Quick facts
| Coast | Pacific (Gulf of Panama), Panamá province |
|---|---|
| Distance | Contadora about 35 nm south-east of Amador; Isla del Rey another 15–25 nm south |
| Tidal range | About 5 m on spring tides (ACP Amador tables); strong current between islands |
| Main islands | Contadora, Saboga, Pacheca, Chapera, Mogo Mogo, Pedro González, San José, Isla del Rey |
| Marinas | Small ones on Pedro González (about 40 slips) and Viveros; none for visiting yachts on Contadora |
| Fuel | No reliable fuel dock; carry the round trip plus at least 20% |
| Protection | Zona Especial de Manejo Marino-Costera (Ley 18 de 2007), led by ARAP |
| Seasons | Dry Dec–Apr (northerlies, clear water); rainy May–Nov (flat mornings, squalls); whales roughly Jul–Oct |
Geography and waters
Las Perlas is a scatter of islands and islets in the Gulf of Panama, south-east of the city and well offshore from the Darién coast. Ley 18 de 2007 puts the marine-coastal area of every island and islet in the archipelago inside a special management zone of about 33,000 hectares, with two extra protection circles of 2 nm around Roca Trollope and Isla Galera.
For a boater it splits into two groups. The northern group is where almost everyone goes: Contadora, with its airstrip, hotels and ferry pier; Saboga and its village across a short channel; Pacheca for the seabird colonies; and Chapera and Mogo Mogo about 5 nm south. The southern group starts with Pedro González and San José and ends with Isla del Rey, the largest island, which is big, shoal and remote.
The water is Pacific: green in the rainy season, bluer in the dry. The hazards are rocks and shoals between the islands that cruisers call poorly charted, current over 2 knots in the channels, and sand bars that appear at low water. The channel between Isla Casaya and Isla La Miña carries only about 1 m.
Getting there by boat, ferry or air
By boat. From the Flamenco breakwater to the north side of Contadora is roughly 35 nm, a little east of south-east. That is about an hour and a half at 25 knots, two hours at 18 and four and a half at 8. Arrive in daylight. The route, timing and fuel maths are in Las Perlas from Panama City.
By ferry. A ferry runs from the Brisas de Amador pier on the causeway to Contadora and Saboga, with a crossing of about 1 h 30 to 1 h 40. It is the answer when the boat is marginal on fuel or the forecast is poor. Check schedules with the operator; they change by season.
By air. Contadora has a small airstrip, handy for joining a boat already in the islands.
Marinas and anchorages
There is no marina with transient slips on Contadora. You anchor, and you pick the anchorage by the wind:
- Contadora: the north side (Playa Galeón, Playa Larga) in the rainy season; the south and west (Playa Suecas, Playa Cacique) in dry-season northerlies. Suecas is the naturist beach.
- Mogo Mogo and Chapera: excellent sand and calm nights, but strong current mid-channel at Chapera.
- Saboga: sand over rock in patches, and current from the north that can exceed 2 knots.
- Pedro González: La Península Beach Club and Marina, about 40 slips behind a breakwater.
- Viveros: a small marina listed as under construction.
- San José: resort moorings on the west side.
Anchor in sand outside the channels, with depth for low water and scope for 5 m more. Dive on the anchor or back down hard where rock lies under the sand. The island-by-island table is in the Las Perlas anchorages guide, and the wider rules are in anchoring and moorings in Panama.
Fill with diesel and gasoline at Flamenco Marina (VHF 10) or La Playita (VHF 9) before you leave. In the islands, fuel at Pedro González is arranged by message and reachable only near high tide. Contadora's service station is for island vehicles. Bring water and food from the city; Contadora's shops carry basics only.
Tides, weather and seasons
The tide is the first thing to plan around. The range in the Gulf reaches about 5 m on spring tides (the aguaje), which means fast current between the islands, beaches that change shape through the day, and small anchorages that dry completely. Move between islands near slack water. See Pacific tides and currents.
Dry season (about December to April). Northerly trade winds funnel across the isthmus. The run out is a beam or quartering sea, and the run home is often a wet head sea in the afternoon. North-facing beaches roll, so use the south sides. The water is at its clearest.
Rainy season (about May to November). Lighter southerly winds and flatter seas, greener water, and squalls with heavy rain and lightning that build after midday. Leave early, anchor by early afternoon and use the north sides for shelter from southerly swell. Panama has no hurricane landfalls, so the islands are usable all year; see lightning and squalls.
What people do on the water
Weekends at anchor. Panama City owners run out Friday or Saturday, anchor off Contadora or Mogo Mogo and come home after breakfast.
