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Isla Grande Panama Tour & Portobelo from Panama City
Escape the capital on a full-day Isla Grande Panama tour from Panama City. Visit Isla Linton, Isla Mamey and Isla Grande, cruise through the mangrove-lined Love Tunnel, swim in warm Caribbean waters and finish the day exploring historic Portobelo, Panama.
This Caribbean island-hopping adventure combines tropical islands, wildlife, beaches and colonial history in one memorable day trip from Panama City. Travel comfortably across the Isthmus of Panama from the Pacific to the Caribbean coast before continuing by boat between the islands.
Departure: Panama City
Start time: 7:00am
Duration: Approximately 11 hours
Tour type: Shared day tour
Minimum: 2 guests
Table of Contents
- Isla Grande Panama Tour from Panama City
- Isla Linton Wildlife Stop
- Love Tunnel Mangrove Boat Ride
- Isla Mamey Panama – Beach & Snorkeling
- Isla Grande Panama – Beach & Island Visit
- Portobelo Panama Forts & Colonial History
- Isla Grande & Portobelo Tour Summary
- What’s Included
- What’s Not Included
- What to Bring
- Important Tour Information
- Explore Panama’s Caribbean Coast
- Cancellation Policy
Isla Grande Panama Tour from Panama City
Your adventure begins at approximately 7:00am when your bilingual driver and guide picks you up from your lodging in Panama City. Relax in an air-conditioned vehicle as you cross the Isthmus of Panama from the Pacific side to the Caribbean coast.
After arriving at the coast, you will board a local boat and begin your island-hopping journey through the tropical waters of Colón Province.
Isla Linton Wildlife Stop
Your first stop is Isla Linton, a forested Caribbean island known for its resident monkeys and dense tropical vegetation.
As your boat approaches the island, listen for the distinctive calls of howler monkeys echoing through the forest canopy. Depending on conditions and wildlife activity, you may be able to observe monkeys from the boat while enjoying your first glimpse of Panama’s Caribbean island environment.
Love Tunnel Mangrove Boat Ride
Continue by boat into the famous Love Tunnel, a narrow mangrove passage surrounded by lush tropical vegetation.
The calm, shallow water and dense mangroves create one of the most atmospheric parts of the trip. Birds and other wildlife are frequently heard throughout the surrounding forest as the boat moves through the winding natural channels.
Depending on water and weather conditions, there may also be an opportunity to stop and enjoy the warm Caribbean water.
Isla Mamey Panama – Beach & Snorkeling
Next, arrive at Isla Mamey Panama, known for its broad sandy beach, palm trees and clear Caribbean water.
The shallow reef in front of the island makes this a great place to swim and snorkel when sea conditions allow. You can also simply relax under the palms, enjoy the beach and take in the quieter atmosphere of Panama’s Caribbean coast.
Isla Mamey is one of the highlights of this Caribbean island hopping tour from Panama City and offers a beautiful contrast to the urban skyline you left behind earlier in the morning.
Isla Grande Panama – Beach & Island Visit
A short boat ride brings you to Isla Grande Panama, one of the best-known island destinations along the Caribbean coast.
The island is characterized by palm-fringed beaches, colorful homes and a laid-back Caribbean atmosphere. There are no conventional roads across much of the island, contributing to its relaxed feel.
You will have time to enjoy the beach, swim, relax and have lunch at one of the local oceanfront restaurants. Fresh seafood, plantains and other Caribbean-style dishes are commonly available.
If you are planning more travel around the country, see our complete guide to Panama tours and things to do.
Portobelo Panama Forts & Colonial History
In the afternoon, return to the mainland and continue to historic Portobelo, Panama, once one of the most important Caribbean ports in the Spanish colonial trading system.
Founded in 1597, Portobelo became a major Atlantic terminal for trade crossing the Isthmus of Panama. Its strategic importance led to the construction of extensive defensive fortifications around the bay.
Today, the historic fortifications of Portobelo form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo–San Lorenzo.
Your guide will show you some of the surviving fortifications and explain the town’s role in Panama’s colonial history before beginning the drive back to Panama City.
Isla Grande & Portobelo Tour Summary
- Tour: Isla Grande Panama & Portobelo Tour from Panama City
- Departure: Panama City
- Start time: Approximately 7:00am
- Duration: Approximately 11 hours
- Tour type: Shared tour
- Minimum: 2 guests required to operate
- Destinations: Isla Linton, Love Tunnel, Isla Mamey, Isla Grande and Portobelo
What's Included
- Pickup and drop-off from your Panama City lodging
- Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
- English-speaking guide
- Boat transportation
- Visit to Isla Linton
- Boat trip through the Love Tunnel mangroves
- Visit to Isla Mamey
- Visit to Isla Grande
- Visit to historic Portobelo and its fortifications
- Bottled water
What's Not Included
- Island entrance fees – currently $11 per person, paid in cash to the boat operator
- Lunch and beverages
- Optional gratuities
- Pickup from areas outside the standard Panama City pickup zone unless selected during booking
Additional pickup charges may apply for locations such as Costa del Este, Playa Bonita and Tocumen International Airport.
