Vista Mar Marina & Yacht Club is the only full marina on the Pacific coast between Panama City and the Azuero, at Km 92 of the Interamericana in San Carlos, about an hour's drive west of the city. It has floating docks for yachts of all sizes, a 1,200 ft quay for superyachts, fuel, water and power, and a hydraulic trailer haul-out that the marina says lifts boats up to 40 ft wide. City owners keep sportfishers and cruising boats here for the dry-season beach weekends and for storage; cruisers use it as a secure stop with an Immigration office on site.
Quick facts
| Coast | Pacific (Gulf of Panama, Arco Seco) |
|---|---|
| Location | Km 92 Interamericana, San Carlos, Panamá Oeste; ~1 h west of Panama City |
| Slips | 100+ floating docks plus 1,200 ft superyacht quay (marina); ATP lists 59 |
| Max LOA | Conflicting listings (60 ft to 350 ft); confirm; depth not published |
| Fuel | Yes: diesel and gasoline |
| Yard | Yes: hydraulic trailer haul-out to 40 ft beam (no Travelift); dry storage |
| Charter pickup | Private pickup via gated community; no public walk-up |
| Contact | +507 6611-8528 · VHF 71 · vistamarmarina.com |
Location and access
Vista Mar sits inside the Vista Mar Golf, Beach & Marina residential community on the Pacific coast at San Carlos, in Panamá Oeste province. The marina gives its office address as Kilometre 92, Interamericana, San Carlos, and its position as 08°29.1′ N, 079°56.4′ W. It is in the "Arco Seco", the dry arc of the Pacific coast, with less rain than Panama City.
By road it is about one hour from Panama City outside rush hour and roughly two hours from Tocumen (PTY). The Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP) lists Río Hato's Scarlett Martínez airport (RIH) as about 15 minutes away, which is useful if you fly in for a weekend. Coronado, with supermarkets, hardware stores and clinics, is a few minutes east.
By sea you approach from the Gulf of Panama. The marina sits behind a breakwater that is open enough to the Pacific that surfers use the break beside it. Noonsite warns that unlit fishing nets are often set across the entrance, so do not enter or leave at night. Hail on VHF 71.
Slips, dry storage and who it suits
The marina describes a 1,200 ft dock for superyachts and more than 100 floating docks for motor yachts, sportfishers, multihulls and monohulls, each with power, water and Wi-Fi. ATP's listing gives 59 slips and a 60 ft maximum, while a directory listing claims 206 berths and 350 ft; the figures conflict, so ask the marina for your boat. The marina runs a "private relocation program" for motor yachts and sportfishing boats from 45 ft on a 12-month minimum, which tells you who the core customer is: a Panama City owner who keeps the boat here rather than in the city.
Dry storage is available on land inside the yard; the marina advertises the facility for owners who want to leave a boat during a trip inland or abroad, and directory listings mark dry stack and transient storage as yes. Confirm what sizes the dry area takes.
Who it suits:
- City owners who use the boat at weekends from Coronado and the Pacific beaches.
- Sportfishers heading for the Pacific banks and Las Perlas without the run out of the bay first.
- Catamarans and wide beams that cannot be hauled elsewhere on this coast.
- Cruisers passing along the coast who want a gated, secure stop west of the canal.
Fuel, yard and services
Fuel, water and electricity are listed by the marina. Directory data from 2022 showed diesel and 95-octane gasoline at the fuel dock; prices move, so confirm. There is a restaurant, pool, convenience store (Pesqueros), showers, laundry, ice, a ship store and 24/7 security within the gated community, plus helipads and the golf course next door.
The yard is the distinctive part. Vista Mar does not have a Travelift. It hauls with a hydraulic trailer on a ramp, worked at high tide, and the marina says it can lift boats up to 40 ft wide, which it claims is unique in Central and South America. Noonsite describes the trailer lift as handling catamarans and yachts up to 95 tons. Once on the hard, the marina offers fix-and-repair services and lets contractors work. For owners of wide catamarans this is often the only Pacific-side option short of a shipyard in the city. Compare the alternatives in Panama City marinas and boat storage compared.
Vista Mar also has an Immigration (Migración) office on site for entry and exit stamps, according to Noonsite; the rest of the clearance (AMP port captain, Aduanas, cruising permit) still has to be done in Panama City. See arrival and clearance.
