PANAMA - LAS PERLAS
The Pearl Islands, an archipelago completely off the beaten path. Traveling here you could easily get the feeling, and rightly so, that you are in on a secret that the rest of the traveling world has yet to discover.
Natures beautiful canvas is vibrant and alluring, swim in a secluded bay with a waterfall cascading right into the sea.
The feeling of being held in the palm of nature's hand is quite humbling, when the tides shift and you experience the moment when there is an Island there and the next it is gone, only to appear at the next tide.
Snorkeling and scuba diving in these untouched waters are, of course, spectacular. Let the adventure begin, the Pearls are awaiting!
This is a sample itinerary. Weather or other outside factors may mean that your skipper sets an alternative course.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PICK UP AND DROP OFF POINT IS ON THE ISLAND OF CONTADORA, in the Las Perlas Archipelago. After a short flight or ferry ride from Panama City. You will arrive on the island of Contadora where you will be met by a representative for TradeWinds from the hotel Villa Romantica. You will be brought to the hotel where you can relax on the beach or in the bar or simply drop your luggage off and go explore the island until boarding time. TradeWinds Explorer will be anchored in front of the hotel. At 5pm, you will be met by your crew and welcomed onboard for tropical fruit cocktails. Unpack and relax, enjoy a sumptuous meal on board and get to know your crew and shipmates.
Wake up to the beauty and tranquility of Panama’s offshore islands, have breakfast and a swim. You are now situated on the northern islands of Las Perlas archipelago. Today we take you to your very own Survivor style beach (minus the hardship and lack of ice and food). We anchor up where the TV series "SURVIVOR" Panama was filmed. A Beautiful calm anchorage in the channel between the spectacular beaches of ISLA CHAPERA and ISLA MOGO MOGO. Enjoy an afternoon cool off and snorkel and settle in for a cocktail and good old SUNDAY roast dinner. Try and count the stars.
We are perfectly poised to explore any of the 100 plus islands that make up the Pearl Islands. Let’s go for a dive on an unnamed reef. Plentiful fish life and beautiful unspoilt anchorages and beaches await. As the name implies we will go exploring on "TRADEWINDS EXPLORER". Christopher Columbus style, leaving no bay unchecked. Let’s name a dive site together. There are only small distances between the islands, so SMOOTH SAILING with endless options. Sail past or stop at, ILSA GIBRALEON and ISLA CASAYA on your way to the beautiful ISLA VIVIEROS.
For the morning, discover a hidden beach between semi submerged mangroves on PUNTA VIVIEROS, or take a kayak expedition to the remote and undiscovered new snorkeling site on ISLA MINA, a tiny little islet for some private seclusion. Take a scuba dive on one of the many reefs where we can expect to see sharks, rays and for first time, TradeWinds guests now get to experience, first hand, the different and varied fish species of the massive Pacific Ocean. PUNTA POPA DE BARCO has a cave that can be entered by dingy. A cabin sits on top of the cliff, where the owner drops his line down the mouth of the cave to fish directly from his house. Sport fishing tournaments are held around these parts so needless to say we may just land a big one. We sail to one of the larger of the LAS PERLAS islands, the private island of SAN JOSE where we will spend the afternoon and enjoy dinner ashore. We will be guests of the stunning eco resort, Hacienda Del Mar. If you want some pampering, the spa provides massage, there are also quad bikes for rent, or simply enjoy the many hiking trails teeming with wildlife, empty beaches, or relax in the infinity pool.
After a delicious breakfast, we head off to the beautiful ISLA DEL RAY where the thick rainforest covered hills, surround pristine sandy beaches. Here we could spend the entire week circumnavigating this massive, pristine, tropical island with its numerous bays and changing personalities with every compass point. The friendly locals would love to show, and sell you some of the famous pearls from the Pearl Islands. Tonight we anchor at one of the calmest and most scenic anchorages of the Pearl Islands, ESPIRITO SANTO.
