search... Panama is famous not only for its nature reserves, culture and the Panama Canal. U Panama there are exits to both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea , this wonderful country has collected best resorts Central America, where you have it all: snow-white beaches

, warm water, amazingly beautiful islands, beautiful landscapes that are known far beyond the borders of Panama.

, warm water, amazingly beautiful islands, beautiful landscapes that are known far beyond the borders of Panama. (Bocas del Torro Bokas del Torro ) is a unique, beautiful archipelago in the north-west of Panama, consisting of 9 big islands

and many little ones. You can get here local airlines

or by air from neighboring Costa Rica. The route is very touristy, so there are a lot of buses and tourist shuttles from Panama and Costa Rica. First you need to get to the city of Almirante, then by ferry. Bocas del Torro Archipelago - the most popular tourist destination with developed infrastructure and services. Most — Big City Colon , is located island of the same name - the largest of the entire archipelago. Colon - small town , which can be walked in half an hour. It is best to book hotels in Colon, because... this is very comfortable spot

, there is all the infrastructure here, you can sail anywhere from here and the airport is close. The best beaches in Bocas del Torro:, Bocas del Drago Bluff Beach And Punch Beach on the island of Colon,, Cayos Zapatillos Bluff Beach Playas Larga.

Red Frog Beach Best diving spots: around the island, Hospital Point, Coral Key Bluff Beach Dark Wood Reef Punta Juan , area Garden near Cayo Nancy, islands, Butt, Cristobal Bluff Beach Cayo de Agua Cayo Carener . These are some of the best reefs, underwater gardens, many sea ​​creatures (rays, lobsters, crabs and tropical fish). Near the island Bird Island you can see colonies of sea gulls, it is also very interesting to visit national park Bastimientos

and see endangered turtle species there.

Other entertainment options besides eco-tourism include almost anything: jungle walks, horseback riding, ATV rides, sea activities, boat rides, diving, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, etc.

Taboga Island It's hard to believe that just a few kilometers from the dusty and noisy city, there are such paradise beaches with excellent sea and relaxing holiday . These beaches are located on- “Island of Flowers”. You can get here by ferry in just 15 minutes. Ferries run all day. On the island, in addition to the beaches, there is a small town with a church ( San Pedro), where there is observation decks, and there are all kinds of recreation on the beach. You can stay here in one of the most wonderful hotels.

Spend a few days on this wonderful flower island and you definitely won’t regret it.

Las Perlas Islands

Archipelago Las Perlas is located southeast of Panama City in the waters of the Gulf of Panama. Las Perlas consists of several large islands: San Jose, Pedro Gonzalez, Isla del Rey, Isla Pacheco, Saboga, Contadora, Chapera, Mogo Mogo, Casaia and Viveros and several dozen smaller islets and reefs.

You can get to the islands of the archipelago from Panama City by plane or ferry. Ferries also operate within the entire archipelago and this way you can get to any of the islands.

The most developed islands in terms of infrastructure are Contadora, Saboga Bluff Beach San Jose.

Contadora is the closest island to Panama City, which can offer you both a calm, secluded holiday and an active one. White sand beaches, picturesque corners islands, nature, surrounded by greenery - all this can be found here. You can swim in the ocean or in a cozy hotel pool; in any case, it is best to make Contadora your starting point.

The city has a lot of entertainment and active rest: diving, fishing, snorkeling, yacht and boat trips, water skiing and scooters, tennis and golf. Evenings can be spent in numerous discos and bars, or you can relax in the casino.

To admire nature and feel like a part of it, it’s better to go to the islands San Jose Bluff Beach Viveros. By the way, there is also an old one in San Jose military base, which fans of military attractions love to visit.

The best place to swim in the sea and sunbathe is on the islandSaboga, which will offer more than a dozen different beaches and recreational areas.

By the way, most of the income of the Las Perlas Islands comes not from tourism, but from pearling. Pearls and pearl jewelry can be purchased on the islands at very attractive prices.

