San Blas Catamaran and Yacht Charters: What a Day, a Weekend and a Week Cost

San Blas Catamaran Charter Options: A Day, a Weekend or a Week

Most San Blas charters are private, crewed catamarans booked for three to seven nights and priced per night for the whole boat. Private day charters barely exist. A "weekend" means two or three nights, and the first morning goes on the road. The table puts the realistic options side by side.

Prices as of November 2026, taken from operators' published starting rates. Private rates are for the whole boat with two adults, before transfers, the Guna Yala fee and tips.

A Day: Why a Private Day Charter Rarely Works

The drive from Panama City to the Cartí port alone takes 2.5 to 3 hours each way, so a same-day trip leaves only a few hours on the water.^[2] That is why the fleets sell nights, not days. The day market is a packaged tour instead: a shared road transfer, a water taxi to one assigned island, a basic lunch and the drive back. One operator puts that at around $350 to $500 for a family of four, the higher figure including some molas or crafts.^[3] Our comparison of San Blas tours from Panama City covers day trips and one- and two-night packages in detail.

Yacht Charter in Panama City Instead

If what you want is a private yacht for a day, the Pacific side is the practical choice. Feeling Yachty lists 37 boats boarding at Flamenco Marina on the Amador Causeway with a captain aboard and up to 13 guests, from $800 for three hours, $1,500 for a 60 to 79-foot yacht and $1,800 for the 80 to 99-foot class.^[4] Longer runs cost more: one Getmyboat reviewer paid about $4,000 for eight hours on a 46-foot Viking to the Pearl Islands and Contadora, with roughly two bumpy hours each way.^[5] The Pearl Islands guide covers the cheaper ferry and flight alternatives.

At the top of the luxury yacht charter market in Panama, GlobeSailor lists an Azimut 68 Evolution in San Blas from €33,000, without stating the charter period or what it includes.^[6] Ask for a full inclusions list before comparing a figure like that with the all-inclusive catamaran rates below.

A Weekend: Two or Three Nights, Shared or Private

A shared cabin is the cheapest way to sleep on a catamaran. AMPA Tours sells shared trips at $200 to $450 per person per night, with about 4 to 10 guests aboard, usually for two or three nights on fixed departure dates.^[1] For a couple that works out to $400 to $900 a night. The lowest published private Lagoon 42 rate is $1,450 a night for the whole boat.^[7] Not every company sells shared trips: Catamaran Adventures runs private charters only.^[8]

Private minimums depend on the boat. Any booking that includes a night between December 20 and January 10 needs at least five nights.^[1] Operators recommend four to five nights as a sensible minimum.^[9] The reason is the clock. On a two-night trip you arrive aboard late morning on day one, and the water taxi collects you between about 6:20 and 8:00 a.m. on the last day. That leaves roughly one full day of sailing.

A Week: Seven Nights and the Outer Cays

Seven nights is the standard long charter. It is the length at which the Dutch Cays, the clearest water in the archipelago, become part of the route rather than a rushed detour.^[10] A typical week takes in 15 to 25 islands.^[11] The full cost of a week is broken down in the cost section below.

Which Boat: Nightly Rates by Catamaran

The ladder below uses Catamaran Adventures' published starting rates for the whole boat with two adults, with capacity and cabins for each model.^[12]

The same model costs different amounts from different companies. A Lagoon 42 is $2,000 a night at Catamaran Adventures, $1,900 at AMPA Tours and from $1,450 at Nomad Sailors.^[13][14][7] A Salina 48 runs $2,245, $2,400 or $2,540, and a Leopard 50 $2,600 or $2,760.^[7][13][14] Most of the gap comes from what is poured and powered, such as an open bar versus a drinks ration and air conditioning around the clock, so compare inclusions, not just the headline rate.

Size matters more than the numbers suggest. A 42-foot catamaran is noticeably smaller than a 48-foot one even though it is only six feet shorter, and a full boat can feel cramped.^[15] Budget boats can also be quoted per person: AMPA's private catamarans start at $450 per person per night at two guests, or $725 with air conditioning.^[1] Monohull sailboats cost less, from about $800 a day for a simple boat carrying four up to $2,000 for a luxury boat carrying eight.^[3] Catamarans draw little water, which lets them reach the shallow anchorages around the smaller islands.^[8]

Crewed vs Bareboat: Do You Need a Captain in San Blas?

