Last updated: October 23, 2026

Pick Franklin for the lowest price and a quiet beach, Pelicano for a social island with dorms or ensuite cabins, Wailidup for an over-water cabin with a private bathroom (read its honest notes first), and Cayos Holandeses for very clear water and a bigger budget. Misadup is closed until further notice. All prices include transport, meals and one boat excursion.

We sell five islands. Four take bookings today, and Misadup is closed until further notice. They are all simple, Guna-managed islands, not resorts, and they differ more than the photos suggest. This guide helps you choose. If you are still deciding between a boat and an island, read catamaran or island cabin first. For all the islands in one place, see island cabins.

The four open islands side by side

Prices are per person for one night, with round-trip 4×4 from Panama City, the boat transfer, three meals and one boat excursion per stay. Drinks and the Guna Yala tax are extra. Longer stays cost less per night.

Island	Cabins, bathrooms, price from (per person, 1 night)	Watch out for
Franklin	Beach cabins with a shared bathroom block. From USD 200.	Power only 5 to 10 PM; New Year party on 31 December
Pelicano	Dorm, private room or private cabin. Shared bathrooms, ensuite in 4 cabins. From USD 200 (dorm), USD 230 (ensuite).	No Wi-Fi; two boats off the island a day
Wailidup	Over-water cabins with a private bathroom. From USD 210.	Sandflies June to October; upkeep has slipped; fills up
Cayos Holandeses	Over-water bungalows or beachfront cabins, private bathrooms. From USD 625.	Highest price; longest trip; early checkout

Is Franklin the right island if you want to spend less?

Who it suits: travellers who would rather spend less on the room than on the view from it. Franklin sits in the Grullos Cays and has been receiving guests since 2008. You get the same water and the same boat tours as the pricier stays.

The cabins: two types, and the only difference is the floor. The sand floor cabin is built straight onto the beach with cane walls. The wood floor cabin is raised on stilts and has a small private terrace. Both come in layouts of two to four beds.

Bathrooms: shared. They sit in a separate concrete block, and each one is a private stall with a door, a flush toilet and a tiled shower. They are simple and functional.

Honest downsides:

• No private bathrooms and no over-water cabins.
• Power runs only from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
• Drinks are not included, not even with meals.
• Franklin runs a New Year party, so it is not the island for a quiet 31 December.
• Late checkout costs USD 35 per person.

Price from: USD 200 per person for one night in a sand floor cabin, USD 255 for two nights. The wood floor cabin is USD 215 for one night and USD 285 for two. Minimum two people. Starlink internet is available in the evenings for USD 3 per person per day.

See Franklin Island

Is Pelicano the best choice for a social stay or a solo trip?

Who it suits: people who want company and choice. Pelicano (Isla Gorgidub) is the island Netflix used in Money Heist, Season 3. Our island hub describes it as the most social island we sell. It is also the only island where you can add a full-day boat trip to Cayos Holandeses, for USD 100 per person extra. It runs every two days, not daily.

The cabins: four options.

• A shared dorm for 4 to 6 guests, with sand floors.
• A private room with sand floors, for two or more.
• A private wooden cabin.
• A private wooden cabin with its own ensuite bathroom. There are four of these.

Bathrooms: shared and outside for the dorm, the private room and the private cabin, with 3 toilets and 3 showers for everyone. Only the four ensuite cabins have a bathroom inside.

Honest downsides:

• No Wi-Fi and little or no phone signal. Phones can be charged day or night on solar power.
• Drinks are not included.
• Only two boats leave the island each day, at 7:30 AM and 3:00 PM, and both leave on time. Late checkout (USD 35, includes lunch) puts you on the 3:00 PM boat and back in Panama City around 8:30 PM, which is an estimate.

Price from: USD 200 per person for a dorm bed, USD 215 for a private room or cabin with shared bathroom, USD 230 for the ensuite cabin. Two nights are USD 290, USD 320 and USD 345.

See Pelicano Island

Is Wailidup worth it for an over-water cabin?

