Panama offers travelers prime marine life viewing experiences from May to October. The country’s unique location between North and South America, and the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, lends itself to ideal conditions for humpback whale migration and sea turtle nesting and hatching. Explore Panama’s unspoiled shores for an up-close experience with marine life.

Panama is one of two regions in the world where humpback whales from the northern and southern hemispheres visit. More than 1,000 humpback migrate to Panama each year, June–October. Panama is also home to more than 30 species of whales and dolphins. The Pearl Islands and Taboga Island in the Gulf of Panama offer prime whale-watching locations. Coiba National Park is another popular spot. It’s one of the 50 UNESCO Marine World Heritage sites.

Sea turtle nesting season takes place May–September. More than 200 of Panama’s beaches offer protective nesting sites for the marine creature. Nesting season is the only time sea turtles are visible on land. There are five turtle species that call Panama home, and all are classified either endangered, critically endangered or vulnerable by the World Wildlife Fund. Los Santos, along the Pacific coast, is one of the top nesting sites in the country. Groups like the Sea Turtle Conservancy and Panama Wildlife Conservation ensure the turtles safely lay eggs, hatch and return to open waters.