Playground - Coiba National Park
Playground sits off Coiba and offers a reliable drift dive, often with pelagic action cruising by. We've seen eagle rays here, whitetip reef sharks, and schools of jacks in the blue. Currents can be brisk, so it’s best for intermediate divers comfortable with a faster pace. Expect an open water feel, less about intricate reef details and more about the passing show.
- Location
- Coiba National Park, Panama, Central America
- Coordinates
- 9.385829, -82.306410
Marine Protected Area: Zona de Reserva Matumbal
Nearby Dive Sites in Coiba National Park
- Bajo Piñon (reef)
- Bajo Piñon (reef)
- Boca del Drago
- Buffet (reef)
- Buffet (cave)
- Corner Point Ladrones - 15-35m (pinnacle)
- Don Juan (pinnacle)
- El Cholo
- El Porton - 15-30m (pinnacle)
- Faro (reef)
- Frijoles (cave)
- Iglesia (reef)
- Isla Frijoles (reef)
- Isla Granito de Oro
- Islas Secas - Robin Island - 5-20m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Playground
- Ankay Conservation SA - ["PADI"]
- Bocas Dive Center - ["PADI"]
- coiba dream divers
- Oceans Pro Divers Golfito - ["PADI"]
- Scuba Coiba
Marine Life in Coiba National Park
Home to 355 recorded species including 317 reef fish, 13 sharks & rays, 7 whales & dolphins, 6 other, 5 hard corals, 2 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Agujon Needlefish (Tylosurus acus) - Reef Fish
- Caesar (Haemulon aurolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Ring-tailed Surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus) - Reef Fish
- Orangeside Triggerfish (Sufflamen verres) - Reef Fish
- Cortez Rainbow Wrasse (Thalassoma lucasanum) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Pufferfish (Canthigaster janthinoptera) - Reef Fish
- King Angelfish (Holacanthus passer) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Puffer (Arothron meleagris) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) - Reef Fish
- Opaline Lanternfish (Benthosema pterotum) - Reef Fish
- Pufferfish (Arothron hispidus) - Reef Fish
- Mulet (Mugil curema) - Reef Fish
- Butterfish (Eucinostomus melanopterus) - Reef Fish
- Beaubrummel (Stegastes flavilatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Trim Parrotfish (Scarus ghobban) - Reef Fish
- Cortez damselfish (Stegastes rectifraenum) - Reef Fish
- Barberfish (Johnrandallia nigrirostris) - Reef Fish
- Chameleon wrasse (Halichoeres dispilus) - Reef Fish
- Coral Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus) - Reef Fish
- Amarillo snapper (Lutjanus argentiventris) - Reef Fish