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Voykit pocket guide · Panama
Santa Catalina
Spend 2–3 days for surf or dive trips; arrive early to secure cash and accommodation.
Santa Catalina is a tiny Pacific village known for world‑class surfing, scuba diving to Coiba National Marine Park and a relaxed vibe. The town fits a short stay of 2–3 days, enough for a surf session, a dive, and a beach walk, with most activities centered around the two beaches and local dive shops.
- Country
- Panama
- Best months
- Dec–Apr (dry season)
- Avoid
- May–Nov (rainy season)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
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 $30–50 excl. bed · Mid $50–80 excl. bed · High $80+ excl. bed (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 |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $1–2 |
| Meal (local restaurant) | $5–10 |
| Taxi Soná → Santa Catalina | $30–40 |
| Bus Soná → Santa Catalina | $4.65 |
| ATM withdrawal fee | $3–5 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DAV · Enrique Malek International Airport
- —
Typical fares
- Bus Soná → Santa Catalina
- about $4.65, 2 h (check schedule)
- Taxi Soná → Santa Catalina
- about $35, 1 h (negotiable)
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
Walk the whole town (2 h) or rent a car; the paved road from Soná takes ~1 h 10 min; local bus runs 2 h for $4.65.
See and do
Known for
- Surfing
- Scuba diving to Coiba National Marine Park
- Beach relaxation
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Coiba National Marine Park | Boat from Santa Catalina dive shop (arranged locally) | Full‑day boat trip, 4–5 h total |
| Soná | Taxi $30–40 (≈1 h) or bus $4.65 (≈2 h) | 1 h by taxi, 2 h by bus |
Sleep
- The Santa Catalina Inn
- 5 rooms, AC, hot water; $45 per night; near town centre.
- Hotel Sol y Mar
- Cabins on hill, AC, private bath, terrace; $60–90 per night; credit cards accepted.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedis-kuhl-peh |
| Thank you | Graciasgrah-see-as |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?kwahn-toh kwes-tah |
| Where is the ATM? | ¿Dónde está el cajero?don-deh es-tah el kah-he-ro |
| I need a taxi | Necesito un taxineh-seh-see-toh oon tahk-see |
| Where is the beach? | ¿Dónde está la playa?don-deh es-tah lah plah-yah |
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
- ATM may run out of cash; bring enough USD.
- Most shops don’t take cards; only hotels and dive centres accept them.
- Don’t leave valuables on the beach; stay alert on night trails.
Generally safe; main risks are petty theft on beaches and night travel on unlit rural roads.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Santa Catalina yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Surfing
- Scuba diving to Coiba National Marine Park
- Beach relaxation
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Santa Catalina coordinates: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Santa Catalina (Panama), revision 5319308 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5319308
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/santa-catalina-panama). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.