Wake up and smell the freshly brewed coffee! Jump in for a swim and/or snorkel. When the tide turns, we turn off the dingy engine (or why not take the kayaks) for a high tide drift up the river RIO CACIQUE. With up to 15ft of tide around these islands, we glide quietly up the river at 3 knots spotting the plentiful bird life of these remote islands. Once back at our wonderful yacht we'll enjoy cocktails under the stars, followed by another amazing evening meal.
We start heading north again to the island of PEDRO GONZALIS. There are beautiful white sandy beaches with inland trails to stretch out those legs and find wildlife; maybe you could visit some of the 500 inhabitants of this remote and beautiful island. We set sail back to CONTADORA, home of the rich and famous and an old favorite pirate’s hangout. If souvenirs are what you want here is your chance. The most populated of the Pearl Island there is an airport and a road. Traffic jams here are 3 golf buggies on the same road. We will anchor here for the night and enjoy a fabulous dinner ashore at Villa Romantica.
After a tasty breakfast, It is time to gather your belongings and memories. 9am is check out. The crew will help arrange your transport to the airport or ferry. Time to exchange emails and photos with new friends and start planning your next adventure!
PLEASE NOTE THAT PICK UP AND DROP OFF POINT IS ON THE ISLAND OF CONTADORA in the Las Perlas archipelago. Thank you! Fly into Panama City, Panama and connect to the Island of CONTADORA, Las Perlas by either FERRY or AIRPLANE. Your Charter STARTS in the Island of Contadora and ENDS on the Island of Contadora. The main airport in Panama City is the Tocumen Panama International Airport (PTY) not to be confused with Panama City in the U.S.! The connecting ferry to Contadora departs from Amador Causeway in Panama City, to the island of Contadora. The ferry leaves Panama City every Saturday at 8am and sometimes at 1.30 pm (it is safest to plan for the 8 am ferry!), returning from Contadora to Panama City at 2:45pm. The travel time is 1 hour and 35 minutes and the cost is US$42 each way. Please book ferry tickets directly with the ferry company by emailing them on : info@sealasperlas.com IF YOU DON'T PRE BOOK YOUR TICKETS THEY MAY SELL OUT. So please email and at the same time inform them that you are joining TradeWinds Explorer Catamaran. (http://www.sealasperlas.com/) There is as of end Feb 2012, only one airline that offer regular service from Panama City (from regional Albrook airport code: PAC) to Contadora Island in Las Perlas. Air Panama offers one flight per day on Saturday morning, they may have more flights from time to time (http://www.flyairpanama.com). You can expect to pay $136 return per person including taxes and fees. The transfer time between International Airport Tocumen and Regional Airport Albrook, both in Panama City, is approx 40 minutes. Another option is to charter a private plane from Panama City to Contadora. It is surprisingly affordable at about $450 for a three seater, less if you got a larger group together. There are several different sized planes to choose from and it could be a bit of fun to have a little scenic flight at the start or end of your trip. To charter a private flight you can contact Hunter Schultz through his website www.aircharterspanama.com. He is very professional and reliable and his planes are in very good condition from all reports.
Las Perlas archipelago is situated in the Pacific Ocean to the south east off the mainland Panama.
Our representative from Villa Romantica will meet you at the airport or ferry terminal. They will escort you to the hotel where you can relax, store your luggage and await your Explorer Crew, who will arrive at 5pm to greet you and take you aboard.
For guests wishing to arrive in Contadora and stay in a hotel before or after the charter, we can recommend a friendly, and funky little hotel called Villa Romantica. More infromation can be found at http://www.visitcontadoraisland.com/.
If you experience delays and you feel that you cannot get to the base in time then please call our Grenadines office on 001 784 457 3407 leaving your name(s) and a short description of the situation along with contact details for where you are. Our Grenadines office will relay your information on to our local Panama base.
Your charter ends, after a delightful breakfast, on Saturday at 9 am. Your yacht will have arrived in the bay on Contadora from Friday evening so if an early flight or ferry is on your schedule, then our office can book a taxi pick up for you on Saturday morning. Departure taxes are included in your international outbound flight.
