At sunrise we were greeted with calm seas and a beautiful view of the island of Jicarita—a rarely visited and wild part of Isla Coiba National Park. Coiba National Park and the smaller islands surrounding it form the third largest marine park in the world, and have been almost completely protected from development. The palm-fringed rocky shore of Jicarita, with its tide pools, proved to be a photographer’s paradise.
Coiba Island was discovered in 1516 by Bartolome Hurtado who conquered the native Coiba Indians living there, and from whence the island’s name was taken. Fast forward to 1919 when the island was converted to a penal colony, where many of Panama’s most notorious criminals were sent. The prison was closed in 2000, but thanks to its existence, the island was kept in a highly pristine state. Prior to the closing of the prison, the government of Panama created a national park, ensuring that this group of islands will remain unspoiled for generations to come.