Day charters. A 70 nm round trip in a fast boat, with about four hours in the islands. It only works with an early start; see Las Perlas day charters. Longer trips are covered in overnight and term charters.
Whale watching. Humpbacks are often seen in the Gulf from roughly July to October. MiAmbiente's rules (DM-0144-2022) keep boats 250 m away, at no more than 4 knots, for no more than 30 minutes; see whale-watching rules.
Swimming, snorkelling and fishing. Clear water off Mogo Mogo and Chapera in the dry season, and fishing on the way. You need an ARAP licence, and Ley 18 restricts gear in the zone. It bans gillnets, trawling and fishing while diving on tanks. It allows spearguns only for recreational, breath-hold fishing. Taking sharks, rays, sea turtles, coral and reef fish is banned. Lobster is closed from 1 December to 15 April.
Rules, permits and agencies
Las Perlas is in Panamá province, so a Panamanian-registered private boat going there and back is making a domestic recreational trip. Whether the AMP Capitanía de Puerto at Balboa expects a zarpe for a weekend run, and whether SENAN wants a passenger list, varies by office and by whether guests are paying. Ask both before your first trip; see domestic and international zarpes. Foreign-flagged yachts need the cruising permit.
A paying trip needs the full chain: ATP registration, an AMP-inspected boat with its passenger capacity, a licensed captain, insurance and a SENAN manifest. ARAP leads the management zone and fishing rules. MiAmbiente runs the whale rules and any protected areas declared inside the zone.
Security matters here. Noonsite recorded armed robberies of anchored yachts near Isla del Rey and San Miguel in 2023 and at Río Cacique in 2018. Do not anchor alone overnight in remote spots. Lock up, lift the dinghy and keep the VHF on.
Who Las Perlas suits
Owners in Panama City with a boat that can carry 70 nm of fuel plus reserve: this is your weekend. Cruisers waiting for a canal date or heading west use the northern group as a shakedown before the Pacific coast. Charter operators sell it as the premium day or overnight trip. Slow boats and small open boats should take the ferry or start with Taboga. If you know Florida, think of a Bahamas weekend with Pacific tides and no fuel dock.
Your practical starting checklist
- Check the ACP Amador tide table for your dates and note the spring tides.
- Fill fuel at Flamenco or La Playita and plan the round trip plus at least 20% reserve.
- Leave Amador at first light and keep clear of the canal channel and ship anchorage.
- Choose your anchorage by season: south sides in dry-season northerlies, north sides in the rainy season.
- Anchor in sand outside the channels, with depth for low water and scope for 5 m more.
- Overnight with other boats around, lock up and lift the dinghy.
- Carry the boat's papers, the captain's licence and life jackets for everyone; SENAN patrols the islands.
Frequently asked questions
How far are the Pearl Islands from Panama City?
Contadora is about 35 nautical miles south-east of the Amador causeway: about two hours at 18 knots. Isla del Rey, in the south of the archipelago, is another 15 to 25 nm beyond.
Is there a marina on Contadora?
No marina takes visiting yachts on Contadora; you anchor off the beaches. Small marinas exist on Pedro González (about 40 slips) and Viveros.
Can I get fuel in Las Perlas?
Not reliably. Fuel at Pedro González is arranged by message and reachable near high tide, and Contadora's station is for island vehicles. Carry the round trip from Amador.
Can I fish in the Pearl Islands?
Yes, with an ARAP licence and within Ley 18 de 2007. That law bans gillnets, trawling and fishing while diving on tanks, protects sharks, rays, turtles and reef fish, and closes lobster from 1 December to 15 April.
¿Cómo llegar a Isla Contadora desde la ciudad de Panamá?
En lancha propia son unas 35 millas náuticas desde Amador, unas dos horas a 18 nudos. También hay ferry desde el muelle de Brisas de Amador, con una travesía de una hora y media aproximadamente, y vuelos a la pista de Contadora.
En español: navegar en las islas de las Perlas
El Archipiélago de las Perlas está en el golfo de Panamá. Isla Contadora queda a unas 35 millas náuticas de la Calzada de Amador. No hay una estación de combustible confiable en las islas: llene en Flamenco o La Playita y lleve combustible para ida y vuelta más una reserva. La marea sube y baja unos 5 metros. En verano (diciembre a abril) fondee en el lado sur de las islas, y en invierno (mayo a noviembre) en el lado norte. Desde 2007 el archipiélago es una Zona Especial de Manejo Marino-Costera (Ley 18 de 2007), bajo la coordinación de la ARAP. Esta ley prohíbe trasmallos, arrastre, la captura de tiburones, rayas y tortugas, y la pesca de langosta del 1 de diciembre al 15 de abril. No fondee solo de noche en zonas remotas.