Every June through November, the humpback whales migrate north to mate and give birth. You can easily hire a captain from Playa Arenal to take you to see the whales. Panama waters are ideal for humpback whales to breed and give birth because they are warm waters without predators.Calves are born with very little body fat since the poles water is extremely cold for them. Here, they can feed freely and safely to be healthy and store the fat needed for the journey towards the poles and withstand the cold temperatures of the zones.
Isla Cañas is the most important nesting site for sea turtles on Panama’s Pacific Coast. From July to January thousands of sea turtles of five different species arrive to the coast of Isla Cañas to nest. Most females return faithfully to the same beach each time they are ready to nest. Not only do they appear on the same beach, they often emerge within a few hundred yards of where they last nested. She will lay about 100 eggs. The buried eggs will hatch about 45-60 days later.
Isla Iguana is a 52-hectare wildlife reserve only a 20-minute boat ride from Playa Arenal in Pedasi. It is inhabited by a variety of crabs, lizards and frigates. The island was used during WWII by the US military for testing bombs. It has beautiful white sand beaches and crystal-clear water filled with marine life. It’s surrounded by one of the largest coral reefs in this part of Panama. This is the place to go for snorkeling or scuba diving. The cost is $70 round trip and an appointment is not needed as you can use any of the captains at the beach. The best time to go is low tide because there will be more beach. There are no restaurants on the island and the bathrooms are primitive. Contact us if you need to rent beach chairs, umbrellas or ice chests. There is also a $10 per person park entrance fee you will be asked to pay upon arrival.