Welcome to Isla Wailidup, one of San Blas's most sought-after islands known for its unique overwater bungalows that offer guests the rare chance to wake up above the Caribbean Sea. Whether you're traveling with a partner, a friend, or solo, Wailidup promises an experience that blends simplicity and real Guna island life. Framed by turquoise waters and vibrant coral reefs, it suits people who want the sea and not much else. It is also one of the busier islands in the archipelago, so come for the setting and the company rather than for solitude.
Before you book Wailidup, please read this
Wailidup has the setting people come to San Blas for. It also has three problems we would rather you hear from us than discover when you arrive.
From June to October, when the breeze drops, the island gets sand flies, known locally as chitras. The bites are small but there can be many. A breeze clears them, sometimes within a day, but nobody can promise wind.
The island fills up. In busy weeks it can be at capacity, which is not what the photographs suggest.
Upkeep has slipped over the past year, and you will see rubbish and plastic around parts of the island and along the water's edge.
We still sell Wailidup, because on a good week the setting is genuinely extraordinary. But if you are travelling between June and October we will tell you plainly that another island in the same area is the safer choice, and we will offer you one. And if you go anyway and it turns out badly, tell us and we will move you. We have done that before and we would rather do it than leave you somewhere you are not enjoying.
From November to May the wind returns, the sand flies are not a significant issue, and that is the time to come.
Island Stays
Wailidup Island
The San Blas Island Made Famous by Over-Water Bungalows
From $210 per person for one night (per-night rate drops on longer stays)
Region
Wailidup, San Blas
Access
45-60 min boat ride
Stay Type
Over-water Cabin
From
$210 / 1 night
The Experience
Choose Your Stay
Accommodation Options
Private Cabin with Private Bathroom
Six private wooden cabins built directly over the water, each with its own private bathroom. Perfect for couples or small groups seeking privacy with simple comfort and natural surroundings.
Prices per person
Min 2 people
1 Night (3 meals)
$210
2 Nights (6 meals)
$290
3 Nights (9 meals)
$370
Each additional night: +$110 per person (includes 3 meals)
Private bathroom
Over-water cabin
Natural surroundings
Restaurant charging
Book This Stay
Every Stay Includes
- Round-trip 4x4 transport from Panama City
- Round-trip boat transfer to the island
- Private over-water cabin accommodation
- Three meals daily (fresh seafood, chicken)
- One boat excursion during your stay: a half-day trip to two nearby islands and a sand bank
- Snorkeling masks
Not Included
- Guna Yala entry tax ($20 per person tourist; $5 per person Panamanian resident with proof of residency, paid in cash at the Nusagandi checkpoint)
- Port tax ($2 per person, cash)
- All drinks, including with meals (beer, water and sodas from $2, cash)
- Late checkout fee ($35 per person)
Before You Go
Departure & Transfers
Departure
Pickup at 5:00-5:30 AM from your Panama City hotel or Airbnb. 2.5-3 hour 4x4 drive through the mountains to the San Blas port.
Boat Transfer
45-60 minute scenic boat ride from the port through the San Blas archipelago to Wailidup Island.
Return
Morning checkout at 8:00-8:30 AM, back in Panama City by 12:00-1:00 PM. Late checkout available ($35/person, includes lunch, return ~7:00 PM).
- 4x4 pickup included from central Panama City (hotel, hostel, or Airbnb)
- Extra fees apply for pickup/drop-off outside downtown (e.g., Playa Bonita $35, Summit $20, Amador $10)
- Meeting point will be arranged if your accommodation is in an outlying area
Common Questions
FAQ
Three meals per day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Fresh catch of the day (fish, lobster in season, chicken), coconut rice, salad, and tropical fruit. Drinks are not included with meals, not even drinking water; coffee at breakfast is typical. You can buy beer, water and sodas on the island (from $2, cash only), so bring small bills and a refillable bottle.
Wailidup has limited phone signal and no WiFi. Power outlets are limited; you can charge devices at the restaurant in the evening. Embrace the disconnect.
Yes, and we would rather tell you before you book than after you arrive. Sandflies, known locally as chitras, are a real problem on Wailidup between roughly June and October. They come out after rain when the wind drops, and the bites are genuinely uncomfortable. When there is a breeze you barely notice them, but we cannot promise wind on any given night.
From November through May they are not a significant issue, and that is the better half of the year to visit. If you are travelling between June and October and you react badly to insect bites, tell us and we will suggest a different island for those dates rather than sell you this one.
Wailidup is a simple family-run Guna island, not a resort, and we would rather set that expectation honestly. The upkeep has slipped over the past year. There is rubbish visible in places and the cabins are more worn than they once were. It can also be at capacity in busy weeks, with far more people on the island than the photographs suggest.
What you are paying for is the setting: a cabin standing over the water, with the reef directly beneath you. What you are not paying for is polish. If spotless surroundings matter to you, say so and we will point you somewhere that fits you better.
Original passport, cash in USD (no ATMs in San Blas), soft bag only (max 13kg), reef-safe sunscreen, a strong insect repellent containing DEET, a light long-sleeved top for the evenings, and motion sickness pills for the boat ride. Leave hard-shell suitcases at your Panama City hotel.
Yes. Our San Blas Full Day Tour visits 3 islands with lunch for $148 per person, returning the same evening.
Wailidup's private cabins each have their own private bathroom with shower and fresh water.
It is 115 km from Panama City (2.5-3 hours by 4x4), followed by a 45-60 minute boat ride. Total travel time is approximately 3.5-4 hours each way.
Trusted by Travelers
Best tour company in Panama. Our experience on the island was perfectly organized from pickup to drop-off. Will definitely book again.
Bobby B. , TripAdvisor
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