The Calzada de Amador is a 6 km causeway built from Panama Canal spoil that links the mainland at Balboa to the islands of Naos, Culebra, Perico and Flamenco, and it is where almost all Panama City boating starts. Flamenco Marina and La Playita de Amador are here, so are the fuel docks, the Taboga fast ferry, the Biomuseo, the charter pickup points and a SENAN post, and the canal's Pacific approach channel runs right alongside. This guide is the causeway from a boater's point of view.
How the causeway is laid out
Driving out from the city you pass under the Bridge of the Americas approach, through the old Fort Amador grounds, and onto the causeway with the canal entrance on your right and the Bahía de Panamá on your left. In order:
- Mainland end (Balboa / Fort Amador). Balboa Yacht Club with its moorings and marine railways, the Biomuseo on its own point, and the first parking areas. This is also the closest the public road gets to the canal channel.
- Isla Naos. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's Punta Culebra Nature Center at the tip, restaurants and the older ferry pier area.
- Isla Culebra. Joined to Naos; mostly the STRI grounds.
- Isla Perico. Shops and restaurants at the Brisas de Amador complex, the cruise-ship pier, and views across to La Playita's anchorage.
- Isla Flamenco. The end of the road: Flamenco Marina, the fuel dock, the shipyard, the Fuerte Amador shopping centre where the Taboga Express boards, and the largest parking.
La Playita de Amador sits on the south side of the causeway between Balboa Yacht Club and Flamenco, inside its own breakwater, with the anchorage outside it. A dedicated bike path runs the whole length and the road is busy with cyclists and walkers at weekends; drive slowly with a trailer.
Marinas, fuel and the SENAN post
Flamenco Marina has over 260 slips, a fuel dock selling diesel and gasoline (call ahead on VHF 10; a fee may apply for lying at the fuel pontoon), 24-hour security and the shipyard with its travelift. La Playita has about 80 berths, fuel and water by reservation (water metered per gallon), keycard gates, VHF 9, and the paid dinghy dock used by boats anchored outside. Both marinas report surge; fender low and double up lines. Full details on the Flamenco Marina and La Playita pages, and a side-by-side in the marinas and storage guide.
The Servicio Nacional Aeronaval (SENAN) keeps a presence on the causeway and patrols the bay; expect to be boarded occasionally and asked for the boat's registration, the operator's AMP licence and the safety gear (life jackets, lights, flares, extinguisher). Keep the papers in a dry bag aboard, not in the car.
Charter pickups, parking and meeting points
Most day charters from Panama City board at Flamenco Marina or La Playita, and the single most common problem is guests at the wrong island. Give three things in the confirmation: the island, the marina name and the dock or gate, plus a WhatsApp number that answers. Marinas control who may load paying passengers from their docks and may charge the operator; agree this in writing with the marina before you advertise a pickup there, and expect security to ask for the guest list at the gate. The charter business guide covers the permissions.
Parking is paid at the Flamenco end and around Brisas de Amador, free in stretches along the causeway, and full on Sunday mornings in the dry season and on holiday weekends. Tell guests to allow 30 minutes. Taxis and ride-hail apps reach the causeway easily; the last kilometre to Flamenco is slow at peak times.
Where the ferries to Taboga leave
The Taboga Express fast ferry boards at the Fuerte Amador shopping centre on Isla Flamenco, next to the marina. The operator advertises daily crossings of about 30 minutes, a round-trip fare of US$24 at the time of writing, and photo ID or passport for every passenger. Other operators have historically run slower boats from the Isla Naos pier; check current departures, because schedules and operators change and fares were contested by island residents in late 2025. If you are deciding between the ferry and your own boat for a Taboga day, the Taboga from Panama City guide compares them. For boaters, the ferries matter as traffic: they leave the Flamenco breakwater at speed and cross the bay on a straight line to Taboga, so look both ways when you clear the marina.
The canal entrance is right there
The buoyed approach channel to the Panama Canal runs past the west side of the causeway toward the Bridge of the Americas and the Miraflores locks. Ships, tugs, pilot boats and launches use it all day and night, and anchored ships wait in the designated anchorages off Flamenco. The Autoridad del Canal de Panamá's Flamenco Signal Station controls the harbour on VHF channel 12, with 16 as the calling and distress channel, and all communication with the signal station is in English. Small craft are not required to report in the way ships are, but you must stay out of the channel except to cross it at right angles when it is clear, never anchor in or near it, and keep well off ships that are moving or at anchor. Wakes from pilot boats are the everyday hazard at the marina entrances. The Balboa canal entrance guide goes deeper on the channel and the bridge.