Charter pickup and rules
Vista Mar is inside a gated residential community, so charter guests arrive by car through the gate and walk to the dock; there is no public walk-up traffic as at Amador. That makes it a tidy pickup for private charters serving Coronado and the beach towns, and a poor fit for a volume tour business that needs passers-by. Clear your guest list with the gate ahead of time. Boats working commercially should hold Autoridad Marítima de Panamá (AMP) registration for commercial use and the operator's Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP) registration; the Servicio Nacional Aeronaval (SENAN) patrols this stretch of coast.
Marina rules to expect: no entering at night, reservation for fuel and haul-out, and the usual liability waiver for yard work. The marina is a known hurricane-free, protected harbour, but the Pacific swell is real; set your lines for movement and check them after any southerly weather.
Costs and how to contact
Vista Mar does not publish a rate card. Expect per-foot monthly dockage, metered electricity (reviews mention about US$70 a month for an air-conditioned boat), charges for water, and a separate quote for the trailer haul-out, pressure wash and days on the hard. The 12-month relocation programme has its own terms. Get everything in writing and confirm the current numbers with the marina.
- Phone / WhatsApp: +507 6611-8528.
- Email: [email protected].
- Web: vistamarmarina.com.
- VHF: channel 71.
- Marina manager (per site): Jacqueline Petti.
What a slip contract in Panama usually covers, and what to check before you sign, is in marinas and docking for owners.
Nearby waters
Vista Mar faces the open Gulf of Panama. East along the coast are the Pacific beach towns (Coronado, Gorgona, Punta Chame) and then Bahía de Panamá and the canal approaches, about 40 nautical miles away. Las Perlas lie roughly 45 to 50 nautical miles to the south-east; Isla Taboga about 35. West and south-west the coast runs to the Azuero peninsula and the fishing grounds off Punta Mala. Seasonal humpback whales (roughly July to October), dolphins and nesting turtles are regular off the marina. For the city side of the gulf see the Panama Bay boating guide and Las Perlas from Panama City.
Your practical starting checklist
- Email [email protected] or WhatsApp +507 6611-8528 with LOA, beam, draft and whether you want a slip, dry storage or a haul-out.
- Ask for the monthly rate, electricity and water charges, and the trailer haul-out quote in writing.
- Visit by road first if you can; look at the docks in a swell and at the dry-storage area.
- Arrive by sea in daylight only, on VHF 71, watching for fishing nets across the entrance.
- If you plan to leave the boat, put insurance, a local contact and a maintenance schedule in place before you go.
- If arriving from abroad, use the on-site Migración office, then finish AMP and Aduanas clearance in Panama City.
Frequently asked questions
Does Vista Mar Marina have a Travelift?
No. It hauls boats with a hydraulic trailer on a ramp at high tide. The marina says it can lift boats up to 40 ft wide, and Noonsite quotes up to 95 tons. Confirm for your boat.
How far is Vista Mar from Panama City?
About one hour by road along the Interamericana to Km 92 in San Carlos, and roughly two hours from Tocumen airport. Río Hato airport is about 15 minutes away.
Can I leave my boat at Vista Mar long term?
Yes. The marina offers dry storage and a 12-month relocation programme for motor yachts and sportfishers from 45 ft. Rates are not published; ask for a written quote.
Is the marina exposed to swell?
It is behind a breakwater but open to the Pacific; recent reviews mention surge, and surfers use the break beside the entrance. Set lines for movement and ask for an inner berth.
Is there fuel at Vista Mar?
Yes, diesel and gasoline at the fuel dock. Reserve ahead and confirm current prices.
En español: Vista Mar Marina, San Carlos
Vista Mar Marina & Yacht Club está en el Km 92 de la Interamericana, en San Carlos, a una hora de la Ciudad de Panamá. Tiene muelles flotantes, un muelle de 1,200 pies para megayates, combustible, agua y electricidad, almacenaje en seco y una rampa con remolque hidráulico que, según la marina, puede sacar embarcaciones de hasta 40 pies de ancho. Es la opción para dueños de la ciudad que guardan su bote en la costa del Pacífico. Contacto: +507 6611-8528, [email protected], VHF 71; las tarifas no se publican.
The next question to answer
Every marina, anchorage and yard that matters, both coasts. Read Marinas in Panama.
The city alternative: fuel dock, 100-ton Travelift, charters. Read Flamenco Marina.
Private superyacht marina off Punta Pacífica. Read Ocean Reef Marina.
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.
- Vista Mar Marina (official site) ↗
- Noonsite: San Carlos — Vista Mar Marina ↗
- Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (Tourism Panama): Marinas in Panamá ↗
- Marinas.com: Vista Mar Marina, San Carlos ↗