Faro

Faro, also known as the Lighthouse site, sits at the western tip of Isla Canales within Coiba National Park, Panama. Its exposed position means strong currents are common, and the site is suited to divers in good physical condition with appropriate experience. The reef descends to around 30 metres, with shallower areas at both ends of the site that allow entry directly from the island. A canyon in the deeper section leads back up and through a swim-through to the island.

The terrain combines those shallower reef sections with the deeper reef slope, and the stronger current zones attract a notable range of species. Large schools of bigeye jacks and groups of Pacific dog snappers are frequently encountered, and barracuda often approach divers directly. White-tip reef sharks patrol the shallow areas, while bull sharks roam the sandy bottom in the deeper zone. When sufficient plankton is present, manta rays and whale sharks use the site as a feeding ground. More cryptic animals — scorpionfish, octopus, seahorse, and frogfish — can be found on the reef, though the current regularly shifts them to new hiding spots.

Diving is done from the island itself, entering from the shallower ends and working along the reef, with the canyon providing a natural route back up through the swim-through. The depth reaches approximately 30 metres where current permits exploration of the full profile. Strong currents are a defining characteristic of this site and determine how much of the reef can safely be dived on any given day.