See our further information section for information on visas, currency, weather and more.
Updated April 2012.
The main cruising area of the Las Perlas archipelago is situated 22 miles south of Panama City, Panama. A virtual golden treasure box of lush green islands, sandy shores, blue, green and turquoise waters. Las Perlas is made up of more than 220 islands and islets, only 90 of which are named. These islands first gained notoriety in 1513 within days of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa’s discovery of the "South Sea" or Pacific Ocean. It is said that he encountered a group of Indians resplendent in pearls paddling pearl encrusted canoes who told him of the islands and their rich pearl beds. He named them "Islas de Las Perlas" and claimed them for the King of Spain. In 2003, the "Pearl Islands" were chosen for the popular U.S. reality TV show "Survivor" and "Survivor All-Stars", and the entire world was introduced to its beauty and rich history.
Panamanian weather is tropical, and uniform throughout the year. Temperatures range from around the mid to high 80's (approx..27C) all year round. Panama is outside the hurricane belt. Some large rain may fall between mid June to mid August and again from mid December to mid February, however that is more felt inland.
Please pack as lightly as you can. Most of our guests wear only a fraction of what they bring! All you really need are shorts, tee shirts and beachwear. Soft baggage is preferable if you have it. We have some limited storage onshore for your empty bags, but please bring as little as you are comfortable with. Between meals, fresh fruit is available. If you like to eat more between meals, please feel free to bring snacks with you.
Please bring footwear for comfortable walking; either heel backed sandals or footwear that you can wear wet for the land based exploration parts of the itinerary (sturdy TEVA's are ideal). Flip-flops are not suitable. You will be barefoot whenever you are aboard.
It is advisable to bring a change of clothes and toiletries in your carry-on. If your baggage got lost enroute it will not be able to be delivered to you until days later.
You will be around water for the week. If you are concerned about getting your purse, camera, wallet or camera wet, bring a small dry bag. These can be purchased from sports and outdoor vendors. Some of them roll up and trap the air inside which has the added benefit of making the bag float.
All of our yachts have a fishing rod onboard - we usually troll a line when sailing from island to island and will often catch tuna, snapper or similar ...... which might become lunch or dinner!
We strongly advise that all guests cruising with us have fully comprehensive travel insurance which will cover all eventualities such as hotel accommodation, lost baggage, changes to flights etc.
Please read our travel insurance recommendations for more information.
Please consult the link for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Electricity in Panama is 110 Volts, alternating at 60 cycles per second. In order to charge your device, you will need flat blade plugs or an adapter if staying in a hotel prior to sailing.
US dollars are accepted throughout Panama. The Panamanian currencies are equivalent in size and value to those of the U.S.
If you aim to stay overnight we recommend a hotel in the City, in a nice neighbourhood. Alternatively stay in the heart of Panama City at a 4 or 5 star hotel.
For longer stays we recommend the Los Cuatro Tulipnaes hotel in the old quarter of Panama city.
Los Cuatro Tulipnaes,
Casa las Monjast
Telephone +507 6717 4059
(Mention TradeWinds and get a discount!)
www.loscuatrotulipanes.com
Alternatively, El Panama Hotel is a real 5 star Panamanian experience, in the heart of the city in the busy shopping and business district. From US$160 per night. Wear your Panama hat with pride!
Radisson Decapolis Hotel is a trendy international hotel from US$120 per night.
For those with a lower budget Hotel Roma Plaza from US$65 per night. The hotel provides you with a friendly, decent quality service. It is located in the business district.
For U.S., Canadian and European citizens, a valid passport and return/continuing ticket is required. A Tourist Card will be issued at the airport for all arriving passengers, after you cleared immigration. The card cost less than US$10 per person. If you are not coming from one of the above mentioned countries you can check on your status on this Panamanian Consulate web page.
Updated April 2012