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The marinas of Panama City lie on the Amador Causeway, the causeway that connects small islands to the mainland at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. Here you will find out how to get from the airport to the marinas, which marina is where, what you can buy there, what wind and tides to expect, which islands lie within easy reach as destinations and what skippers need to know about clearing in and before the Panama Canal.
The essentials at a glance
- From Tocumen airport to the Causeway is around 24 kilometres as the crow flies, about 25 minutes by car without traffic. With luggage, a taxi is the simplest option.
- From December to April the trade winds blow from the northeast. From April the transition to the rainy season begins with winds more from the south to southwest and thunderstorms.
- The tidal range at the Pacific entrance to the canal exceeds five metres at spring tide.
- The island of Taboga lies around 7 nautical miles away, Contadora in the Pearl Islands archipelago around 34 nautical miles.
Which marinas are there in Panama City?
In Panama City yachts moor for trip departures at two locations on the Amador Causeway: at Marina La Playita on Naos Island, the first island beyond the mainland, and at Flamenco Marina on Flamenco Island at the outer end of the causeway. Perico Island lies between them. The two marinas are separated by only around 600 metres as the crow flies and can be reached in a few minutes via the causeway road.
Map from OpenStreetMap. When the map is displayed, data is transmitted to the provider.
More InformationThe causeway begins in the Amador district and leads out into the Bay of Panama. To the west runs the fairway to the Panama Canal, and in front of the causeway lie the anchorages where commercial shipping waits for its canal passage. It is around four kilometres as the crow flies from La Playita to the city centre with the old town Casco Antiguo.
Arriving for trip departure in Panama City
Tocumen International Airport lies in the east of the city. To reach the causeway in the southwest you drive right across Panama City.
From Tocumen Airport to the Amador Causeway
Tocumen Airport (code PTY) lies around 24 kilometres from the marinas as the crow flies. By car you need about 25 minutes to Isla Flamenco without traffic, considerably longer during rush hour. The easiest option is a taxi or a pre-booked transfer that takes you directly to the marina.
Since 2023 the Metro runs from the airport into the city: a dedicated branch of Line 2 connects Aeropuerto station with Corredor Sur station, and a free shuttle takes you from the terminals to the Metro station. However, there is no Metro station at the causeway. With a kitbag and provisions, the taxi therefore remains the more comfortable choice.
Which marina is mine?
Give the taxi driver the full name, either "Flamenco Marina, Isla Flamenco" or "Marina La Playita, Isla Naos", both on the Calzada de Amador. Both are on the same road. If you get out at the wrong one, you can reach the other on foot.
Shopping for the trip
On Isla Flamenco you will find several shops around the marina for boat equipment and fishing tackle, a wine merchant, a duty-free shop and ice for the cool box. There are also more than ten restaurants on the island, which are sufficient for the evening before setting sail. For the main food shopping you take a taxi into the city.
distress call
- 911: Emergency number (ambulance, police, fire brigade)
- At sea: VHF channel 16
Flamenco Marina and La Playita at a glance
Flamenco Marina is the large marina on the causeway with more than 260 berths, whilst La Playita is considerably smaller with around 40 berths. The key details in comparison (as of October 2026):
| Feature | Flamenco Marina | Marina La Playita |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Isla Flamenco, outer end of the causeway | Isla Naos, first island of the causeway |
| Berths | more than 260 | around 40 |
| Largest yachts | up to 200 feet (61 m) | small and medium-sized yachts |
| Facilities | Electricity, water, Wi-Fi, laundry, ice | Electricity, water |
| Fuel station | Petrol (95 octane) and low-sulphur diesel | yes |
| Technology | Shipyard, travel lift up to 100 tonnes | Shipyard at Flamenco Marina |
| Authorities on site | Offices of the maritime authority, customs, immigration and food authority | at Flamenco Marina |
| Phone | +507 314-1980 | +507 314-1730 |
Flamenco Marina
Flamenco Marina is part of the Fuerte Amador complex on Isla Flamenco. The pontoons are open and guarded around the clock, and yachts up to 200 feet in length can find a berth here. The shipyard on site lifts boats of up to 100 tonnes with a travel lift. Because the maritime authority, customs and immigration have offices directly in the marina, it is a practical starting point for crews arriving from abroad or leaving Panama. You can reserve a berth through the form on the marina's website.
Marina La Playita
La Playita is on the island of Naos and belongs to a hotel complex. It offers space for around 40 small and medium-sized yachts. There is electricity, water and a fuel station, and restaurants and shops ashore. From the marina to Flamenco Marina with its authority offices is only a few minutes via the Causeway.
What wind can you expect in the Gulf of Panama?
The sailing year in Panama City is divided into dry season and rainy season. From December to April the trade winds blow from the northeast over the isthmus. In March the trade wind eases, in April it has almost disappeared and moist winds from south to southwest take over.
In the rainy season the Intertropical Convergence Zone determines the weather. Rain is more frequent, and thunderstorms bring short, powerful squalls that the weather service specifically warns about. Only around 24 June there often follow a few dry days, the "Veranillo de San Juan".
Add to that the tides: at spring tide there is more than five metres between high and low water.
What destinations can you reach from Panama City?
The classic destinations from the Causeway are the island of Taboga off the bay and further southeast the archipelago of the Pearl Islands. The nautical miles are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning use the chart.
- Taboga, around 7 nm: The "Island of Flowers" lies south of the Causeway and is the short hop for the first day. Colourful houses climb the hillside, and walking trails lead up to the lookout hill Cerro de la Cruz.
