Island bed and breakfast
Contadora Island Inn
A remodeled island house with five rooms, steps from the beaches
The Pearl Islands, Panama
Some 200 or more islands and islets in the Gulf of Panama, a short flight or a ferry ride from Panama City, with Contadora as the easy base for beaches, snorkeling and whale watching.
At a glance
- Fly into
- Isla Contadora, from Albrook (PAC) in Panama City
- Contadora is the nearest Pearl Island with an operational airstrip, and the flight is short.
- Best weather
- January to April
- The dry months bring the calmest seas and the most consistent sun.
- Pairs with
- Panama City
- Flights and ferries run from the capital, so the islands fit before or after the city.
Why go
Why go to the Pearl Islands
The Pearl Islands are a group of 200 or more islands and islets in the Gulf of Panama. Vasco Núñez de Balboa named them in 1513, after the pearls found there. Many are tiny and uninhabited. Three matter to a visitor. Contadora is the most developed island in the group, with a paved airstrip, a dive center where you can get PADI certified, and no buses, so you walk or rent a golf cart. Saboga lies to its north and is a fishing village whose people descend from the enslaved divers brought here to harvest pearls. Pedro Gonzalez is nearby, and Smithsonian-sponsored excavations there have been dated back over 8,000 years. The pace is slow: swim, snorkel, take a boat to a neighboring islet, watch the light go. Two to three days covers Contadora. Because the flight from Panama City is short, the islands slot easily onto the start or end of a longer trip, as a beach stretch after the city.
Beaches and snorkelingContadora has a dive center, and dive sites about 15 minutes from the island by boat.
Whale watchingTours start from Panama City or Contadora in the wetter months, with July to September the safest window.
Island historyBalboa named the group in 1513 for its pearls, and Pedro Gonzalez holds excavations dated back over 8,000 years.
Places to know
- Isla ContadoraThe most developed island in the group, with a paved airstrip, a dive center and beaches you reach on foot or by golf cart. Boat trips run to Mogo Mogo and Isla Pacheca. Our hotel here is Contadora Island Inn.
- Isla SabogaNorth of Contadora, a quiet fishing village with an old church. The ferry from Panama City stops here.
- Pedro GonzalezA fishing island near Saboga, known for archaeological digs dated back over 8,000 years.
- Isla San JoseOne of the Pearl Islands with lodging besides Contadora and Saboga. Our hotel here is Hacienda del Mar.
Hotels we book in the Pearl Islands
Each hotel below has its own page: what it is like, where it sits and how to get there.
Island eco-hotel
Hacienda del Mar
Beachfront cabins and jungle tracks on San José Island, Pearl Islands
When to go
When to go
The dry months, with January to April the surest, bring the calmest seas and the most consistent sun. They are also the busier months, and ferries fill quickly on weekends and holidays. The wetter months bring short showers followed by bright afternoons, fewer visitors and whale watching, with sightings reported from July to September.
Getting there
From Panama City, by airA short flightFly from Albrook airport (PAC) to the Contadora airstrip. Flight time depends on the aircraft.
From Panama City, by ferryUnder two hoursThe ferry leaves from the Flamenco marina, stops at Saboga and on some days at Isla Bolaños before Contadora.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many days should we spend on the Pearl Islands?
Two to three days covers Contadora: one day for the beaches, one for a boat trip to Mogo Mogo or Bartolomé to snorkel, and one spare. Add time if you also want to visit Saboga.
Can we reach the islands without flying?
Yes. A ferry runs from Panama City and takes under two hours, with a stop at Saboga on the way. Schedules can change with weather and sea conditions, so timings are worth confirming before you travel.
How do we get around Contadora?
There are no buses. The island is small enough to walk from one end to the other in under an hour, and golf carts can be rented for the longer hops between beaches.
Can we see whales?
Whale watching tours start from Panama City or Contadora. Whales are reported in the wetter months, and July to September falls inside every season we found quoted. Sightings always depend on sea conditions.
Is the snorkeling good?
Contadora has reefs directly offshore from Playa Galeón and Playa Larga, and visibility on calm days can exceed 30 feet (9 meters). The Pacific is not always still, so conditions vary, and the dry months are calmer.
Plan your trip to Pearl Islands
Tell us your dates and who is coming, and we will plan Pearl Islands into a trip shaped around you.
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