Bull Shark — see destinations where it is seen
Carcharhinus leucas
Eastern Pacific · Panama
Coiba
Essentials
- Dive difficulty
- Intermediate
- Best months
- Jul · Aug · Jan
- Access
- Day boat
- Liveaboard recommended for some sites · Liveaboard possible
- Experience & eligibility
- No required certification documented
Wildlife
Documented presence, never a guaranteed sighting.
Green Sea Turtle — see destinations where it is seen
Chelonia mydas
Hawksbill Sea Turtle — see destinations where it is seen
Eretmochelys imbricata
Humpback Whale — see destinations where it is seen
Megaptera novaeangliae
Oceanic Manta Ray — see destinations where it is seen
Mobula birostris
Whale Shark — see destinations where it is seen
Rhincodon typus
Whitetip Reef Shark — see destinations where it is seen
Triaenodon obesus
Dive sites
Contreras Islands (Brincanco & Uva seamounts)
- Depth : 18–30m
- Level : Advanced
- Dive type : Pelagic / blue water · Drift
- Access : Day boat · Liveaboard recommended
- Current : Strong
Main wildlife : Bull Shark, Oceanic Manta Ray, Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Underwater seamounts at the far north of Coiba National Park — the park's best-documented hammerhead site, with manta rays and bull sharks also… Read moreShow less
Underwater seamounts at the far north of Coiba National Park — the park's best-documented hammerhead site, with manta rays and bull sharks also reported year-round. Advanced Open Water plus logged current/deep-diving experience is explicitly recommended by operators. Reachable as a day trip in good conditions, but most operators package it as a 2-3 day trip with an overnight stay at Bahía Honda or Pixvae given the remoteness.
Wahoo Rock
- Depth : 10–30m
- Level : Advanced
- Dive type : Pelagic / blue water · Drift
- Access : Day boat · Reachable without a liveaboard
Main wildlife : Whale Shark, Whitetip Reef Shark
A current-exposed rock near Isla del Canal de Afuera, dive starting around 13m and descending to a rock-terrace/sand-channel transition near 30m; a… Read moreShow less
A current-exposed rock near Isla del Canal de Afuera, dive starting around 13m and descending to a rock-terrace/sand-channel transition near 30m; a shallower ~10m zone above the rock is a whitetip reef shark staging area. Plankton fields here attract filter feeders, including seasonal whale sharks. Day-trippable (~1.5-2h) by boat from Santa Catalina.
When to go
Choose a month
Documented best months
Conditions in Jul
Water28–30°C
VisibilityNot documented
CurrentNot documented
In season this month: Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Water temperature: NOAA OISST satellite sea-surface normals (2020–2024, typical range for the month). It can be cooler at depth or below a thermocline — check with your operator for exposure protection.