Galapagos vs Coiba: Planning my trip to Ecuador or Panama?
- Lago Bay
- Jun 26
- 10 min read
Galapagos in Ecuador has big name recognition. If you're reading this article, you're probably going down a bucket list for your next vacation comparing Galapagos with other 'must see' adventures. Have you narrowed it down to Latin America? Pacific side? You want to see something that you can't find anywhere else in the world? Have you heard of Coiba National Park in Panama?
You've come to the right article if you want to compare the two best snorkeling adventures along Latin America's Pacific coast. The Galapagos islands in Ecuador and Coiba National Park in Panama.
Travel Article July, 2025
Similarities between Coiba and Galapagos
Aspect | Galapagos | Coiba |
Avg. Weekly Cost (1 week) | Approximately $4,000 – 4,750 | Roughly $1,400 – 2,800 |
Islands & Area | 13 islands | ~18.9M acres | 38 islands | 430K acres |
Population | ~30K residents | Rangers & researchers only |
Climate & Environment | Cooler waters | mild climate | Tropical | dense jungle |
Biodiversity | High endemism | Greater overall diversity |
Annual Visitors | ~160K tourists | ~30K tourists |
Access | 2½h flight from Quito (Ecuador) | 45min charter from Panama City to Lago Bay + 1h boat |
First of all let's take a quick look at some of the ways that these islands are alike. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites due to their biodiversity. They are both protected areas and are hot spots for scientist studies from institutions such as the Smithsonian. Because of their remote nature, they share some of the unique endemic species both above and below water due to their connectivity as part of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (ETPMC). Some of these species include sharks, whales, dolphins, tropical fish, manta rays, turtles, reptiles and birds. Perhaps the most sought after is the whale shark. Both have amazing sites for diving and snorkeling and are considered major tourist attractions as such.
Whale Sharks in Galapagos and Coiba
Both Galapagos and Coiba are known for great places for opportunities to see the ever elusive whale shark. The Tropical East Pacific Corridor is synonymous to an underwater super highway for the migration of the largest fish in the world. In either location you'll have a much better chance of spotting a whale shark if you are diving rather than snorkeling, however it's possible during either excursion. In the Galapagos, whale sharks are most sighted towards the north around the Darwin Island. In Coiba, the whale sharks are most sighted in the center of the action around Isla Racheria (the island where tours often stop for lunch).
Whale sharks... like whales, eat plankton. So in both locations, the areas with more plankton blooms usually leads to more sightings.
The peak sighting times are a little different, however. Galapagos has it's high season for whale sharks from June through November. In Coiba, there is a higher concentration of whale sharks from January through March.
Turtles
Galapagos is home to many green sea turtles and the giant tortoises on Isabela Island. These toroises are a strong tourism draw. They are the largest in the world and live to around 100 years.
Coiba has many hawksbill, green, loggerhead, and leatherback turtles. These turtles are found on most dives or snorkeling tours under the water. July through January is nesting time for the turtles and can often be found on many of the white-sand beaches on the islands.
Whales
Both Galapagos and Coiba are great for spotting whales. Galapagos whale season is from June to September although they are present all year round. Coiba is very similar. Many humpback whales arrive during mating season and their presence is most noted during July through October. The whales travel to these warmer waters to escape the cold of the polar regions in order to give birth.
Rays
Giant Oceanic Manta Rays are found in both locations. These rays are impressive marine animals with a wing span of up to 26 feet. When spotted, they look more like they are 'flying' in the water with elegant strokes. Eagle rays and sting rays are also present and can be found during many dives.
Sharks
Both locations are renown for their diverse shark populations. On just about any snorkel adventure you'll be able to spot a small reef shark in either area. Divers can often encounter some of the larger species like hammerheads and bull sharks.
Dolphins
Bottlenose and Spinner dolphins are widely viewed in either location. These dolphins often times give tour boats a nice show during their regular play time.
Birdwatching
Both Coiba and Galapagos are excellent parks for avid birdwatchers. Both areas have endemic species found no where else in the world. The boobies on the Galapagos are a symbol bird as well as Darwin's finches. Galapagos is one of the few areas in the Northern Hemisphere where you can find penguins. The Scarlet Macaw, Coiba Spinetail and the Crested Eagle are all birdwatcher's treats. Both areas have an incredible array of birds that anyone can appreciate.