What to Bring
- Swimwear
- Towel
- Comfortable sandals or water shoes
- Lightweight clothing suitable for tropical weather
- Hat or cap
- Sunglasses
- Reusable water bottle
- Camera or phone
- Cash for entrance fees, lunch, souvenirs and gratuities
We encourage guests to use sun-protective clothing such as rash guards and lightweight long-sleeved shirts whenever possible.
Important Tour Information
Minimum participation: This tour requires a minimum of 2 guests to operate. Solo travelers should contact us before booking so we can confirm whether an existing departure is available.
Last-minute bookings: Reservations made after 6:00pm for the following day are not guaranteed until explicitly confirmed by Tao Travel 365. If we are unable to confirm the requested departure, we will contact you regarding alternatives.
Weather and sea conditions: The itinerary may be adjusted when necessary due to weather, ocean conditions, safety considerations or operational circumstances. Your guide and boat operator will determine the safest route on the day of the tour.
Explore Panama’s Caribbean Coast
From the monkeys of Isla Linton and the mangroves of the Love Tunnel to the beaches of Isla Mamey, the relaxed atmosphere of Isla Grande and the historic fortifications of Portobelo, this tour brings together some of the best experiences on Panama’s Caribbean coast in a single day.
Book your Isla Grande Panama tour from Panama City and experience a completely different side of the country on this Caribbean island-hopping adventure.
CANCELATION POLICY
Please read our Tour Cancelation Policy before booking.
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TOUR CANCELATION POLICY
Tao Travel 365 strives to deliver the best possible customer experience. If at any point you have a question or concern about our service, please call us by phone at +1 (805) 826-3657 or email us at sales@taotravel365.tours.
The following cancellation policy applies only for Day Tours (DOES NOT apply for Multi-Day Tours).
TOUR POLICIES
Due to the nature of our business, the logistics involved with organizing tours and the high reservation demand following refund policies apply:
- 100% refund less credit card processing fees will only be granted if booked via our website www.taotravel365.tours AND if canceled more than 24 hours before the start of the tour.
- No refund will be granted for cancelations received less than 24 hours before the tour start date.
All sales are final.
For all bookings made via outside portals such as, but not limited to Viator, Expedia, Airbnb, please refer and adhere to the respective cancellation policy of the portal that you booked with.
If you are unable to realize the reservation, contact us as soon as possible and we will try to arrange and reschedule the same or different tour for you.
If you are not at the designated meeting point by the time of your scheduled reservation or pick up, Tao Travel 365 reserves the right not to provide a refund. However, we will always try our best to locate you at the meeting point and call your WhatsApp number, if one was provided. After all, we want you to participate in our tour and have fun. That is our goal!
CANCELED OR POSTPONED TOURS
Occasionally, tours are canceled or postponed due to weather or ocean conditions, mechanical failure, or other unforeseen events. Should this occur, we will attempt to contact you about the cancellations and to inform you of refund or exchange procedures for that tour. For exact instructions on any canceled or postponed tour, please contact us. In the case of a cancellation of your tour by Tao Travel 365, we will refund your tour or schedule you for another tour, as detailed below.
REFUNDS
All sales are final. No refunds are available unless a tour is canceled or postponed, or we are given 24 hours advance noticed whereby a 100 percent refund will be awarded. We will offer refunds of the full face value of the tour(s) that are canceled or postponed (or, if a discounted tour, then instead the discounted tour price paid). No refunds are offered on any service, payment processing or convenience fees. To receive a refund for a canceled or postponed tour, contact us at sales@taotravel365.tours within 2 days of the tour cancellation and write "refund" in the subject line. Instructions will be provided in order to obtain your refund.
TOUR EXCHANGES
No tour exchanges are offered by Tao Travel 365. While in some extreme cases we may offer this service (such as a cancellation by Tao Travel 365), it is not guaranteed and often impossible. Contact us directly by phone at +1 (805) 826-3657 or by email at sales@taotravel365.tours to inquire about tour exchanges. Fees may apply.
