Getting to Los Islotes
Directions to Los Islotes…
From Panama City:
Heading west on the Pan American Highway towards David; the left turn is about 27 Km past the town of Divisa where there is a large concrete overpass that takes you to the east side of the peninsula – Chitre, Las Tables and Pedasi. Don’t turn here! Keep going straight towards Santiago.
When you see the Black Lion Inn on your left your turn is in 4.2 Km. You will turn left – there is a large fruit stand at the corner. There is a big overhead highway sign telling you to turn left for Atalaya. This is the left turn you want.
Make another right turn in 3.6 km; you will see a Terpel gas station on the right, just ahead at the actual turn is a mini-super groceries store, turn right at this corner, there is a sign that points you to all of the playas (beaches). From here it is pretty much a straight shot down the peninsula to Mariato about 55 Km from the right turn you made in Atalaya.
There is a slight Y in the road at Ponuga, stay to the right. There is a green sign that says Ponuga straight, Mariato to the right but it is hard to see.
You will be entering Mariato when you see a gas station on your left. If you need gas get it now as there is not another gas station before Los Islotes. Once you have passed the bank named Banco National on your right and a Melo agricultural store on your left you have gone through Mariato, keep following the road another 30 Km. Turn right at the first road past the Quebro police station. There is construction for a large complex on the corner where you turn right. The building is huge and has a red roof, you can’t miss it.
Turn left in 1.4 Km at the second road. There is a small sign on the corner that points left to Los Islotes and Playa Plaza. Follow the road across the red bridge. You will be to the Los Islotes gate in 2.4 Km.
From Santiago:
Heading east on the Pan American Highway towards Panama City; the right turn is 2.6 Km past the Mykonos Hotel.
You will pass the Universidad Technologica de Panama on your right and see a blue sign pointing you towards Mariato. There is a big fruit stand on the left side of the corner where you will turn. There is also a large overhead highway sign telling you to turn right for Atalaya. This is your turn.
Turn right again after 3.6 Km; you will see a gas station on the right just before the turn and a super Mercado grocery store at the turn. You will also see a sign pointing you to the right for all the beaches.
From here it is pretty much a straight shot down the peninsula to Mariato about 55 Km from the right turn you made in Atalaya.
There is a slight Y in the road at Ponuga, stay to the right. There is a green sign that says Ponuga straight, Mariato to the right but it is hard to see.
You will be entering Mariato when you see a gas station on your left. If you need gas get it now as there is not another gas station before Los Islotes. Once you have passed the bank named Banco National on your right and a Melo agricultural store on your left you have gone through Mariato, keep following the road another 30 Km. Turn right at the first road past the Quebro police station. There is construction for a large complex on the corner where you turn right. The building is huge and has a red roof, you can’t miss it.
Turn left in 1.4 Km at the second road. There is a small sign on the corner that points left to Los Islotes and Playa Plaza. Follow the road across the red bridge. You will be to the Los Islotes gate in 2.4 Km.
Please let us know you are coming and what time you think you might arrive and we will leave your name with the gate security.
Tips for getting to Los Islotes
You can rent a car at Panama’s Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. This can be arranged ahead of time online with one of the major rental agencies. It is a 5-hour drive from Tocumen to Los Islotes. Getting out of Panama City can be a challenge. The directional phone application called Waze can help direct you out of the city using the quickest route at the time of your drive. Your destination is Santiago, Veraguas. Once you cross the bridge, you’ll be on the Pan-American Highway… and on your way to Los Islotes! See driving directions above.
Fly directly into the David International Airport or take a hopper from Tocumen in Panama City. David is in western Panama in the Chiriqui Provence. Car rentals are available at the airport and can be arranged ahead of time. It is a 5-hour drive from the David Airport to Los Islotes. The trip from David to Los Islotes is an easier drive then from Tocumen in Panama City for two reasons. One, it is easier to navigate your way out of David than it is Panama City and two, the Pan-American Highway between David and Santiago has been expanded and improved. It is a 4-lane divided highway. It’s an easy 3-hour drive from David to Santiago. In Santiago you turn off the Pan-American and head down the west side of the Azuero Peninusula. Los Islotes is only 96 Km from Santiago but the trip takes 2 hours due to the typical conditions of Central American interior roads. See driving directions above.
If your flight into David International Airport arrives later in the day, the town of David is a 10-minute drive from the airport and has plenty of hotels to stay in. You could spend the night in David and head down to Los Islotes the next morning.
Share a chartered plane or helicopter with 3 to 7 of your best friends. Fly Heaven Group S.A., is a kind of Uber for anyone who wants to share a helicopter or plane. They are the first 100% online platform for shared charter flights of airplanes and helicopters. They travel between Panama City and all the airports/heliports in the area. Fly Heaven is not a direct airline, they act as the commercial agent of the charter company. The airplanes and flights arranged by Fly Heaven are operated by companies qualified by the Aeronautical Authority of Panama.
You would fly from Panama City to Santiago. There is a car rental agency across the street from the airport in Santiago. It is a 2-hour drive from Santiago to Los Islotes. See driving directions above.
They have two different planes with different capacities.
The helicopters have an increased price average however they take you directly to Los Islotes, whereas the planes land in Santiago and a rental car is required.
Seneca II
- Capacity: 4 people
- Cost: $1,245 + ITBMS
- Per Person: $311.25 + ITBMS
Kodiak
- Capacity: 8 people
- Cost: $2,280 + ITBMS
- Per Person: $285.0 + ITBMS
- They have two different helicopters that can land directly at Los Islotes.
Robinson 44
- Capacity: 3 people
- Cost: $3,320 + ITBMS
- Per Person: $1,106 + ITBMS
Robinson 66
- Capacity: 4 people
- Cost: $4,600 + ITBMS
- Per Person: $1,150 + ITBMS
Fly Heaven contact information
- ✈ www.flyheaven.city/en/
- ✉ contact@flyheaven.city
- 📞 +507-6840-0045
If you are Canadian, Sunwing and Air Trasat airlines fly into Rio Hato International Airport from parts of Canada only. Rio Hato is a small airport with no amenities or car rental agencies. Rio Hato is 3 hours from Los Islotes. You could pick up a cab on the Pan-American Highway next to the airport. Perhaps you know someone already staying in the Rio Hato area, they can pick you up at the airport and you could drive down to Los Islotes together. See above for driving directions.
Public Transportation by bus from Panama City to Los Islotes is an option but it is going to take longer than 5 hours because of all the passenger stops the bus makes along the way. From the Tocumen International Airport you would take a $35.00 cab ride to the Albrook bus terminal. From Albrook you would take a bus to Santiago. The bus ride from Albrook to Santiago takes on average 4 hours and costs in the neighborhood of $9.00. In Santiago you would catch a bus to Quebro. The buses from Santiago to Quebro run once in the morning and once in the afternoon. The bus ride from Santiago to Quebro takes on average 5 hours and costs in the neighborhood of $3.00.
