Best Time to Visit Panama: A Wildlife Calendar, Month by Month

When is the best time to visit Panama to see humpback whales, whale sharks, sea turtles, and big fish in Coiba, the Gulf of Montijo, Cebaco, and Pedasi, month by month?

Here’s the thing about Panama’s Pacific Coast: there’s no off-season, just a different cast of characters. Many of our neighbors are migrants: some drop by for a season, others roam these waters all year without a passport, blissfully unaware of the borders we humans drew on the map. Pick the animal you’re dreaming about, find its months below, and we’ll handle the rest.

Nature doesn’t do appointments. These are the months when each species is most active, based on years on the water and the knowledge of local fishermen, not a guarantee.

Dry season · December to April

Calm seas, sunny days and the clearest water for snorkeling. Peak time for whale sharks, marlin and sailfish. January is the busiest month, so book early.

Green season · May to November

Sunny mornings, afternoon showers, and jungle at its greenest. Humpback whales, nesting sea turtles, and mahi-mahi. Fewer boats, more nature.

Panama's Wildlife, month by month

Peak monthsGood chancesRare, a lucky day
SpeciesJFMAMJJASOND
Humpback whales (southern)Coiba · Cebaco · Montijo · Pedasi
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Humpback whales (northern)Small group of about 200
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DolphinsAll destinations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Whale sharksCoiba · peak near the full moon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manta and mobula raysCoiba · mobula schools in dry season
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
White-tip reef sharksCoiba
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sea turtles in the waterCoiba · Cebaco
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sea turtle nestingIsla Cañas · Mariato
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sea turtle hatchlingsIsla Cañas · Mariato
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Migratory birdsGulf of Montijo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Scarlet macawsCoiba
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Best snorkel visibilityCoiba · Cebaco · Isla Iguana
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swipe sideways to see all twelve months →

Meet the travelers

Every row in that calendar has a story. Here are a few of our favorite characters.

Humpback whales

The long-distance champions

Every July, mothers arrive from Antarctica after one of the longest journeys of any mammal on Earth, cross the equator and give birth in our warm, calm water. The males sing, and their songs can travel for kilometers underwater.

Whale sharks

Gentle giants

The biggest fish in the sea lives on plankton, not people. Wahoo Rock is one of their favorite hangouts. We keep our distance, cut the engine and let them set the pace.

Giant manta rays

The spa regulars

Mantas line up at cleaning stations on the reef, where tiny fish pick them clean like a car wash. Wings several meters wide, not an ounce of attitude.

Sea turtles

The homecoming

Females swim thousands of kilometers to lay their eggs on the beach where they were born. Only eleven beaches on Earth host an arribada, a mass nesting of thousands of sea turtles, and Panama has two of them: Isla Cañas and Playa La Marinera, both in Tonosi. In Mariato, the Malena Beach and Mataoscura Beach community has guarded its nests for over 20 years.

Dolphins

The ones who moved in

No season needed. More than 80 dolphins have changed their zip code to the Gulf of Montijo, according to the latest census by the Maritime University of Panama (UMIP). They ride the bow, leap alongside, and sometimes surround the whole boat. Have your camera ready.

Migratory birds

Hotel for birds

The Gulf of Montijo is Panama’s biggest Ramsar wetland: over 97,000 hectares and more than 10% of the country’s mangroves. From September to April, guests from North America check in next to the locals, like the roseate spoonbill and the bare-throated tiger-heron.

Scarlet macaws

Thanks to an old prison

For 85 years Coiba was a penal colony, and nobody dared to build there. The result: 80% of the island is still virgin forest, and scarlet macaws fly over it in noisy pairs.

White-tip reef sharks

Professional nappers

They spend the day resting on the sand and in small caves, then hunt at night. Snorkelers love them. They couldn’t care less about you.

Did you know?

Whales from both poles

Panama is one of the very few places on Earth visited by humpback whales from both hemispheres. From July to October, whales from the south arrive after a journey of thousands of kilometers from Antarctica, crossing the equator to give birth in our warm waters. From January to March, a small northern group of around 200 whales makes the trip down from the other side of the world.

