Isla de Coiba, Panama, 190 mi/305 km southeast of Panama City, is the country's largest island. Swathed in tropical forest, fringed by mangroves and ringed by coral reefs, this remote national park was formerly a penal colony. The colony has been phased out and is now in a state of intentional decay. The isle is envisioned as an eventual ecotourism opportunity, although no infrastructure exists at present. Facilities are minimal. http://www.coibanationalpark.com.
For those with access to a boat, the waters off Isla Coiba offer spectacular snorkeling (especially at Isla Granito de Oro) and diving. The island is a two-hour boat ride from the small mainland resort center of Santa Catalina.
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