Pearl Islands or Archipelago de las Perlas which is their original name, are 30 minutes away on a small (up to 6 people) twin-engine Islander aircraft Air company Panama looks more like a coffin with propellers inside.

You can also get to the Pearl Islands by ferry, or rather by ferries of two companies, and you can find the websites of these companies if you Google “ferry to perlas”, but we wanted to look at the city of Panama from a bird’s eye view just as we wanted to look at these very pearls from above islands.

I won’t torment you with information about who discovered these islands and why Balboa called them pearl islands - there’s Google for that and by formulating the right query you’ll find out everything (about the largest pearl found off the island of Contadora in the 16th century).

How to get from Russia to Panama

In fact, there are many options: they fly to Panama through the USA (you need a US visa), fly through Cuba or Europe - British Airways, Iberia, Air France or KLM
I chose to fly with KLM via Amsterdam. At check-in for the flight at Sheremetyevo Airport I received boarding tickets to Amsterdam and Panama. At the entrance to the pipe, the visa control officer at first stared at my passport like a sheep at the new gate, but then it dawned on him that I did not need a visa to Panama since I had a valid Schengen visa.
The flight took place in an economy class cabin, but in privileged rows called comfort-economy.
This is additional legroom (you can sit with your legs crossed) and an additional seat tilt and a thinned seating arrangement (there will be 2 people on a triple seat).
Travel time from Amsterdam to Panama - 11 hours, flew by unnoticed (slept)

How to get to Cantadora Island

Ferry or plane. To buy a ticket, go to the website Air Panama(the only company currently that flies here regularly) and buy - no problem.
Departure from the airport Albrook- not to be confused with international airport Tocuman Panama hats.
Albrook Airport is located next to the Panama Canal, almost within the city limits. His PAC code and name is Marcos A. Gelabert
I hope it's clear.

Mobile Internet in Panama

Simka Movil costs 5 dollars plus 4 dollars must be deposited into your account to have unlimited internet for a week. Plus taxes - it turns out to be 10 dollars and kopecks.
Didn't you know that Panama doesn't have its own currency?

Money in Panama

Panama does not have its own currency, and neither does Panama. Or rather, it exists and seems to have its own flag and anthem, as well as armed forces. But the whole of Panama belongs to the United States and you can talk as much as you like about democracy and independence... Try to say something at odds with US policy and you will be pulverized, just as they removed General Manuel Noriega, who hinted at nationalization. Panama Canal(by the way, obtained at the complete disposal of the United States through bribery and deception, however, like most American affairs, from Colombia

Panama visa

For those who have a valid multi-Schengen visa or a valid US visa: a Panama visa is not required.
On board the plane you must fill out an immigration card and a customs declaration. On passport control You will be photographed and fingerprinted (all fingers).

By the way, if you are going to Panama without a US visa (that is, you will not be able to fly through the US in transit), then the best option to get to this Central American, and in fact South American republic, is to take advantage of the offers of KLM airline and it is possible that the best option will pay an additional 120 euros to fly not in regular economy class (of course it’s better to fly on a plane with a gym, a bath and masseuses), but in comfortable economy: this is an additional 10 cm between the seats, which is sometimes not enough, and an additional angle of the seat back - that is, you simply lie down between the knees of the regular economy class passenger sitting behind you and he has nothing against it.

The landing strip crosses the island from north to south from coast to coast since the island itself is small. And although the asphalt surface in the parking area of ​​the corn workers is riddled with ruts, nevertheless, all the roads on the island are asphalt and people drive here mainly on Kawasaki buggies.
Can be rented.
Depending on the engine power and the number of seats, the price ranges from 45 to 100 dollars per day (hourly payment applies)
Gasoline in Panama is inexpensive, but I will talk about this in a separate chapter regarding Panama City and its surroundings.

