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Pearl Islands · Pacific Panama

Contadora Island

Contadora is the most accessible island in the Pearl Islands archipelago — about 70 km south of Panama City, and close enough to do in a day.

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Experience Panama
70 km South of Panama City
90 min Ferry from Flamenco Marina
20 min Flight from Albrook Airport
Full day 10+ hours door to door
Kosher meals Packed for the day by us
Today it's known for

Pristine beaches, clear water, and a relaxed tropical atmosphere.

The name means “counting island” — it's where Spanish colonists counted the pearls harvested from the surrounding waters.

It is the one island in the archipelago with a ferry dock, an airstrip, hotels and restaurants, so you can reach it, spend the day and come back without chartering a boat.

Getting there

Two ways out to the island

Both leave from Panama City and both can be booked as part of your trip. The ferry is the standard choice; the plane buys back most of a day.

Travelers stepping off a boat onto the beach at Contadora Island

Ferry

~90 minutes
  • DepartsFlamenco Marina, Amador Causeway
  • TicketsRound trip — we can book them for you
  • Best forMost travelers, families and larger groups

Small plane

~20 minutes
  • DepartsAlbrook Airport, Panama City
  • TicketsMore expensive, but much faster
  • Best forShort stays and tight schedules
On the island

What to do with the day

Clear turquoise water and a curved sand beach on Contadora Island
Beaches

Beach hopping

Contadora has over a dozen beaches, from the busy stretch by the hotels to coves you will have largely to yourself.

Snorkelers in life vests floating over clear water near Contadora Island
In the water

Snorkeling

Clear water and reef right off the island. Bring your own gear or rent a set once you land.

Family sharing a packed kosher picnic in the shade on a Contadora beach
On the sand

A packed kosher lunch

Island restaurants serve local fare, so we send the day's meals out with you — ready to eat on the beach.

The Pearl Islands are also world-class sport fishing water — ask us about a deep sea fishing charter out of Contadora.

Guests walking the shoreline on a calm beach at Contadora Island
Where to base yourself

Mar y Oro day pass

The Mar y Oro resort sells a day pass, and it is the most comfortable way to spend a day on Contadora without booking a room. Go Beyond can arrange it as part of your trip.

  • Beach access for the day
  • Pool and lounge chairs
  • Changing rooms and facilities
  • Booked alongside your ferry tickets
Gallery

The island, in photographs

Boats moored in calm water off Cacique Beach on Contadora Island
Cacique Beach
Tree-framed rocky shoreline and deep blue Pacific water on Contadora Island
The rocky north shore
Palm trees over a white sand beach and turquoise shallows in the Pearl Islands
Turquoise shallows
Packed kosher picnic laid out on a table in the shade by the beach
Lunch, packed and kosher

Select island photography courtesy of Visit Panamá.

Practical info

Know before you go

What to bring

  • Cash — card acceptance on the island is patchy
  • Sunscreen, a hat and a swimsuit
  • Snorkel gear, or rent a set on arrival
  • A towel and a change of clothes
  • Passport or ID for the ferry

Good to know

  • Plan on a full day — 10+ hours door to door with ferry transit
  • Island restaurants are local fare; we pack kosher meals for the day
  • December to April is the driest, calmest stretch of the year
  • The Playa Escondida beach BBQ is not offered on Contadora