- Contadora, around 34 nm: The best known of the Pearl Islands has more than ten beaches, including Playa Larga, Playa Sueca and Playa Cacique, and a small airstrip. With its holiday homes and supply facilities it is a good base.
- Pearl Islands: The archipelago comprises 39 islands and around 100 smaller islets, most of them untouched.
From July to October humpback whales migrate to the waters around the Pearl Islands to give birth to and raise their young. Anyone cruising the gulf in these months has a good chance of seeing them.
What can you do on a harbour day in Panama City?
Two destinations are on the Causeway itself; for the old town and the canal you take a taxi.
- Biomuseo: The museum on the Causeway is the only building in Latin America designed by Frank Gehry. It showcases Panama's biological and cultural diversity and tells how the isthmus changed the world. To La Playita it is around three kilometres as the crow flies.
- Punta Culebra Nature Centre: The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute shows Panama's frogs, sea turtles, touch pools with starfish and sea urchins, and two short trails through dry forest where sloths and iguanas live, at the Causeway.
- Casco Antiguo: The old town, together with the ruins of Panamá Viejo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From La Playita it is around four kilometres as the crow flies.
- Miraflores Locks: At the canal authority's visitor centre you watch from several storeys as the ships are lifted through the locks. The centre is being modernised until the end of 2026; at peak times you must expect queues.
For skippers: Formalities, Panama Canal and marine weather in Panama City
Anyone arriving with a yacht from abroad needs in Panama an arrival report, a navigation permit from the maritime authority and a visa from the immigration authority for the crew. At Flamenco Marina the relevant authorities are directly on site.
Arrival report and navigation permit
Since 2024 the maritime authority AMP (Autoridad Marítima de Panamá) requires sailing and motor yachts in international traffic to file a "Smallcraft Arrival Report". You submit it online before arrival or at the latest on arrival; without internet also at the marina or at an office of the authority. It asks for boat papers, port of arrival and length of stay, the last ports, and details and passports of crew and guests. The marinas ensure that every arriving yacht is reported. Before departure abroad an outbound report follows, but this does not replace the actual clearance certificate. Anyone who engages a ship's agent is exempt from the report; the agent takes care of it.
To be allowed to move in Panamanian waters, foreign yachts also need a navigation permit (Permiso de Navegación) from the maritime authority. It allows only passage; fishing requires a separate permit. Crew and guests arriving with the yacht apply at the immigration authority for a separate visa for passengers and crew of pleasure craft. It is valid for as long as the navigation permit.
Approach and Tides
The Causeway lies directly beside the canal entrance. In front of the causeway are the anchorages for commercial shipping off Balboa. The tides are semi-diurnal. At spring tide, high water rises to a good five metres above the chart datum of the tide table, whilst low water falls to about half a metre below it. Plan anchorages, water depths and arrivals and departures according to the tide table published by the canal authority for Amador .
Through the Panama Canal
For the ACP canal authority, yachts up to 38.1 metres (125 feet) count as small craft. They pass through the locks on lines operated by hand by the crew. On board there must be four lines of at least 38.1 metres in length, four line handlers over 16 years of age and one person at the helm, plus at least four fenders. For the normal passage the boat must make eight knots, and must maintain at least five knots. If it cannot manage this, the passage is aborted and the owner pays the costs. Before the first passage the yacht is measured; registration is via the ACP's online portal. On the Pacific side you register with the Flamenco signal station on the Balboa roads; in canal waters you monitor VHF channel 12. From the Atlantic to the Pacific the passage usually takes two days; in the opposite direction it may be possible in one day.
Which marine weather forecast applies in Panama City?
The Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá (IMHPA) is responsible. It publishes an updated forecast twice daily on its Website, including a separate section with conditions at sea for the Pacific and Caribbean: wind direction and strength, gusts, wave height and wave period. In strong winds or high seas the weather service additionally issues advance warnings (Avisos de Vigilancia) and warnings (Avisos de Advertencia).
Trips from Panama City on Törnfinder
In October 2026 there are 8 trip dates on Törnfinder in the next twelve months with departure or destination in Panama City. Most depart in March, February and January; typically they are 12 days.
You can find all offers under Trips. Anyone wishing to sail on from the Atlantic side after the canal passage will find trips in the adjacent sailing area under Sailing in the Caribbean.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Tocumen Airport to the marina in Panama City?
The easiest way is by taxi or a transfer direct to the marina; without traffic the journey takes about 25 minutes. The Metro does run from the airport into the city, but there is no station at the Amador Causeway.
How far apart are Flamenco Marina and La Playita?
Around 600 metres as the crow flies. Both lie on the Amador Causeway, La Playita on Naos Island, Flamenco Marina on Flamenco Island at the end of the causeway.
Can I shop at the marina for the trip?
For drinks, ice and chandlery, yes — there are several shops and a wine merchant on Isla Flamenco for that. For provisions you take a taxi into town.
When is the best time for sailing from Panama City?
From December to April, in the dry season. Then the trade winds blow from the northeast. From April the dry season transitions into the rainy season, when the wind comes more from south to southwest and thunderstorms are more frequent.
How large is the tidal range in Panama City?
More than five metres at spring tides. High and low water alternate twice a day; the tide table for Amador is issued by the canal authority.
How far is it from Panama City to the Pearl Islands?
To Contadora, the best known of the Pearl Islands, it is around 34 nautical miles, a long day's passage. Taboga Island is considerably closer at around 7 nautical miles.