Reviews
EXCELLENT
1164 reviews
Posted on Google
Malik DavisJune 29, 2024
This was the most authentic, Genuine and fun tour experience we ever had! Ali was an amazing guide that made us feel like we were at home and kept us laughing the entire trip! I would recommend him a million times over!Posted on Google
Jelisa FieldsJune 29, 2024I absolutely loved this tour! Ali was so amazing and personable. Besides the scenery, he is one of the main reasons we had such a great time. I felt super safe the entire time, and I would highly recommend that anyone doing the Portobelo tour to request him specifically. You will learn the history of the area and have an experience you wont forget!Posted on Google
Alice Lekesha CoverleyMay 24, 2024I enjoyed my tour. Ali was friendly, informative and a joy to be around. This was an experience I will always remember and would recommend it to visiting Panama!Posted on Google
Audi.2506 C.PMay 23, 2024Fue una experiencia inolvidable desde la llegada de Allí el conductor con muy buen sentido del humor, señalando nos todos los lugares importantes, al llegar al poblado de igual forma el guía Alberto con gran experiencia y muy amable, estamos muy agradecidos por elegirlosPosted on Google
Dave DartMay 13, 2024What a truly amazing experience! Mario was incredibly friendly and told us about the national parks as we drove through/near them (Parque Nacional Camino de Cruces, Parque Nacional Soberanía, and Parque Nacional Chagres). We made great time from Panama City to the outskirts of Colon, then turned up the coast and went to Portobelo. On many tours, the drive is boring and just a necessary means to an end. But this drive was spectacular. In Portobelo Mario gave us a tour of the two fortress ruins and told us about the history of the place. We then drove on to the pier at La Guaira where we met Captain Juan and set out on the beautiful Caribbean waters. First stop was Isla Mamay where we got up close with a howler monkey. Really cool! From there we motored over to Isla Linton and took a dip in the "natural swimming pool" formed by a break in the mangroves. Crystal clear calm water, small fish swimming around you, and beautiful soft sand. We played in the water for a while before moving on to tour the rest of the mangrove area. As we entered the natural tunnel where the tops of the mangroves and bushes grow together over the channel, we saw birds, a racoon, and a sloth enjoying siesta time. Shortly after that we arrived at a small island with shallow warm water, rocky/sandy beach, and a little bar serving cold beer and cocktails. Mario rounded up our reserved chairs and we enjoyed a super relaxing time in the shade of palm trees and refreshing water. After an hour or so Captain Juan took us to our lunch spot on Isla Grande. El Coral is an unassuming little restaurant run by friendly locals and serving some truly great Panamanian seafood specialties. Platanos stuffed with shrimp, fish, and spices for a starter (along with a frosty frozen margarita). Grilled fresh fish with garlic sauce and perfectly fried yucca fries for the main. So good! We then walked around the corner to Playa Isla Grande where we had reserved chairs in the shade and beautiful cool water on the soft sand beach. After a couple of hours we rinsed off and met Captain Juan for the ride back to port. Mario stopped a couple of times on the drive back for some great photo ops. The ride home was pretty quiet - because we were all exhausted after such a great day.Posted on Google
Mark DeNinnoApril 9, 2024What a great day, and Mario was just terrific. Drove us to the dock and we stopped and got a history lesson about Portobello. He was friendly and knowledgeable. A great tour guide. The boat captain did a great job we had a great time.Posted on Tripadvisor
HappyFamily43082April 1, 2024Verified
Private Tour Was Worth It We booked directly through TAO for a private tour with Mario. Mario provided excellent information and answered our questions about Panamanian life. Our first stop was to visit the monkey islands on Lake Gatum. We did not see any monkeys on the first few islands, but we were successful. My son was able to feed them from his hands with bananas provided by Mario. The other boats visiting the islands had up to 20 guests who were only able to watch a guide feed the monkeys; our experience was so much better! Next, we visited the Agua Clara Locks, which were very interesting. Compared the the Miraflores, the Locks are relatively uncrowded. After stopping at the main visitor center, Mario took us to another stop to see the old bridge. Unfortunately, Fort San Lorenzo was closed for Good Friday, but Mario was able to take us to the mouth of the Chagres River so that we could still see the fort from a distance. We were hungry by mid-day, and he stopped to let us buy snacks. This was a fun day away from Panama City.Posted on TripadvisorHappyFamily43082April 1, 2024Don't Miss Seeing the Caribbean We booked directly through TAO. Communication was efficient. We did not realize this would be a private tour. Our tour guide, Ana, was terrific. She's a proud Panamanian who loves to show off her beautiful country. She provided knowledgeable commentary throughout the tour. Her SUV was comfortable for four guests. Our first stop in Portobelo was limited as a movie was being filmed at one of the forts. The island stops were interesting. We brought snorkeling gear, although Isla Moray has a very shallow reef. Lunch on Isla Grande was good, but the pina coladas were excellent!Posted on Google
Trevor SeifriedMarch 31, 2024Did the Isla Grande Caribbean tour with Mario. Was quite fun, and well organized. Car ride was a bit long (~2 hours), but we knew that up front and Mario kept us very comfortable. Saw monkeys, sloths and the mangrove "Tunnel of Love" was beautiful. Also takes you a seemingly underappreciated, but very well preserved site where Panama's first economic fort was built (c/w the original cannons). Highly recommend.Posted on Google
Edwin CespedesMarch 18, 2024Desde el primer contacto por la pagina web, todo fue muy sencillo, rápido y profesional. Ya en Panamá muy puntuales y todo resulto en logística tal como se prometió. Pero la experiencia de convivir con los lugareños, su trato, amabilidad, transparencia, calidez, fue genial. El lugar espectacular, de hecho vamos a repetirlo, hemos contagiado a nuestros amigos marrando la experiencia.Load more