Who it suits: people who want to wake up above the sea and have a private bathroom, at a much lower price than Cayos Holandeses. The cabins we book are private, wooden and built over the water, each with its own bathroom. It is a simple family-run Guna island, not a resort.

The sea: the reef is directly beneath the cabins. The restaurant area is where guests gather for dinner.

Honest downsides, and we would rather you read them now:

• Sandflies (chitras). They are a real problem between roughly June and October, after rain, when the wind drops. A breeze clears them, sometimes within a day, but nobody can promise wind. From November to May they are not a significant issue.
• Upkeep. It has slipped over the past year. You will see rubbish in places and the cabins are more worn than they once were. This applies in every month.
• It fills up. In busy weeks the island can be at capacity, with far more people than the photos suggest.
• Power outlets are limited. You can charge devices at the restaurant in the evening. There is no Wi-Fi.

If you travel between June and October, or you react badly to insect bites, or spotless surroundings matter to you, tell us. We will offer another island for your dates, such as Pelicano or Franklin. If you go to Wailidup and it goes badly, tell us and we will move you.

Price from: USD 210 per person for one night, USD 290 for two, USD 370 for three. Minimum two people.

See Wailidup Island. For the wider over-water question, see over-water bungalows in San Blas.

Is Cayos Holandeses worth the higher price?

Who it suits: couples and pairs with a larger budget who want a remote setting. The Cayos Holandeses zone is known for very clear water and white sand, and it is usually visited only on boat day trips. Here you stay overnight.

The cabins: two types, both at USD 625 per person for one night.

• The over-the-water bungalow has a private bathroom, two terraces, a hammock net over the sea, glass floors and fans.
• The beachfront cabin sits steps from the shoreline, with a private bathroom and fans.

Both have 24-hour electricity and fresh water. A welcome cocktail and snorkel tour are included.

Bathrooms: private in both.

Honest downsides:

• It is the most expensive stay we sell: USD 950 for two nights, USD 1,275 for three.
• It is the furthest from the mainland. The boat is 70 to 90 minutes, and total travel is about 4 to 4.5 hours each way.
• No Wi-Fi and no phone signal.
• Minimum two people per cabin. It is not sold to solo travellers.
• Morning checkout is early, at 6:00 to 6:30 AM. Late checkout is USD 55 per person.
• Drinks are not included.

See Cayos Holandeses. If you want the whole area to yourselves, see private island rental.

What about Misadup?

Misadup is closed until further notice and we are not taking bookings for it. We keep the page up so you can see what it was like. The cabins were rustic and wooden, over the water or facing the beach, with shared bathrooms a short walk away, mosquito nets over the beds and electricity from 6:00 to 10:00 PM. If you want an over-water cabin now, Wailidup is the closest match. Misadup page

Which island is quietest?

Our island pages describe Franklin as the place for space and quiet, and Cayos Holandeses as the most remote zone, with no phone signal and no Wi-Fi. Those are the two to pick if quiet matters most.

Two cautions. Franklin runs a New Year party, with music until about 1 AM, so check your dates. Wailidup is the opposite end. It is one of the busier islands in the archipelago, so come for the setting and the company rather than solitude. Pelicano is the one we call most social.

If you want to see the islands without staying, the Full Day tour visits three islands with lunch for USD 148 per person, Guna Yala tax included.

Can you travel solo?

Every private cabin is priced for two guests, with a two-guest minimum per cabin. If a third person wants a cabin of their own, they pay for two.

• Pelicano dorm: priced per person, from USD 200. This is the easiest island for travelling alone.
• A private cabin on your own: possible on some islands, with a solo price. Ask us and we will tell you which islands and the exact price for your dates.

What changes over Christmas and New Year?

Island stays cost 20% more from 15 December to 15 January. We confirm your exact rate when you ask. Franklin adds USD 50 per person if your stay includes the night of 31 December. Confirmed island bookings for 20 December to 10 January are non-refundable. Full details are in our Christmas and New Year guide.

How do you get to the islands?

The road is the hardest part of the trip. The drive is 2.5 to 3 hours each way on a winding mountain road, depending on season and traffic. The boat, the water and the islands are the good part.

