Panama is home to so many beautiful places. Hidden in the country are some of the most biodiverse areas, traversed mostly by wildlife, a small handful of locals, and some adventurous tourist!

Up until very recently, it was pretty hard to find any information on Panama’s National Parks and Marine Reserves. However in 2024, the ministry of environment has made some modernizations. 

Recently the ministry of Environment in Panama has been working to make the country’s marine and terrestrial protected areas more accessible. To do this they have launched an online platform that connects travelers with over 50 protects areas in Panama. 

Access Panama National Parks and protected areas online

Online payments for access to Panama’s National Parks and protected areas in 2024 will be available through the website miambiente.gob.pa , of the Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente).

The process is user-friendly and grants access to many of Panama’s hidden gems. 

Step by step

Visitors must access the official website miambiente.gob.pa

Click on the “Protected Area Admission Fees” menu tab , where you can select the protected area you wish to visit.

You can choose between three categories to visit: marine protected areas, terrestrial protected areas and Coiba National Park.

You must then make the corresponding payment using your Clave, Visa or Mastercard card, and you will receive your entry receipt electronically.

Minister of the Environment, Juan Carlos Navarro spoke to the online system ability to safeguard sustainability and promote sustainable tourism in Panama. 

"This online system not only seeks to simplify the process for national and international visitors, but also to reduce the use of paper, aligning with environmental sustainability policies and eliminating the bureaucracy inherited from making these payments at the Banco Nacional’s offices ," said the Minister of the Environment, Juan Carlos Navarro.

Navarro added that modernizing this process digitally seeks to promote responsible and sustainable tourism, and attract more visitors to the country’s protected areas. 

Coiba National Park in 2024

Panama’s Minister of the Environment, Juan Carlos Navarro , recently visited Coiba National Park, a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). During his visit the minister met with park rangers and spoke about ways to tackle problems like illegal fishing and waste management. 

"Coiba’s protected area covers more than 270 thousand marine and island hectares. Park rangers expressed concern about persistent problems such as illegal fishing and hunting, inadequate waste management and lack of resources. These challenges threaten the integrity of the park, which is home to unique biodiversity and is a vital refuge for marine and terrestrial species."

In light of the needs outlined, Minister Navarro instructed the implementation of an immediate action plan.

The aim of this plan is to improve the park’s facilities, strengthen conservation, promote scientific research and ensure more efficient management of the protected area. These measures seek not only to address current difficulties, but also to ensure the preservation of the park for future generations.

Navarro also called for collaboration from local communities, fishermen, tour operators, businesses, mayors and other key sectors. “The protection of this invaluable natural heritage cannot be the exclusive responsibility of the government, we must all join in this effort,” the minister stressed, underlining the importance of cooperation to maintain the integrity of the park.

Visiting Protected areas in Panama 

Protected areas are designated geographical zones that are managed with the aim of achieving specific conservation objectives. These areas, which can be terrestrial, coastal, marine, or lake-based, play a crucial role in safeguarding both wildlife and the ecosystems they support. With this in mind, it’s important to leave these areas exactly as you found them. 

Panama boasts over one hundred protected areas across the country. To protect these vital regions, the current Minister of Environment is working to better enforce and safeguard the already establish regulations. Among these safeguards is the Right to Public Participation in the creation and modification processes of these areas.

The proposed regulations aim to guarantee that any changes to protected areas not only enhance environmental protection but also foster robust and inclusive governance in the conservation of Panama’s biodiversity.

Through the implementation of these measures, Panama aspires to ensure effective preservation of its protected areas while promoting responsible and sustainable environmental management.