Plan on a crewed charter. No San Blas fleet rents boats bareboat, and the charter companies say Guna community rules and the reef systems require a captain.^[9] None of them quotes a specific article of law on the point, but the legal setup leaves little room for self-skippered tourism.

The Ley Fundamental de Gunayala reserves tourism in the comarca to the Guna (Article 53). It also requires every tourism business to hold written authorization from the Congreso General, renewed every two years (Article 54).^[16] A foreign-flagged yacht needs a special charter permit under Executive Decree 4 of 2025, granted only through a locally licensed charter company.^[17] Under Panamanian rules, yacht rental licenses are held by companies authorized by the Autoridad Marítima de Panamá, and bareboat arrangements carry extra formalities, including a sworn declaration and an assessment of the route.^[18]

Some international broker sites list "bareboat" among their charter types for San Blas. Treat that as a search filter, not an available product, and get in writing who will skipper the boat before you pay anything.

What "Crewed" Means on a San Blas Charter

The standard setup is a captain plus a cook or first mate on every boat.^[19] Crew sizes vary: at the budget end the captain may also cook, while larger boats carry a crew of three.^[20] Some fleets include a Guna deckhand. Catamaran Adventures, for example, describes its Guna crew member hosting a barbecue with his family on an island in the Dutch Cays.^[9] Ask how many crew are aboard, because it decides how much cooking, cleaning and dinghy driving is done for you.

Experienced sailors who want time at the helm can ask the captain to hand over the wheel on passages. For a real sailing passage, the shared boats that sail between Panama and Cartagena through the islands are the closer match. See our guide to sailing from Panama to Colombia through San Blas. Cruisers on their own boats pay separately: they have reported a Congreso fee of $20 per boat and $20 per person per month, plus island anchoring fees.^[21]

What a Week on a San Blas Charter Costs

A realistic week for a couple on a Lagoon 42 costs about $15,600 to $15,750 once transfers, the Guna Yala fee and a 10% crew tip are added to the charter. Bigger groups pay much less per person. Six adults on a Salina 48 come out around $4,500 each, in line with AMPA's own estimate of $3,500 to $7,000 per person for a seven-day charter.^[11]

The table uses Catamaran Adventures' 2026 rates: $2,000 a night for a Lagoon 42 and $2,400 for a Salina 48 with two adults, $250 per extra adult, $125 per child aged 3 to 12, and infants up to two free.^[13] Road transfers use the shared 4x4 plus boat at $90 to $150 per person round trip (see the transfer section). Tips are set at 10%, the middle of the 5% to 15% range operators suggest.^[9]

As of November 2026, outside holiday dates. The family row assumes children pay the full Guna Yala fee, which is not clearly published for minors. Add a night in Panama City before departure.

Two changes move these totals the most. Flying instead of driving replaces the road transfer with a private plane at $700 each way for two passengers, so about $1,400 round trip for a couple.^[3] Sailing between December 20 and January 10 or during Holy Week adds a 20% supplement, which is $2,800 more on the couple's week.^[13]

What the Nightly Rate Includes

Catamaran Adventures' 2026 rate sheet lists exclusive use of the boat, a professional captain and chef, all meals and snacks, alcoholic and soft drinks with an unrestricted open bar, air conditioning, Starlink, fuel, a dinghy, snorkel and fishing gear, kayaks, paddleboards, linens and towels.^[13] That is the full version. Not every boat matches it.

• Drinks: at sanblascatamaran.com, the unlimited open bar applies only on the Lagoon 42, Lagoon 450, Salina 48 and Lagoon 52. Other boats are limited to two beers and half a bottle of wine per person per day.^[22]
• Air conditioning and internet: full air conditioning, Starlink and extra water toys vary from boat to boat.^[8]
• Food: menus lean on seafood, meat and fruit, and Guna fishermen supply fresh lobster and crab in season.^[10] Vegan, vegetarian, kosher and allergy menus can be requested.^[9]
• Your own bottles: guests may bring their own alcohol on Catamaran Adventures boats.^[9]

What Costs Extra

Transfers between Panama City and San Blas, the Guna entrance tax, road and port taxes, crew tips and mola purchases are not in the nightly rate.^[13] Basic molas cost $20 to $100 depending on the quality of the work.^[3] Many inhabited islands also charge a landing fee of a few dollars per person.

