This morning National Geographic Quest disembarked at the tiny island of Granito de Oro, which is part of Coiba National Park. This island is the habitat for many colorful reef fish as well as sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and other invertebrates like the crown of thorns. During a very pleasant and leisurely morning and afternoon on the island, we couldn’t miss the numerous hermit crabs that crawl all over the beautiful white sand beach. This is a perfect place to practice snorkeling in the calm waters as well as do other water sports, like stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking.
A slightly more active alternative was offered for guests interested in the interior land of Coiba Island, a former prison now converted into a place for the conservation of local natural resources and endemic species like the Coiba spine-tail bird. The hike took about an hour and helped us to understand the natural history of this protected area.
