Snorkel· Cayos Zapatilla· Other Caribbean
Zapatilla Shallows Snorkel (Cayo Zapatilla No. 1)
9° 15.7′ N · 82° 3.4′ W · approximate
Clear water over coral heads and sand off the south side of the first Zapatilla cay, where snorkelers find tropical fish, sea turtles and sea stars inside Bastimentos National Marine Park.
Practical
Position approximate — set about 240 m off the south shore of Cayo Zapatilla No. 1 (outline from OpenStreetMap relation 19201380, checked to be in the water). Visit Panama's itinerary lists snorkeling here among coral reefs with tropical fish, sea turtles and starfish. On Zapatilla 2 the 1.8 km Las Bromelias trail (about US$10 fee via a tour operator, Tourism Panama — verify locally) ends at a calm, clear beach good for snorkeling. Park rules apply: no anchoring on coral, take nothing, carry out all trash (see the Bastimentos National Marine Park entry). The reef is open to the Caribbean on the north and east, so go on a calm, low-swell day; tour boats crowd the cays from late morning (Wikivoyage). Our sources give no depths — read the water and stay off the coral heads with the dinghy.
Best for
Turtles and reef fish in the marine park
Season
Calm, low-swell days; Sep–Oct calmest
Nearby
- Zapatilla Reefs (dive & snorkel, Bastimentos Marine Park)0.5 NM away
- Cayos Zapatilla Anchorage (Bastimentos Marine Park)0.7 NM away
- Cayos Zapatilla (Bastimentos National Marine Park)1.2 NM away
- Las Bromelias Trail (Zapatilla 2)1.2 NM away
- Salt Creek (Quebrada Sal) Landing & Anchorage3.2 NM away
- Coral Cay Snorkel Gardens4.9 NM away
- Crawl Cay (Cayo Coral) Over-Water Restaurants5 NM away
- Cayo Coral Reef Dive (Crawl Cay)5.1 NM away