Two charges hide in the payment terms. AMPA adds 7% for card payments on totals under about $5,000.^[23] Panama's general sales tax, ITBMS, is also 7%, and rate sheets do not say whether it is built in, so ask whether your quote includes it.^[24]

Holiday Surcharges and Long-Stay Discounts

AMPA charges 20% more per night from December 20 to January 10, at Carnival and during Holy Week. Most of its boats need at least five nights in the late-December window, and holiday bookings become non-refundable once confirmed.^[14] At the other end, sanblascatamaran.com takes 10% off stays of 10 nights, 20% off 20 nights and 30% off 30 nights. The discounts do not apply at Christmas or Easter, which carry their own 20% surcharge.^[22]

Charter or Island Cabin: Is a Week Aboard Worth It?

For many couples it is not. A single bungalow on an island lodge costs around $250 a day, usually without air conditioning, with food at about $60 per person per day if it is not included and kayak or snorkel rental at around $50 a day.^[3] A week in a cabin for two comes to roughly $2,600 plus boat trips, against about $15,700 for the cheapest standard private catamaran week.

The charter buys privacy, a different anchorage every day and the outer cays without hiring water taxis. If your budget for two is under about $5,000, a cabin or a shared boat is the realistic choice. Our guide to where to stay in San Blas compares island cabins, eco lodges and sailboats.

Getting to the Boat: 4x4 from Panama City or a Flight

Most charter guests go by road: a shared 4x4 from their Panama City hotel to the Cartí port, about 110 km and 2.5 to 3 hours, then a water taxi out to the boat.^[2] The alternative is a private plane from Albrook, about 40 minutes in the air followed by a two-minute dinghy ride to the catamaran.^[9]

By Road

Shared 4x4 prices vary by company. Pelícano lists $60 per person round trip plus $30 round trip for the boat from Cartí.^[25] Catamaran Adventures quotes $75 per person one way including the water taxi.^[3] AMPA quotes $140 per person round trip.^[1] A private 4x4 costs about $180 per vehicle each way for up to six people.^[26] Only a 4x4 may legally enter the region. If you drive yourself, a rental runs about $100 a day plus $5 a day to leave it at the port.^[3]

The fast boat from Cartí takes 25 to 45 minutes depending on where your boat is anchored.^[27] The last stretch of road crosses the hills between the two coasts on a very winding road, so take motion-sickness tablets before you leave if you need them. Our guide to getting from Panama City to San Blas covers the road, flights and the fees in more detail.

Pickup is usually 5:00 to 5:30 a.m., about 4:30 a.m. in December and January, and you are aboard around 10 to 11 a.m.^[11]

On the last day the water taxi collects you between about 6:20 and 8:00 a.m., and the 4x4 gets back to Panama City around noon to 1 p.m.^[11]

By Private Plane

Catamaran Adventures prices private planes by passenger count and weight limit: $700 each way for two passengers up to 450 lb including luggage, $900 or $1,350 for up to five (750 or 1,000 lb), $1,750 for up to six and $2,100 for a nine-seat turboprop.^[3] Some week-long itineraries are built around the plane and spend the final night anchored near Flores, 15 minutes from the runway.^[10] Albrook is a different airport from Tocumen, where international flights land, and the cross-town transfer can take 30 to 60 minutes in traffic.

Scheduled Air Panama flights from Albrook to El Porvenir and Playón Chico take about 30 minutes, but your boat has to meet you at that airstrip, so arrange it with the charter company first.^[28]

The Guna Yala Entry Fee

Every visitor pays the comarca fee in cash: $20 for foreigners and $5 for Panamanians and residents, plus a port fee at Cartí.^[29] The total for foreigners is quoted as $22 or $23 because sources put the port fee at $2 or $3.^[30] Catamaran Adventures quotes the bare $20 tax, so check which figure your operator means. The fee is generally not included in tour or charter prices.^[29]

Best Time to Sail the San Blas Islands

December to April is the drier, busier and windier half of the year, and May to November brings lighter winds and more rain. Operators call mid-November to late April peak season and describe May to November as quieter, with light winds, calm seas and occasional showers.^[9] Some summaries call January to April the windy season and the rest of the year calm. Both descriptions hold, because the driest months are also the windiest.