There are 4 beaches on the island. I will not include the nudist beach and small coves in this number - they are not interesting and are usually private.

• Playa Casique ( Playa Cacique) Maybe best beach on the island. Located on the south side. The main part of the beach is located near the Villa Romantica hotel. From the restaurant terrace of this hotel you can see the islands of the archipelago, including the one where the reality show Survivor was filmed

• Contadora beach ( Contadora Resort) This big beach located in the east of the island and on the site of a large hotel.
  It is worth noting that this hotel belonged to a Colombian. The latter was killed by shooting down the helicopter in which he was flying to the island. All this was passed off as an accident, the case was hushed up, and the hotel was plundered and destroyed. Now there are remnants of former luxury with empty window sockets... But the land has not yet been divided.

• Playa Galleon ( Playa Galeon) is located in the north of the island. Ferries from the mainland (from Panama City) land here and there are 2 hotels (Gerald and The Point) and the beginning (or end, depending on the wind) runway Contadora Island Airport

The Perlos archipelago is famous for its uninhabited islands, which can be rented for mega-drinking or filming reality shows. The main thing is not to cut down trees, not to shoot at capybaras and deer, and not to leave garbage.
Renting a boat with a 50hp engine and an awning costs $35 per hour. Tomorrow we’ll take one and explore the islands located south of us.
Today a helicopter landed at the airport from which two scarecrows with dreadlocks fell out - it looks like they are filming something on the islands to the south. Tomorrow I’ll write about the results and what’s there

Sea voyage through the Las Perlas archipelago, Gulf of Panama, Pacific Ocean.

Description of the trip

Traveling to new places is our favorite pastime. New routes about which there are no reports on the Internet, tracks on Google maps or looks on social media. networks. There is a spirit of adventure in this. Then, of course, many will follow our routes. In the meantime, we invite you to a unique sailing trip around the islands of the Las Perlas archipelago, laying new GPS tracks, exploring uninhabited islands and wild beaches.

The Las Perlas archipelago consists of 200 islands, of which only 90 have a name. Most of the islands are uninhabited. The archipelago received its name Pearl Islands due to the fact that in the 16th century, the Spanish conquistador Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who discovered them, found many pearls in the waters. It was here that the famous Wandering Pearl was found, the owner of which was Elizabeth Taylor.

Sandy islands, massive atolls, amazingly beautiful lagoons and thickets of mangrove trees - nature has generously endowed this amazing place, making it home to endemic animal species and critically endangered plants.

The Pearl Islands of Panama are a treasure for visitors to enjoy endlessly. The land, the local flora and fauna, and the marine life that abounds in the coastal waters are what make this part of the world so special. In fact, this is the same place where the popular TV series Lost was filmed.

The Pearl Archipelago was previously inhabited only by pearl seekers and ruthless pirates. Today, hundreds of humpback whales come to this place in the summer with their calves and remain there until the babies grow up and gain enough strength to cope with the adversity of the ocean.

Water temperature from +25 C will allow you to engage in any kind of water sports and games, such as swimming and surfing, sailing, and snorkeling.

In short it will look like this:

Arriving in Panama -> jeep rental -> food purchase -> Transfer to the ocean coast ->overnight, catamaran assembly -> sailing around the islands of the archipelago -> overnight stays on the islands-> ... like this every day ... -> arrival in Panama City -> car rent -> Possibility of visiting the Panama Canal and the Atlantic coast of Panama -> flight Panama - Kyiv ->

Photo gallery of the trip

What's included in the price?

Trek budget: $1000

Does not include the cost of flights to Panama

This budget includes:
— All transfers within Panama.
— Overnight in hotels at the site of assembly and disassembly of the catamaran.
- Car rent
— Food for the entire duration of the trip.
— .
— Insurance (only for Kiev residents). If you are in another country or another city, you will have to arrange insurance yourself. Standard policies have a choice option: “occupations active species recreation and sports”, you need to choose sailing.
— Bivouac equipment.
— (designed specifically for this hike)
— Actually, the trip around the islands on an inflatable sailing catamaran itself.
— Mini-film about the trip and a memorable photo album.