Local wisdom

Follow the full moon

Whale sharks cruise Coiba all year, with a peak from January to April. The old fishermen of the gulf swear they show up most around the full moon. Science hasn’t caught up yet, but we’ve learned never to bet against the elders.

Panama's Offshore Sport Fishing Calendar

Forty miles off the coast, Hannibal Bank rises from the deep like an underwater Mount Everest. When the cold currents hit it in May and June, yellowfin tuna up to 100 kg (220 lb) show up for the feast. Closer to shore, Coiba and Cebaco ride the same currents, so the big fish follow the same rhythm: billfish rule the dry season, and tuna and mahi-mahi take over when the rains arrive. Every billfish goes back to the water, so the giants live to fight another day. Want in on the action? Our Hannibal Bank & Coiba fishing charter takes you out there for 2 or 3 days.

Peak monthsGood chancesRare, a lucky day
FishJFMAMJJASOND
Black and blue marlinCoiba · Cebaco · Hannibal Bank
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pacific sailfishCoiba · Cebaco · Hannibal Bank
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Yellowfin tunaHannibal Bank · 100 kg giants ride the cold currents
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mahi-mahi (dorado)Offshore
WahooReef drop-offs
RoosterfishRocky points · Coiba
Cubera snapperUnderwater rock formations
AmberjackUnderwater rock formations
GrouperUnderwater rock formations
Swipe sideways to see all twelve months →

So, which tour when?

December – April

Snorkeling in Coiba

Crystal water, whale sharks and giant mantas. The reef at its very best.

December – April

Marlin and sailfish

Billfish season off Coiba, Cebaco and Hannibal Bank. Bring your A-game.

July – October

Whale watching

Mothers and calves in Coiba, Cebaco, Montijo and Pedasi. August and September steal the show.

September – April

Birds and mangroves

Migratory birds fill the Gulf of Montijo, a Ramsar wetland and a hotel for birds.

Travelers without passports

The ocean has no borders

Coiba is part of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, an underwater highway that links Panama with Cocos Island in Costa Rica, Malpelo in Colombia and the Galapagos in Ecuador. Whale sharks, hammerheads, sea turtles and giant mantas travel it all year, crossing four countries without stopping at a single border post. Humpback whales go even further, from the poles to our warm waters and back. When you see one of them in Coiba, you’re not just watching wildlife. You’re catching a traveler mid-journey.

Protecting them takes more than one country. Every park fee you pay helps keep the highway open.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

about when is the best time to visit Panama

When is the best time to visit Panama?

It depends on what you want to see. December to April brings calm seas, the clearest water and whale sharks, marlin and sailfish. July to October is humpback whale season, and September to April fills the Gulf of Montijo with migratory birds. There’s no off season, just a different cast of characters.

When is whale watching season in Panama?

Humpback whales from the Southern Hemisphere visit from July to October, with August and September as the peak months. A small northern group of around 200 whales also passes through from January to March.

When can you see whale sharks in Coiba?

Whale sharks are seen in Coiba National Park all year, with a peak from January to April. Local fishermen say they show up most around the full moon.

When can you see sea turtles in Panama?

All year long. Snorkeling in Coiba National Park, home to a large population of sea turtles, you can swim with them in any month. Sea turtles nest from June to December, and hatchlings reach the sea from August to January. Panama has two of the only eleven arribada beaches on Earth: Isla Cañas and Playa La Marinera, both in Tonosi.

When is the best time for sport fishing in Panama?

Marlin and sailfish peak from December to April. Giant yellowfin tuna arrive at Hannibal Bank in May and June with the cold currents, and mahi-mahi runs from May to December. All billfish are catch and release. Dreaming of fishing the bank? Check out our Hannibal Bank & Coiba fishing charter.

Is the green season a good time to visit Panama?

Yes. From May to November, mornings are usually sunny and the rain comes in the afternoon. It’s humpback whale season, sea turtle nesting season and mahi-mahi season, with fewer boats and greener islands.

Found your Season?

Tell us your dates and the animal on your wish list. We’ll match you with the right island, the right tide, and the right tour to meet these wild travelers.