National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
Coiba
Central America (Pacific, Veraguas)Designated in 19912,701 km²
A Panamanian penal colony until 2004, whose unintended isolation kept the largest island in the American Pacific intact
Area
2,701 km²
Protection category
IUCN II
Parque nacional —
Designated in
1991
Declared in 1991 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, Coiba owes its exceptional state of preservation, paradoxically, to having served as a Panamanian penal colony between 1919 and 2004: the general dread of escaping onto a remote island and its reputation for harshness kept settlers and poachers away for decades, unintentionally preserving the largest island in the American Pacific all but untouched. Since the prison finally closed in 2004, its waters — home to one of the healthiest shark populations in the region — have become one of the most highly regarded dive destinations in Central America.
Location
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3 dive sites within 300 km are also shown.
Coiba: 69 documented species
Mammals25Birds15Reptiles8Amphibians
Flora and ecosystems
Ecosystems found in Panama, where Coiba lies.
Tropical rainforestMarine / coastalWetland
Experiences in this park
Diving and snorkellingBirdwatching
Nearby dive sites
Where can I dive near here?
5 km away
220 km away
275 km away
Similar parks
Which other parks are like this one?
Same country: Panama
Same country: Panama
Same country: Panama
Same country: Panama
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Based on what we already know about this park.
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