HOW MUCH DOES A FLIGHT TO PANAMA COST?

A flight to Panama and back will cost you 800 - 1100$

Route

A completely new unique route. Route length – 300 km, optimal distance for three weeks.

Water route :

Video preview

Do you need special preparation or can anyone go?

We do not see any obstacles to the participation of any person in our sea voyage. Yes, it is advisable that you have experience participating in hiking trips. But this is not a necessary condition. This way you will have a better idea of ​​what exactly awaits you.

The main thing is not to be a whiner and keep in mind that, despite all the romance, it really is not easy in places.

If you don’t know how, then we will be happy to teach you how to pitch a tent, sail a sailboat, make a fire, cook on it and a lot of other tourist stuff.

If you like to complain and mope, don’t imagine yourself outside the comfort of civilization, and need service personnel, then you’d better refrain from this trip.

Uniqueness of the trip

Really wild rest of the Robinsons

Alone with nature. No people around except our team. Secluded protected areas uninhabited islands, inaccessible to the mass tourist.

Adventures

We are not a travel company. We scouted out the route, found out the plane schedule and know the intricacies of a sea voyage. But then everything depends on nature and our team. There will be adventures for sure! Verified :)

An exceptional travel format

"Bomb! Amazing! This cannot be put into words! This is so cool that you can’t even imagine!” - these are the words your friends will hear from you. And it will be true. You will have photographs that you can show to your grandchildren.

Real wild beaches

Every day there are new islands and beaches with clear turquoise water and the purest sand. The richest underwater world.

New experience

During the hike you will learn all the little things about a traveler's life. You will become a seasoned sailor and seasoned tourist :)

Clearing the Mind

A long stay alone with wild nature, away from the bustle of people, clears your thoughts. New creative ideas and ideas for business are born in my head. If you are at a crossroads in life and cannot make a decision, then such a trip is one of the options for making a truly right decision.

New friends

The strongest friendships are those that are made on a hike. Almost all the people who went hiking with us today are a close-knit team of friends. No one remains indifferent!

Make up your mind and book!

Pearl Islands Panama

Archipelago Pearl Islands, Panama - located south of the capital of Panama - Panama City.
I have already written how to get to one of the islands of the archipelago Pearl Islands- Contadora Islands.

The fact is that yesterday we agreed on a private sailing on a boat with a good powerful motor, but in the morning a couple of old men ended up in this boat, as if by chance.
Without saying a word, we turned around, boarded our Kawasaki and a minute later we were at Galleon Beach, where boaters of all stripes hang out, and ferries from Mainland, so you can always meet some free native, picking his nose and having a boat with an awning.

Second stop: Isla Casayeta is a wild island with many coves and neighboring islands Casaya and Isla Ampon, which I put in one bottle - 4 points for the fact that it is not as deep near the shore as we would like.

I will immediately note that on all the islands of the Pearl Islands of the archipelago of the same name, the sand is white, coarse, does not stick to clothes or skin, and if it does stick, it is easily brushed off.

The tenth stop is on the island of Mogo-Mogo, where work is currently underway to demolish the huts of the “last heroes”, as well as clearing up the garbage after them. Beach rating 3 points - very small. You can just see how small it is in the photo. But the beach is wide and deserted. But nevertheless, there is no shadow just in case.

On the way to Mogo-Mogo we caught a grouper - the fishing rod was just dangling the whole trip. Hanging from the end was a wild orange artificial squid. And so the greedy grouper gobbled it up.
They ceremoniously let me pull him out, then there was a photo session, and then our sailors took him for themselves. But we're not offended - it's too big for our villa grill, so today I'll be grilling chicken there.

So, the last stop is Chapera Island. This island is in direct line of sight from Contadora Island, being due south.

