination, Coiba Island National Park. Located in the Gulf of Chiriquí, it is made up of a large main island and a group of smaller islands. Together with their surrounding water this park covers close to 431,000 acres of protected land and underwater wildlife. There, we visited a little island known as Granito de Oro. Its location provides a unique snorkeling environment. The warm current brings with it coral that helps sustain several fish species that we were able to enjoy, such as Giant Damsel Fish, Bicolored Parrot Fish, Cortez Rainbow Wrasse, Mourish Idol, Reef Cornet Fish, Guinea-Fowl Puffers, Yellow Fin Surgeon Fish and the White Tip Reef Sharks.
After enjoying a whole morning snorkeling and kayaking around this little piece of paradise, we headed to the main island, where our hotel staff was waiting for us with a delicious BBQ lunch. Because Isla Coiba served Panama as a penal colony for many decades, it remains almost untouched and home to many endemic species. In the afternoon, those kayaking near our lunch station were able to spot a small troop of white-faced capuchin monkeys or the Coiba Island endemic species of howler monkey.
After visiting one of the largest coral reefs on the Eastern Tropical Pacific Coast of the Americas, we raised anchor and looked back on the wonderful moments we enjoyed the few days we spent in Panama, from The Panama Canal to the lush forest of Barro Colorado. Now we head to our neighboring country, Costa Rica, where we will visit rich and well-preserved natural habitats, and just like Coiba, they will prove to be unparalleled destinations.