Other noteworthy animals
The Coiba Island agouti that is reminiscent of a Capybara and the Coiba Island howler monkey are both endemic to Coiba. Whitetail deer, oppossums, and capuchin monkeys are also land attractions often spotted on a Coiba hiking trail. Galapagos boasts their unique marine iguanas. You can also spot sea lions and fur seals along shorelines at Galapagos. Both areas also boast the American Salt-Water Crocodile.
Number of Islands and size: Coiba and Galapagos
Coiba National Park is comprised of a group of 38 islands including Coiba Island (main island) and the waters surrounding them and covers 430,825 acres.
The Galapagos consists of 13 principal islands and covers approximately 18,940,874.6 acres
Coiba is the largest island in Central America, but the Galapagos are much larger when combined.
Coiba has a history as a penal colony that was never developed or inhabited by the private sector. Although Galapagos has a pirate history, during the 20th century, its human population started growing and now has over 30,000 inhabitants.
Coiba is considered slightly more tropical with denser jungle. It has the largest coral reef system on the western coast of the Americas. Galapagos has cooler water with a wet suit often recommended.
The giant tortoises, marine iguanas and Darwin's finches are unique to Galapagos. At Coiba, the scarlet macaw, the Coiba Island Howler monkey, the Pacific leather-back sea turtle and the American crocodile set it apart as far as wildlife. Coiba's more varied terrain is the biggest contributing factor to slightly higher overall diversity of both plant and animal species in a direct comparison to the Galapagos.
The number of visitors for both areas is another big difference. Galapagos is more widely known as a tourist destination and receives around 160,000 tourists each year. Coiba is closer to 30,000. The number of visitors is, of course, indicative of how developed tourism is in both places. Galapagos has many options of both land tours and cruise ship tours. Although the Galapagos islands are populated with about 30,000 full time inhabitants, these residents are concentrated in relatively small areas of the islands.
Coiba on the other hand is only populated with park rangers and scientific researchers (mostly from the Smithsonian). Conditions for traveling to Coiba are less developed, but adequate for a quality snorkel or dive experience. Galapagos has more range to experience from budget land tours to very expensive cruises.
The distance from the mainlands is another big difference. The Galapagos is approximately 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador while Coiba National Park is about 20 miles from the mainland of Panama. This leads to quite a logistical difference. The flight from Guayaquil to Galapagos takes about 2.5 hours. There are currently no direct international flights to the Galapagos so you'd have to stage your itinerary accordingly. Coiba is also considered remote but a charter flight from Panama City to Lago Bay Airstrip takes approximately 45 minutes. From there, you'll find a 15 minute shuttle to Santa Catalina where Coiba tours depart daily. Most tours are single-day excursions that last from 8 am to around 4pm. The boat ride is about an hour.
Other posts that may be of interest:
Ecuador or Panama?
Another difference is the host country. This could easily be an entire article. It's good to briefly point out some of the best tourism destinations in case your planning a trip to see more of the respective country.
In Ecuador, the best places sited (after Galapagos) are the colonial cities of Quito and Cuenca. Also the Cotopaxi National Park as well as jungle excursions in the Amazon Rain forest.
Panama has the more ultra-modern capital, Panama City, with it's colonial area, Casco Viejo. The Panama Canal is also a city attraction. The Caribbean Islands of del Toro and San Blas are white-sand beach getaways. As well as the mountain coffee town of Boquete.
The above has been a lot of information to digest. Both the Galapagos Islands and Coiba National Park have much to offer and we are in very subjective territory as to which might be the better experience for you. Perhaps the biggest difference...and this is the punch line....is cost. That may put you in more objective territory. It may be the difference between hocking the house with that second mortgage and sipping on a carefree pool side cocktail in....Panama.
Cost Comparison between Coiba and Galapagos:
If you choose the Galapagos trip you'll need to decide between a land guided tour and a cruise tour. While exploring the islands, a licensed tour guide is mandatory and will usually cost somewhere between $100-$200 for the day. A cruise gets you on the water and to the best sites on the various islands. Most travelers advise that you'll need a cruise in order to get the whole experience. Sleeping on the cruise ship while traveling from one island to the next also helps to make the best use of your time. A 5-day cruise tour costs around $4,000 per person. A 10-day voyage is usually $8,000 and upwards.
Tours from Santa Catalina to Coiba are fairly straightforward. A full day snorkel trip embarks from Santa Catalina at 8am and returns between 3:30pm and 4pm. Equipment, lunch and guide are included. Tour costs are all about the same at around $90 per person. That includes the park fee.
