isla iguana pedasi tours

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Isla Iguana , Fishing , Whale Watching & More!

Isla Iguana for snorkeling & relaxation Humpback Whale Watching (seasonal) Deep Sea Fishing

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All Tours leave from Playa Arenal Pedasi PA

Isla Iguana Day Tour

• Azuero Day Tours
• Boat Expeditions
• Nature & Wildlife
• Wildlife Observation

Discover a secluded paradise and wildlife refugee.

Isla Iguana is a short 25-minute boat ride from Pedasi, but it’s like a different world. Isla Iguana is a secluded paradise, considered a wildlife refugee, inhabited only by rare birds, giant lizards and purple and red crabs. It is a snorkeling and diving paradise as it has the biggest area of well-preserved coral reefs in the Gulf of Panama with 14 different coral species, more than 350 tropical fishes and over 200 species of invertebrates. In addition, five species of marine turtle come to the island to lay their eggs from April to September and humpback whales swim around these waters from June to November to mate. In this full day tour, you will also have the opportunity to relax in its white sand beaches or swim in its turquoise water. At the end of the tour, you will enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant in the town of Pedasí.

Tours Isla Iguana

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Tours Isla Iguana - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Isla Iguana Tour

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Iguana Island, the Pedasi Wildlife Refuge

Iguana Island is the main attraction of Pedasi, apart from the humpback whales that can be seen on a combined tour with the island. It is only possible to see whales in Panama during June or July until October in the Pacific Ocean. These humpback whales come to Panama to give birth and teach their young to swim. You can also see bottlenose dolphins and Pacific spotted dolphins on the tour.

We organize tours to Isla Iguana and whale watching tours in Pedasi , you just have to contact us at ur****@pa***************.com or +507 6633-0166.

Wildlife Refuge

Iguana Island was declared a wildlife refuge in 1981. This island protects a large coral reef, many species of fish and birds. This refuge has 53 hectares, of which 40 hectares are coral and 13 hectares make up the island with dry tropical forests. This island is formed by intrusive basalt rocks, a consequence of submarine volcanic eruptions. Expanding the boundaries of the wildlife refuge is currently being considered.

This place is an important nesting site for seabirds. Upon arrival you will see frigate birds flying over, their colony on this island includes about 5,000 birds that are very attractive due to red inflatable pouch on the throat of the males.

As its name suggests, this island is full of iguanas that pose for you to take their photos. You will also see many huge crabs that are red and purple. Five species of sea turtles come to the island to nest between April and September. On the mainland there are more than 400 hectares of mangroves that are protected by the island. There are mangrove tours in Pedasi and Cañas Island .

Iguana Island Tour

It is possible to take a tour to this island any day of the year. However, summer (January to April) brings more wind and sometimes it is not possible to sail because the ocean can be very choppy. This should not happen in the green season (May to December), but sometimes there are changes in the wind that cause this phenomenon.

The tours to this paradisiacal island leave in the morning to take advantage of the day. It is possible to leave from Mariabe, which has a shorter and more direct crossing, or from Arenal Beach in Pedasi. The crossing can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on where you depart from and the condition of the ocean. Iguana Island is located about 5 kilometers from the coast.

The carrying capacity of the island is 300 people per day. As it is a national reserve, each national passenger must be registered with their name and ID and foreigners with their passport. If you leave from Playa Arenal it is important to carry out your documentation. In the case of Mariabe, it is requested in advance to make a pre-registration with the Panama Maritime Authority. You can visit this island of Pedasi from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Since the pandemic, admission to Iguana Island is not being charged.

There is no infrastructure on the island apart from a Panama Ministry of Environment building (which has a bathroom) and some thatched umbrellas. Visitors must bring food and non-alcoholic beverages. It is important that you take all your trash with you when you leave. It is possible to camp on the island with permission but there is no hotel on the island. You must stay with us at Finca Las Libelulas or in a hotel in Pedasi .

Many people ask us what to take to Iguana Island. We recommend taking organic insect repellent and biological sunscreen (not to affect the corals), a towel, sunglasses, a hat, a bathing suit, a GoPro or an underwater camera. You can not bring pets to the island and you can not smoke.

