Contadora ferry from Panama City: schedule, price and how to book

Contadora ferry schedule and price for 2026

There is one sailing a day in each direction. The ferry leaves Panama City at 7:30 AM and leaves Contadora at 3:30 PM, Monday through Sunday, as of October 2026.^[3] An adult round trip costs $118 to $133, depending on the seller.

Daily timetable and check-in times

The 7:30 and 3:30 times are departure times, not arrival times. Sea Las Perlas says boarding starts at 6:45 AM in Panama City and loading on Contadora starts at 2:45 PM.^[1] Its terms and conditions are stricter: check in at the ticket counter at least one hour before departure, confirmed bookings can be cancelled if you check in less than 45 minutes before, and the boarding gate closes 15 minutes before sailing.^[4]

In practice, be at Flamenco Marina by 6:30 AM. On the way back, be at the boarding beach on Contadora by 2:45 PM. A few resellers list the return as 3:00 PM rather than 3:30 PM, which is one more reason to be early.^[5][6] One reseller states plainly that the ferry does not wait for late passengers.^[7]

The return boat gets back to Flamenco Marina at about 5:00 PM.^[1] Sea Las Perlas publishes the service as daily, but the ferry aggregator Direct Ferries has listed the route at up to five or six crossings a week, and both say schedules change.^[8][9] Confirm your exact date when you buy, especially outside the December to April high season.

How long the ferry to Contadora takes

Sea Las Perlas gives the crossing as 1 hour 30 minutes.^[1] Travelers have reported 1 hour 45 minutes, and Panama's official tourism site rounds it to about two hours, so the real time depends on the sea.^[10][11] On the way out, the catamaran makes a stop of a few minutes at Isla Saboga and reaches Contadora between 9:30 and 9:45 AM.^[2]

Ferry Las Perlas fares for adults, children and pets

Isla de Contadora, the island's ferry and tour booking site, lists the adult fare at $66.50 one way and $133 round trip. Children aged 5 to 11 pay $55.50 one way and $111 round trip, and Panamanian and resident retirees (jubilados) get 30% off.^[12] Aero Albrook lists the same $66.50 adult fare and $55.10 for children aged 5 to 11.^[13]

Some resellers price the round trip lower. Saboga Vacations and Pahoypa both list $118 per adult and $98 per child round trip.^[14][5] Panama's tourism board describes the round trip as "a little over $100," and an older Aero Albrook listing shows $55.25 one way and $110.50 round trip for adults.^[11][2] Sea Las Perlas states that its fares exclude taxes, duties and fees collected by the authorities, so compare the total at checkout, not the headline price.^[15]

Prices per person in US dollars as listed by the ferry's sellers, as of October 2026. Taxes and port fees are not included and may be added at checkout.

What the ticket includes, and the rules on board

Documents

You need your passport or Panamanian cédula to board.^[3] Bring the original, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone.^[2]

Luggage

The limit is one piece of luggage per person.^[3] One reseller defines this as one suitcase of up to 50 lb plus one carry-on, with extra items charged.^[7]

Children

The adult fare applies from age 12, the child fare from 5 to 11, and younger children ride free on a parent's lap.^[15]

Pets

Pets cost $10 one way or $20 round trip.^[2]

Food and drink

Coolers and outside food and drinks are not allowed on board.^[5] Alcohol is also banned. Snacks and drinks are usually sold during the crossing.

Seats

Seats are not assigned.^[5] Board early if you want a spot inside, or out of the spray.

Where the Pearl Islands ferry leaves from: Flamenco Marina, Amador

The ferry leaves from Muelle Flamenco Marina (Flamenco Marina Dock) on Isla Flamenco, at the far end of the Amador Causeway, not from the city center.^[1] Aero Albrook describes the same departure as Fuerte Amador Resort & Marina, Flamenco, and Pahoypa calls it Brisas de Amador on Isla Flamenco. All three names point to the marina complex on Flamenco island.^[13][5]

Getting to Flamenco Marina at 6:30 AM

Most travelers take a taxi or a ride-hailing car from their hotel. Book or arrange it the night before, because a 6:30 AM check-in leaves no slack for a car that doesn't show up. Early-morning traffic is lighter than at rush hour, but give yourself a margin from Punta Paitilla, the banking district or Tocumen.

Staying close cuts the risk. Casco Viejo and the Amador area are the shortest rides to the dock, and our guide to where to stay in Panama City compares those neighborhoods. When the ferry gets back around 5 PM, you are already on the Causeway, so the Amador Causeway and Biomuseo are an easy evening stop for dinner and canal views.

What about the Trump Tower dock?

Older guides describe a second operator, Ferry Las Perlas, leaving from the former Trump Ocean Club tower downtown as well as from the Amador Causeway.^[16] Direct Ferries, which used to sell that service, now says it is no longer available through its site.^[17] Every 2026 listing for the daily 7:30 AM Contadora sailing names Flamenco.

Arriving on Contadora: beach landing, dock and hotel pickup

Where you step ashore on Contadora depends on the day's arrangements. Aero Albrook says the ferry now arrives at a newer marina at Playa Cacique, between 9:30 and 9:45 AM.^[2] Other accounts describe the ferry anchoring off Playa Larga, in front of the old Hotel Contadora Resort, with small boats shuttling passengers to the sand.^[18] Panama's maritime authority lists a 20-year concession for a wharf on Contadora, valid to 2034.^[19]

The return point has moved too. One reseller tells passengers to check in at Playa Galeón at 3:00 PM, and a travel guide reports that boarding shifted from Playa Galeón to Playa Larga, about a five-minute walk away.^[7][10] Ask your hotel or package operator which beach to use on your departure day, and get there early.