Tides at the ramps and docks
The ACP's Amador tide table is the document that runs the causeway. Predicted highs reach about 5.2 m above datum and lows dip just below it, so the water can move almost 6 m in six hours on spring tides. Consequences:
- Ramps and beaches on the causeway dry out or become steep at low water; launch and recover a trailer boat on the rising tide, and know the time of low water before you commit.
- Marina gangways are steep at low water and fuel docks sit far below the pontoon rails; set fenders for the low-water height.
- Flamenco's shipyard hauls only on the high.
- Currents around the islands and across the channel run hardest at mid-tide.
Download the year's Amador table from the ACP (it is free, in Panama local time, heights in feet and centimetres) and keep a screenshot on your phone. The ramps and fuel docks guide lists each ramp's tide window, and the Bahía de Panamá guide covers the wider bay once you are out.
Your practical starting checklist
- Check the ACP Amador tide table and the afternoon forecast the night before.
- Tell guests the island, the marina and the gate, and to arrive 30 minutes early for parking.
- Call the fuel dock on VHF 10 (Flamenco) or reserve at La Playita before you need fuel.
- Carry registration, AMP licence and safety gear in a dry bag; SENAN checks on the water.
- Clear the breakwater with VHF on 12 and 16 and look for ferries and pilot boats.
- Cross the canal channel at right angles only when clear; never anchor near it.
- Return with enough water for the ramp or the fuel dock, not just for the slip.
Frequently asked questions
Which island is Flamenco Marina on?
Isla Flamenco, the last island at the end of the Calzada de Amador. The Taboga Express also boards there, at the Fuerte Amador shopping centre.
Where do boats pick up guests on Amador?
Mostly at Flamenco Marina and La Playita de Amador, with the marina's permission. Confirm the dock or gate with your operator; the islands are several kilometres apart.
Can I anchor off the causeway?
Yes, in the La Playita anchorage outside the marina breakwater, with a paid dinghy dock at La Playita. Not in or near the canal approach channel or the ship anchorages.
¿Qué hay en la Calzada de Amador para quien tiene lancha?
La Marina Flamenco y La Playita de Amador con muelles, combustible y varadero, el ferry a Taboga desde Isla Flamenco, estacionamiento, el Biomuseo y el canal de acceso al Canal de Panamá a un costado. Revise la tabla de mareas de Amador de la ACP antes de salir.
Is there fuel on the causeway?
Yes. Flamenco Marina sells diesel and gasoline at its fuel dock (VHF 10) and La Playita supplies fuel by reservation. Prices follow Panama's regulated fortnightly schedule; ask the dock for any premium.
En español: la Calzada de Amador para navegantes
La Calzada de Amador une Balboa con las islas Naos, Culebra, Perico y Flamenco y concentra la navegación de la Ciudad de Panamá: la Marina Flamenco y La Playita de Amador, los muelles de combustible, el ferry a Taboga desde el centro comercial Fuerte Amador en Isla Flamenco, el Biomuseo y los puntos de embarque de los paseos en yate. El canal de acceso al Canal de Panamá pasa al lado, así que mantenga la radio en los canales 12 y 16 y cruce el canal solo en ángulo recto y cuando esté libre. La marea sube y baja hasta casi 6 metros; consulte la tabla de Amador de la ACP antes de usar las rampas.
The next question to answer
Slips, fuel dock, shipyard and ferry terminal. Read Flamenco Marina.
Anchorage, dinghy dock and transit berths. Read La Playita de Amador.
Once you clear the breakwater. Read Bahía de Panamá boating guide.
Official resources
Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.
- Go Beyond Panama: Amador Causeway (islands, Biomuseo, Punta Culebra, bike path) ↗
- Taboga Express: departure point, crossing time and fares ↗
- Noonsite: Flamenco Marina (fuel VHF 10, surge, travelift) ↗
- Noonsite: La Playita de Amador Resort & Marina (VHF 9, fuel by reservation) ↗
- ACP OP Notice N-2-2025 Harbor Operations (Flamenco Signal Station, VHF 12, English) ↗
- ACP: Amador 2026 tide table ↗