What to do in Iguana Island?

The beach at Iguana Island is quite different than the rest of the beaches on the Azuero coast and in Pedasi. The first thing you will see is turquoise water with white sand (not golden like Pedasi and Playa Venao or black like Cambutal ) with palm trees and other trees in the background. Many people just hang out at this beach called El Cirial for swimming.

This island is excellent for snorkeling as it has more than 347 species of fish. Those who do not have equipment can rent in the town of Pedasi or on the island itself for a small fee. Some tour options to Iguana Island include snorkeling equipment. Around the island there are more than 40 hectares of coral reefs that include some 17 species. It is possible to do scuba diving in Iguana Island. Divers go to the north of the island where more schools of fish, octopus and moray eels can be seen. Other people bring their boards to stand up paddle in the calm waters of the bay.

There is another smaller and secluded beach on the other side of the island called El Faro. Unlike El Cirial beach, El Faro beach does have currents and waves. Crossing from one side of the island to the other is quite easy following a path. Those who walk the trail will see one of the curiosities of the island as a huge crater can be seen. The island was used as a practice site by the US Army during World War II. It is advisable to stay on the trail as it is not clear if they have removed all the unexploded bombs.

Isla Iguana

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

Isla Iguana - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Tue - Sun 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• (10.60 km) Casa Lajagua
• (11.02 km) Hotel Casa de Campo Pedasi
• (11.13 km) Dim's Hostal
• (11.37 km) La Rosa de Los Vientos
• (11.24 km) Selina Pedasi
• (11.47 km) Bohemia Pizzeria y Restaurante
• (11.08 km) Restaurante Smiley's
• (11.14 km) Chichemito
• (11.20 km) Coucou Crazy
• (11.15 km) Tia Libia Panaderia

Search Tours & Activities

Choose destination, iguana island snorkeling.

Transfer to Playa El Arenal in Pedasí, where your boat takes you to Iguana Island, famous for its white sand beach, crystal waters, exten-sive mangrove forests and coral riffs. On the island you will explore a hiking trail that crosses the island from East to West to observe iguanas and marine birds. Then you can relax in the beach and enjoy your lunch before going back to mainland.

• Observe the iguanas and marine birds.
• Explore a hiking trail that crosses Iguana island from West to East.
• Explore the different coral reefs and the colorful sub-marine world snorkeling.

AVAILABILITY

Start location.

Chitré

END LOCATION

Tour language.

English and Spanish

Related places and things to do

Iguana Island Tours

Explore all tours in Herrera

Explore all tours in Pedasi

Explore all tours in Los Santos

Water Activities

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Detailed description.

Isla Iguana or Iguana Island is the top natural attraction of the Azuero Peninsula offering the only white sand beach of that region and beautiful crystal clear waters. Isla Iguana is a secluded paradise, considered a wildlife refugee, inhabited only by rare birds, giant lizards and purple and red crabs. It is located 8km off the shore of the village of Pedasi and it is accessed only by boat. The wildlife refuge of Isla Iguana was founded in 1981 and includes over 50 hectare of land and water. The island is a snorkeling and diving paradise as it has the biggest area of well-preserved coral reefs in the Gulf of Panama with 17 different coral species, more than 350 tropical fishes and over 200 species of invertebrates. In addition, with a bit of luck you can observe five species of marine turtle and hump back whales swim around these waters from June to November. The island is home to the biggest breeding colony of frigate birds in Panama. During their mating season (winter) the male birds squat on their nest with their inflatable throat sacks. The female birds (only have white throats) fly over them. But besides the frigate birds there are more than 20 other bird species to which the island is their home. This island offers two beaches to choose from: El Cirial, the main and larger beach, and El Faro, smaller and more secluded. El Cirial has calm waves and is perfect to soak up the sun and take a nice swim in their amazing waters. El Faro has stronger currents but is more popular for snorkeling. There is a hiking trail you can follow to go from one beach to the other. One interesting fact about the island is that it was used as a practice bombing range by the U.S Air Force during World War II, leaving huge craters across the island that you can still see, especially if you do the trail or from the lighthouse in the middle of the island. Experts believe that they might be some unexploded ordnance in the waters and if a scuba diver should find them, they need to leave it untouched and reported to the authorities. In the 90’s there were two 1,000 pound unexploded bombs found in the waters and it was decided to detonated them under secure conditions to avoid any mishap in the future. Please consider, that there are no restrooms nor any other facilities on the island.

