After cruising during the night, National Geographic Quest arrived at Panama’s pristine marine park, Coiba National Park. The park covers around 271,000 hectares, 51,000 of which are made up by islands and islets. UNESCO declared this park a World Heritage Site.
Right after breakfast, we geared up and went ashore at Cocos Islet, a little islet that is part of the park. With snorkeling gear in hand, we jumped in the water to explore the second largest coral reef in the tropical Eastern Pacific. A diversity of fish awaited us.
The morning passed quickly, and guests had the opportunity to enjoy sightings of parrotfish, sharks, sea turtles, and different species of morays. Other guests enjoyed swimming or sitting in the shade with a book.
We returned to the ship for lunch. Our plan for the afternoon included kayaking and standup paddleboarding at Rancheria Island, a former field station of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Right after lunch, we landed on the beach and began activities.
We could have stayed forever, but we have to continue our expedition. Our next destination is Costa Rica! We said farewell to Panama with a lovely sunset after another amazing day exploring the Pacific Coast of Panama and Costa Rica.