The Pearl Islands (Spanish: Archipiélago de las Perlas) are a group of islands in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Panama. Pacific Ocean. This archipelago was discovered in 1513 by the Spaniard Vasco Nunez Balboa. The total area of ​​the islands is 329.2 square meters. km, and they are located approximately 70 km from the city of Panama.

The Pearl Islands of Panama consist of 16 large and more than two hundred small islands. The largest of the Pearl Islands is , its area is 232 square meters. km. It is famous for what is caught here a large number of pearls It is thanks to this fact that this archipelago got its name. Another large island– – is considered the most popular and developed resort of the islands, and tourists from many countries of the world come here from year to year. Let's find out what attracts vacationers to the Pearl Islands of Panama.

Climatic conditions of the Pearl Islands

The climate on the islands is tropical, maritime, and air humidity is quite high. The Pearl Islands have dry and wet seasons. The latter falls between May and January, so it is better to plan a vacation to the Pearl Islands of Panama at another time. average temperature The air here ranges from +20 to +30°C all year round.

Holidays in the Pearl Islands

Holidays in the Pearl Islands of Panama are due to their geographical location, so here it is mainly beach. Contadora Island has the most developed infrastructure, and the most comfortable ones are also located here:

• Playa Cacique. According to most vacationers, this is the best beach on the island. It is located on the south side. On its territory there is Hotel Villa Romantica, from the terrace of which other islands of the archipelago are clearly visible;
• Contadora Resort- beach east side islands. It is famous for the fact that here are the ruins of a hotel that the famous American billionaire Donald Trump began to build (later, having bought the island of Viveros, he abandoned construction);
• Playa Galeon– beach on the north side of the island. There are 2 hotels and the Playa Executivea airport runway here;
• Playa Ejecutiva. The beach is located just east of Playa Galeon and is perhaps the only place where you can swim even at low tide.

Accommodation in the Pearl Islands of Panama

It's best to stop at . Here you will find the widest choice of accommodation options: Villa Condesa Del Mar, Beautiful Apartment w/Car, Spacious Casa Ken with Kawasaki Mule and many other hotels.

Recreation and entertainment in the archipelago

Most likely, when choosing, tourists count on relaxing holiday, and not to noisy discos and dangerous adventures. That’s right - the Pearl Islands are literally created to get away from the usual hustle and bustle and enjoy the peace and quiet. Here you will find great beaches with white sand, wildlife and extraordinary sunsets.

And if you suddenly get bored of lying under the gentle sun, you can diversify your leisure time with fishing, diving, a trip on a yacht or motor boat to other islands of the archipelago. Special equipment for fishing or diving can be rented at a specialized store located near the airport. You can find a free boat for travel at the pier, just make a route in advance and outline it in detail to the owner of the vessel.

Shopping in the Pearl Islands

One of the largest of the Pearl Islands, Contadora Island, has 2 small supermarkets, a small clothing store and a jewelry store. You can buy alcohol, other drinks and food in supermarkets, but please note that the prices here are very high, so it is best to bring everything you need with you.

How to get to the Pearl Islands of Panama?

There are 2 ways to get to the Pearl Islands from the mainland: by air or by water:

1. On the island of Contadora there is a small airport where a small plane brings passengers. The flight takes 15 minutes and costs approximately $100.
2. There is a regular ferry service to the island. The ferry departs 2-3 times a day, the journey takes 2 hours and will cost you approximately 40 US dollars.

Note to tourists

When planning a vacation to the Pearl Islands of Panama, you should keep in mind some of its features:

• You should not go into the ocean without special swimming shoes. The fact is that very often stingrays swim up to the shore; they themselves do not attack, but they can cause a lot of trouble if you accidentally step on them;
• you may be surprised by some of the sluggishness of the service staff, and this is not surprising: life on the islands is calm and measured, which affects the work and behavior of the local residents.