Rain is possible on the Caribbean slope all year, though it tends to ease in February and March.^[32] By rainy days per month, March (4) and February (5) are the driest months and November (22) the wettest. Highs stay between 28 °C and 30 °C year-round.^[33] The dry months bring north winds: in March 2026 they blew at 20 to 35 km/h for most of the month.^[34] On December 11, 2025, they raised waves of up to 2 m on the Caribbean.^[35] From May to July the northeast trades usually weaken to 1 to 3 m/s.^[36]

In practice, December to April suits travelers who want sun and can accept choppier passages, which matters on the long run to the Dutch Cays. May to November suits those who want calmer anchorages, fewer boats and easier last-minute booking. For the rest of the country, see the month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Panama.

San Blas Charter Itineraries: 3, 5 and 7 Nights

The captain sets the route day by day according to the weather and sea, so any itinerary is a plan rather than a promise.^[11] Short charters stay among the islands closest to the port. Five nights or more opens up the outer cays, and a week usually takes in 15 to 25 islands.^[11]

Three Nights: The Islands Near the Port

With roughly two full days aboard, the boat stays within easy reach of Cartí: a Guna village visit, sandbar islands and snorkel stops such as the shipwreck near Perro Chico. Snorkeling needs only a mask and fins, and turtles, eagle rays, parrotfish and spiny lobster are among the common sightings.^[10] Expect the last morning to go on the water taxi.

Five Nights: Coco Bandero and the First Outer Cays

Five nights adds a deeper loop. Coco Bandero brings swims with nurse sharks in selected areas, a sunken ship when the weather allows and a beach picnic.^[10] Itineraries of five nights or more also feature the outer cays, including The Pool and a small bar on a remote island.^[40]

Seven Nights: The Dutch Cays

AMPA's published seven-day route shows how a week usually runs. Its timings and the long passage on day three come from that itinerary.^[11]

In the Dutch Cays, sanblascatamaran.com's week names BBQ Island, The Pool, The Lagoon, Waisaladub and Prado's Island, where a master mola maker teaches the textile.^[10] The same company runs a 10-night itinerary that adds the ancestral village of Soledad Miria.^[40] San Blas is not a dive destination, since tank diving is not allowed. If scuba is part of your trip, our guide to diving in Panama compares Coiba, Portobelo and Bocas del Toro.

Families: Boat Size and Ages

Children aged 3 to 12 cost $125 a night on Catamaran Adventures boats, and infants up to two travel free.^[13] For a family of four, a Lagoon 42's four cabins give everyone room. Size up to a 48-foot boat only if you are adding grandparents or friends, since an oversized boat costs more without adding much for two children.^[15]

Rules on Board and Ashore

Guna Yala has its own rules, and the captain enforces most of them for you.

Fishing

Visitors may not fish in Guna Yala. Fish and lobster are bought from Guna fishermen, in season.^[41]

Scuba

No diving with tanks. Snorkeling is allowed.^[21]

Going ashore

The crew asks the saila, the community leader, before bringing a group onto a village island, and some islands are not open to visitors. Do not take coconuts: they belong to island families.^[21]

Photos and drones

Ask before photographing people. Drone flights depend on the local community authority.^[16]

How to Book a San Blas Charter

Book directly with a company that holds Congreso General authorization, ideally at least two to four weeks ahead for December to April. Off-season charters can often be arranged within a few days.^[1] Christmas, New Year and Holy Week need more notice, minimum stays and money up front.

The Main Charter Companies Compared

The Booking Sequence

AMPA's terms are the most detailed published. A 50% deposit holds the boat, or 30% when the total is above $19,000, and the balance is due 30 days before sailing for bookings made 30 or more days ahead.^[23] Payment by card, Revolut or bank transfer is common.^[1]

Questions to Ask Before You Pay

• Which exact boat, and is the quoted rate for two guests or for the whole group?
• Is the bar open or rationed, and does the air conditioning run at night or all day?
• Are the road transfer, the Guna Yala fee, port fees and island fees included? Some packages include the transfer and entrance fees.^[11]
• Does the price include ITBMS, and is there a card surcharge?
• What happens if the Congreso closes the comarca or the weather keeps you in port?
• Will lobster be in season on your dates?

Cancellation terms are the weak spot across the market: few companies publish a full refund policy, and AMPA's holiday bookings are non-refundable once confirmed.^[14] Get the weather and closure terms in writing. Some unqualified agencies operate without proper permits and run crowded routes.^[8] A company that cannot name its licensed vessel and authorization is the one to skip.

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