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Voykit pocket guide · Panama
Islas Paridas
Go for a day trip or one night if you fish or dive in the Gulf of Chiriquí; skip if you only have time for Bocas del Toro or San Blas.
Islas Paridas is a small, mostly uninhabited island group in the Gulf of Chiriquí, 30 km south of David and inside Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí. It's a 30-minute boat ride from Boca Chica or 90 minutes from Pedregal. The appeal is big-game fishing, diving and solitude — there are no resorts, no restaurants and no shops. Most visitors come on a day trip from Boca Chica or stay one night at a fishing lodge. If you want beaches and nightlife, choose Bocas del Toro or San Blas instead.
- Country
- Panama
- Best months
- Dec–Apr (dry season, calm seas)
- Avoid
- May–Nov (rainy season, rougher seas, some lodges close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the balboa (PAB), fixed 1 to 1 with the US dollar; US dollar notes are the paper money in use, with Panamanian coins.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 excl. boat transfer · Mid $100–200 excl. boat transfer · High $300+ excl. boat transfer (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Más Móvil, Tigo and Digicel SIMs at Tocumen and in malls; passport required.
- Emergency
- Police 104 · Fire and ambulance 103 · General emergency 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · US-style plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% if not added.; Guides and boat crews: US$5–10 per person.; Hotel porters: US$1–2 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Panama City and most towns; drink bottled on the islands and in Bocas.
- Toilets
- Western toilets; basic outhouses on San Blas islands.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Boat transfer Boca Chica → Islas Paridas, one way | $30–40 |
| Fishing charter, half-day | $200–500 |
| Meal at a lodge | $15–30 |
| Beer | $2–3 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DAV · David (Enrique Malek)
- About 1 h by road to Boca Chica, then 30 min by boat
Typical fares
- Boat Boca Chica → Islas Paridas
- about $30–40, 30 min (check)
- Taxi Boca Chica → David
- $30–40, about 1 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Boat is the only way to explore the islands. Arrange through your lodge or a tour operator in Boca Chica.
See and do
Known for
- Big-game fishing (marlin, tuna, dorado)
- Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí
- Isolation — no shops or restaurants
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Boca Chica | Boat from Islas Paridas, 30 min | 30 min |
| David | Boat to Boca Chica, then taxi or bus, about 1 h total | About 1.5 h |
| Isla Palenque | Boat, about 20 min | 20 min |
| Santa Catalina | Boat to Boca Chica, then drive, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Boca Chica
- Closest mainland base; hotels and lodges, then boat to the islands.
- Islas Paridas itself
- One fishing lodge (Propiedad de Paradise); book ahead.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-see-ahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Where is the boat? | ¿Dónde está el bote?DON-deh es-TAH el BOH-teh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'buenos días'; avoid: Skipping greetings in shops
- Dress: Long trousers in offices and churches; avoid: Beachwear in the city
- Guna communities: Ask before photos, pay the fee; avoid: Walking into homes or ceremonies
Scams and watch-outs
- No shops, restaurants or ATMs on the islands: bring cash, food and water.
- Seas can be rough May–Nov; check the forecast before booking a boat.
- Some lodges close in the rainy season; confirm availability.
The islands are remote with no medical facilities. Bring a first-aid kit and travel insurance. The sea can be rough; wear a life jacket on the boat. Crime is low, but don't leave valuables unattended on the beach.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Islas Paridas yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Big-game fishing (marlin, tuna, dorado)
- Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí
- Isolation — no shops or restaurants
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Islas Paridas, revision 5278542 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5278542
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/islas-paridas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.