• Pickup: 5:00 to 5:30 AM from Panama City hotels, 5:30 to 6:00 AM near the airport, and about 4:30 AM in December and January. We confirm your exact time the day before.
• Boat from the port: 45 to 60 minutes for Franklin, Pelicano, Wailidup and Misadup (Franklin’s exact crossing time is confirmed when you book). 70 to 90 minutes for Cayos Holandeses.
• Return: about 12:00 to 1:00 PM in Panama City after the morning boat, and 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM from Franklin. Do not book a flight out of Panama on the day you leave.
• Shared or private: your island price includes a 4×4 shared with other travellers. For Wailidup and Cayos Holandeses, a private 4×4, with only your group inside, is the upgrade we honestly recommend, because the drive is long and starts before dawn. The boat from the port is shared either way. Franklin and Pelicano run their own transport, so ask us what is possible there.
• Luggage: one soft bag per person, about 13 kg. Hard-shell suitcases do not fit in the 4×4, so leave them at your Panama City hotel.

More detail: San Blas transportation.

What is included in an island stay?

• Round-trip 4×4 transport from Panama City.
• The boat transfer to your island.
• Your private cabin or bungalow. (Pelicano dorms are shared.)
• Three meals a day.
• One boat excursion per stay (not daily) to nearby islands and reefs. On Pelicano it visits two nearby islands and a sand bank; at Cayos Holandeses it is a snorkel tour, and you also get a welcome cocktail.
• Snorkelling gear is provided on the island. Pelicano also includes paddleboards.

Not included:

• All drinks, including with meals. Beer, water and sodas start at USD 2, paid in cash.
• Late checkout, USD 35 per person (USD 55 at Cayos Holandeses).
• Optional extras such as lobster.

How much is the Guna Yala tax?

The Guna Yala tax is USD 22 per tourist and USD 7 per Panamanian resident with proof of residency (includes the USD 2 port fee; children under 9 exempt). It is paid in cash. Bring your original passport and cash in small bills, because there are no ATMs in San Blas.

Ask us about your dates

Tell us your dates, group size and which island you are leaning towards on WhatsApp and we will send a quote: wa.me/50760270607.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Which San Blas island is cheapest?

Franklin and the Pelicano dorm both start at USD 200 per person for one night. That includes round-trip 4x4 from Panama City, the boat transfer, three meals and one boat excursion per stay. Wailidup starts at USD 210. Cayos Holandeses starts at USD 625. Drinks and the Guna Yala tax are extra on every island.

Which San Blas island is best for solo travellers?

Pelicano. A solo traveller can take a dorm bed at the normal per-person price, from USD 200. Every private cabin is priced for two guests, with a two-guest minimum. A private cabin on your own is possible on some islands with a solo price: ask us for the exact price for your dates.

Which island has a private bathroom?

The Wailidup cabins we book and every Cayos Holandeses cabin have a private bathroom. Pelicano has four private cabins with an ensuite bathroom, and its other rooms share bathrooms outside. Franklin has a shared bathroom block, with a separate stall and door for each user. Misadup, closed until further notice, had shared bathrooms.

Are there sandflies on San Blas islands?

On Wailidup, yes. Sandflies, called chitras, are a real problem between roughly June and October, after rain when the wind drops. From November to May they are not a significant issue. If you travel in those months or react badly to bites, tell us and we will offer another island.

Can I still book Misadup Island?

No. Misadup is closed until further notice and we are not taking bookings for it. If you want an over-water cabin right now, Wailidup is the closest match. Cayos Holandeses also has over-water bungalows, at a higher price. Tell us your dates and budget and we will suggest a fit.

How long does it take to reach the islands from Panama City?

The road is the hardest part. It is a 2.5 to 3 hour 4x4 drive on a mountain road, then a boat of 45 to 60 minutes. Cayos Holandeses has a 70 to 90 minute boat. Pickup is 5:00 to 5:30 AM, and about 4:30 AM in December and January. For Wailidup and Cayos Holandeses a private 4x4 is available and worth it; the boat stays shared.