Practical tips for the landing

• Wear sandals. If you land by small boat, you may step into knee-deep water at the beach.
• Keep electronics in a dry bag. Spray on the transfer boat is common.
• Watch your bag. Luggage is usually stacked together near the bow without tags, so point yours out to the crew when you unload.
• Tell your hotel which boat you are on. Hotels send golf carts to meet the ferry, and the island has no public transport.

Contadora covers only about 3 km², so nothing is far.^[20] Golf carts are how people get around. A few years ago, rentals cost about $30 for two people or $40 for four (2019 prices).^[18]

How to book Contadora ferry tickets

You can book directly with Sea Las Perlas online or by phone and WhatsApp, or buy through resellers such as Aero Albrook, Pahoypa and Isla de Contadora. Book ahead, because seats are limited.^[2] The operator's online booking form takes passenger details and payment, accepts promo codes, and lets you look up an existing booking by its ID.^[15]

Sea Las Perlas or Ferry Las Perlas?

The daily scheduled boat is operated by Sea Las Perlas, whose vessel is the M/V Island Express.^[21] "Ferry Las Perlas" appears on older listings and aggregator pages, sometimes as a separate company with a different downtown dock.^[17] The two names get mixed up constantly. What matters in 2026 is that your ticket is for the 7:30 AM sailing from Flamenco Marina, whichever brand appears on the receipt.

Ferry-only tickets vs day-pass packages

Packages bundle the ferry with a day on a Contadora beach. Pahoypa sells a Playa Larga day pass with the ferry and lunch for $155 per adult and $135 per child aged 5 to 11, as of 2026.^[22] Aero Albrook's Contadora day tour is $189.50 per adult and $166.50 per child.^[13] Isla de Contadora lists day trips from $175 per person.^[23] With a ferry-only ticket at $118 to $133, the package premium mostly buys lunch, a chair and someone else handling the logistics.

Cancellations, weather and refunds

Sea Las Perlas' terms give the company wide latitude. It can cancel or change a sailing, swap the vessel or delay departure at its discretion without liability to passengers. There is no refund if you are denied boarding, for example for missing ID or checking in late.^[4] If the company cancels a booking for reasons that are not your fault, its only obligation is to refund what you paid.^[4]

Reseller terms vary. Panama Casco Viejo, for example, states that tickets are non-refundable, date changes need at least 24 hours' notice, and a ticket can be transferred to another person with the same notice.^[7] Panama's maritime authority suspends departures from Pacific ports when sea conditions turn bad, and lifts the suspension once the weather improves.^[24]

Alternatives to the ferry: flights and private boats to Contadora

Flying takes 20 to 30 minutes instead of 90, but it costs far more, and the price is per plane unless you find a shared seat. Charter flights leave from Albrook airport (PAC), the city's domestic airport, not from Tocumen.^[25]

Charter and shared flights

Aero Albrook's one-way charter prices to Contadora (COZ) are $737 for a four-seat Piper Saratoga, $1,512.50 for a nine-seat Kodiak Quest 100 and $1,675 for a six-seat King Air F90, as of 2026.^[25] Split four ways, the Piper works out to about $184 per person one way. Charters can leave any day after 6 AM and must be back before 5 PM, and the island's airstrip takes aircraft of up to 18 passengers.^[25]

Isla de Contadora lists private-plane trips from $335 per person round trip.^[23] Air Panama and Aero Perlas have flown scheduled services in the past, at around $100 to $200 a flight.^[26] Recent traveler reports say Air Panama's scheduled Contadora route no longer runs reliably. Another small carrier, Lift Panama, has been reported selling seats from about $92 per person each way on Fridays and Sundays. Check that any scheduled flight is still operating before you plan around it.

Private speedboats and sailing charters

Aero Albrook offers a private Apex 42-foot speedboat that carries up to 30 passengers, but it does not publish a price.^[2] For a slower trip, sailing charters spend a few days among the Pearl Islands with guests sleeping on board, at around $400 to $500 for a four-day trip depending on the boat, the captain and the group size.^[26] If diving is the reason you want your own boat, our guide to diving in Panama compares the Pearl Islands with Coiba, Portobelo and Bocas del Toro.

Day trip or overnight: staying on Contadora

A ferry day trip to Contadora works, but it gives you only about five hours on the island, from a 9:30 AM arrival to a 2:45 PM boarding call. One night or more lets you see the island in the late afternoon and early morning, when day-trippers are gone. For which beaches to pick, where to sleep and how Contadora compares with Saboga and Isla del Rey, read our Pearl Islands guide.

What a ferry day trip looks like

Staying overnight

Lodging on Contadora means small hotels and guesthouses, not big resorts. Reviews often describe them as simple. Names that come up in packages and guides include Hotel Mar & Oro on Playa Cacique and Hostal Villa Romántica on the same beach.^[6][18] The island has 13 beaches, some of them private, including Playa Larga, Playa Cacique, Playa Ejecutiva and Playa Sueca.^[18][27]

When to go

Humpback whales pass through the Pearl Islands roughly from July to October, and they are sometimes visible from the ferry itself. The December to April dry season brings the most reliable beach weather and the busiest boats. Our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Panama covers both seasons on the Pacific side.

Contadora compared with other island trips

If you only want a beach day, Taboga is much closer to Panama City and works as a shorter outing. Our list of day trips from Panama City ranks it alongside El Valle and Portobelo. For Caribbean water and Guna villages instead of Pacific islands, the San Blas Islands guide covers how Guna Yala's day trips and overnight stays compare on cost and travel time. For general safety questions about traveling in the country, see our honest guide to whether Panama is safe.

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