Punta Mariato Lighthouse

The Punta Mariato Lighthouse is located in the southern part of the Veraguas Province in central Panama, on the southwestern tip of the Azuero Peninsula. It is situated directly on the Pacific Ocean, approximately 15 km south of Arenas and about 70 km west of Tonosi. The lighthouse has a square pyramidal skeletal tower with a balcony and light, standing on a concrete base. The metal skeletal tower is part of the Punta Mariato cape, which is an uninhabited area covered by mangrove and rainforest.

The area surrounding the lighthouse is part of the Cerro Hoya National Park, a 33,400-hectare nature reserve classified as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. The park is home to several endangered species and is considered one of the most important remaining jungle habitats in the Azuero region. The waters around the cape are popular for surfing and recreational fishing, although the area is hard to reach due to few roads.

There is no specific information available on the year the Punta Mariato Lighthouse was built, but the Cerro Hoya National Park, where the lighthouse is located, was established on October 2, 1984. The lighthouse is currently standing, and its skeletal tower is a notable feature of the cape. As one of the extreme points of Earth, Punta Mariato is also the southernmost point on the mainland of North America. The lighthouse and surrounding area are part of the Mariato District, and the site is considered an important location for its natural beauty and biodiversity.

Light and tower

It has a square pyramidal skeletal tower with balcony and light tower. The tower is built of metal skeletal. The light has a focal height of 102 metres. The light has a range of 21 nautical miles. The NGA list of lights numbers it 0038. The Admiralty list of lights numbers it G3252.