Tour Tickets (may vary by date)

Tour itinerary.

Tour Departure

- Transportation from / to Chitré. - Bilingual tour guide. - Entrance fees. - Traditional lunch. - Water.

Recommended

- Swim suit. - Towel. - Hat. - Sunscreen. - Sunglasses. - Camera.

Cancellation Policy

Price is valid for groups of minimum 4 persons from/to Chitré. Contact us for rates for smaller groups, different pick-up points (Pedasi, etc.) and our monthly specials.

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Isla Iguana

It is important to consider the tide when planning to go to Isla Iguana. If it is short tide, El Cirial beach almost dries out and the boats cannot get there. Make sure to ask locals about the tide conditions to arrange the best time to visit.

Things to do in Panama Isla Iguana is the top natural attraction of the Azuero Peninsula offering the only white sand beach of that region and beautiful crystal clear waters. Isla Iguana is a secluded paradise, considered a wildlife refugee, inhabited only by rare birds, giant lizards and purple and red crabs.     It is located only 8km off the shore of Pedasi, Los Santos and it is accessed only by boat. Isla Iguana is a snorkeling and diving paradise as it has the biggest area of well-preserved coral reefs in the Gulf of Panama with 14 different coral species, more than 350 tropical fishes and over 200 species of invertebrates. In addition, five species of marine turtle come to the island to lay their eggs from April to September and hump back whales swim around these waters from June to November to mate.   This island offers two beaches to choose from: El Cirial, the main and larger beach, and El Faro, smaller and more secluded. El Cirial has calm waves and is perfect to soak up the sun and take a nice swim in their amazing waters. El Faro has stronger currents but is more popular for snorkeling. There is a hiking trail you can follow to go from one beach to the other.   One interesting fact about the island is that it was used as a practice bombing range by the U.S Air Force during World War II, leaving huge craters across the island that you can still see, especially if you do the trail or from the lighthouse in the middle of the island. Experts believe that they might be some unexploded ordnance in the waters and if a scuba diver should find them, they need to leave it untouched and reported to the authorities. In the 90's there were two 1,000 pound unexploded bombs found in the waters and it was decided to detonated them under secure conditions to avoid any mishap in the future.   How to get there?   You need to go to Pedasi town in Los Santos province and arrange with local fishermen to give you a boat ride to Isla Iguana. The most accessible place to take the boats is Playa Arenal and it can take from 15 to 20 minutes to get there.   

IMPORTANT NOTE:

There is no facilities whatsoever in Isla Iguana, so you need to take your own water and food. It is possible to spend the night but you need to notify the rangers. Also, it is highly recommended to bring a lot of sun block and insect repellent.

Contact Isla Iguana

• Phone +507 65139207

8k by boat from Pedasi , boats to be taken in El Arenal beach , Los Santos

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Iguana Island Wildlife Refuge

Pedasí, gulf of panama, eastern tropical pacific ocean, publications.

Diaz, Marco L., and Eduardo Moscoso. Environmental and Tourism Diagnosis of Pedasí, Province of Los Santos. Synthesis Report. Document prepared for the visit to Pedasí of Her Excellency Mrs. Mireya Moscoso, President of the Republic of Panama. Sunday, September 19, 1999. Ingemar Panama, Iguana Tours and the Pedasí Conservation Group.

Diaz V., Marco L.   1994.  Environmental Analysis of Contamination by Domestic Garbage in the Coastal-Marine Ecosystem and in the Fisheries of the Pedasí Region (Province of Los Santos).   Final Report Draft.   PROMAR Foundation.   October 21, 1994.   230 pages Chapters 1; 5; 6; 7; and Annex 3.