Boat tours in Galapagos are more varied with a larger range of pricing.
Park Fees: Galapagos - Coiba
Galapagos' airports charge a $200 park fee upon arrival. You'll also need to purchase a $20 Transit Control Card when you fly into Guayaquil or Quito. These must be paid in cash. Coiba also has a park fee. Visitors pay $20 per person. When you visit the Coiba National Park, you'll sign in at the ranger station.
Accommodations in Galapagos and Santa Catalina
For Coiba National Park, all visitors sleep outside of the park limits. That usually translates to the area of Santa Catalina on the mainland. There accommodation prices are found anywhere from $50 to $250 per couple. Lago Bay, near Santa Catalina, has vacation homes that range from $80 for a bungalow with king-sized bed and spacious living area to $250 for a full-sized 3 bedroom house. Galapagos is similar in price with a wide array of both budget and luxury options.
Meals are also similar in price in the two areas. Around Santa Catalina and in Galapagos, meals usually run $10 to $20 per person.
Length of Stay
Because the Galapagos Islands are 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, tourism there tends to be longer term than your day trip to Coiba. Divers that want to experience the Coiba National Park may sign up for multiple days to see many of the dive sites. Coiba has over 200 dive sites with much to see. Your average visitor to Coiba, however, will usually opt for one day trip and combine their vacation several other destinations in the country. Because Panama is an isthmus, this can often be a combination of both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans to experience their respective differences.
Panama has some incredible mountain options as well that boasts waterfalls, pleasant temperatures and the best coffee in the world. Galapagos is a more focused experience on the wonders of the islands both above and below water. Some of your choice consideration would probably need to depend on the variety of experience you would like to have for your vacation. Galapagos needs a week's stay. Coiba and Santa Catalina can be comfortably experienced within two or three nights with a full day trip to the island park.
Budget Exercise
One exercise that you can do for your research is search for example budgets excluding then including Galapagos for an overall trip to Ecuador. Do the same search for example budgets with and without Coiba for an overall trip to Panama. The budgets come out about the same without either island experience. Depending on the level of budget/luxury you can expect to spend somewhere between $1,400 - $2,800 per week in either country. When you add Galapagos to the itinerary, however, your budget will double. Coiba is 'in line' with many of the other destinations of Panama and will not significantly increase you overall cost for your trip.
Getting to Coiba via charter flight (lagobay.com/charter-flights) and staying at luxury accommodations near Santa Catalina would still be less expensive than the budget options at Galapagos. You'd also have time to put another destination or two on the itinerary to experience more of both coasts, mountains or city life.
Conclusion
Both national island park experiences are 'once-in-a-lifetime' adventures with endemic species and underwater marvels. Both countries are certainly worth the visit for a variety of reasons. Galapagos is a much more expensive line item while I would venture to say isn't justified when compared to Coiba National Park. Considering overall ease of travel, experience, security and value, I'd also venture to say that Panama currently has much more to offer.
As a disclaimer, I would also like to mention that I have some bias regarding the direction of this article. My wife and I have recently opened a new charter flight option to the Coiba – Santa Catalina area of Panama called 'Lago Bay'.
Also, I've traveled through most of Latin America, but I have personally never been to the Galapagos Islands. I do, however, talk to my guests when they come to experience Coiba National Park in one of our vacation homes. I've had the pleasure to speak with several guests that have experienced a first-hand comparison of both island parks. One group had just flown from Ecuador and were having the experiences back to back. All clients revealed that they were blown away by the raw beauty and variety of Coiba in a direct comparison.
Each to different degrees confided that Coiba was a much better experience and when the conversation shifted to value there was no comparison. Coiba is a UNESCO Heritage wonder without the price tag. As this article has indicated, they were pleased with the overall experience of Panama in a direct comparison. These groups of guests detailing their experiences have been excellent sources of information. Word of mouth is how you find some of the best new experiences out there in this magnificent world. Hope to see you here in Panama at Lago Bay.
Guided Tours Requirement: Independent exploration of the Galapagos is not permitted, and for good reason. Guided tours are mandatory to protect fragile ecosystems, ensure visitor safety, and preserve wildlife. Traveling with a certified guide enriches your experience by providing in-depth knowledge about the island's flora and fauna and ensuring that you follow the best conservation practices. These experts help you spot elusive wildlife, explain the significance of various species, and share insights on ongoing conservation efforts an mindful of these considerations, you help protect the Galapagos for future generations while enjoying an unforgettable adventure.
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