What's included in your stay at Pelicano Island
Important Information
Check-in: 08:00 AM | Check-out: 08:00 AM (next day). All packages include 4x4 transport from Panama City, boat transfer, full board and island tours.
Why Choose the Private Cabin in San Blas?
The Private Cabin at Pelicano Island offers the perfect blend of intimacy and adventure for couples and small families visiting San Blas, Panama. Built in traditional Guna style with native woods and thatched palm roofs, it gives you your own private sanctuary in an island paradise. It is the very same island in the Guna Yala archipelago that gained worldwide fame as Tokyo and Rio's Caribbean hideout in Money Heist (La Casa de Papel).
The rate of $160 USD per person (1 night) is completely all-inclusive: 4x4 pick-up from your Panama City accommodation (5:30–6:00 AM), motorboat transfer to Pelicano Island, breakfast, fresh lunch featuring the catch of the day, dinner, guided tours to Starfish Island and the Natural Pools, free use of kayaks and snorkeling gear, and evening beach bonfire under the stars. For stays longer than one night, please contact us privately for custom rates. Booking is 100% direct with the local Guna family, guaranteeing the best rate with zero agency markup.
Detailed Overnight Itinerary (2 Days / 1 Night)
To ensure you make the most of your stay at the Private Cabin on Pelicano Island, our local Guna host family coordinates every detail with precision:
Day 1 · 05:00 AM - 05:30 AM | Panama City Hotel Pickup
Your driver meets you directly at your Panama City hotel or Airbnb in an air-conditioned 4x4 SUV. We journey through the lush mountain range into the autonomous indigenous territory of Guna Yala.
Day 1 · 08:30 AM | Guna Border Checkpoint & Cartí Port
Passport check at the Guna General Congress entrance checkpoint ($23 USD foreigner entry tax payable in cash). Arrival at Cartí port and boarding of the covered speedboat with life vests.
Day 1 · 09:30 AM | Island Welcome & Cabin Check-in
Warm greeting by your Guna host family, tropical orientation, and check-in to your cabin. Change into your swimwear and jump into crystal-clear turquoise waters or grab a kayak.
Day 1 · 12:45 PM | Fresh Caribbean Lunch
Delicious meal served in the beachfront dining area: catch of the day (red snapper or local sea bass), fragrant coconut rice, crispy patacones (plantains), and organic salad.
Day 1 · 02:00 PM | Guided Boat Tour: Natural Pools & Dog Island
Speedboat excursion to the world-famous Natural Pools (shallow waist-deep ocean sandbars with giant cushion sea stars) and Dog Island (Isla Perro) to snorkel over the historic sunken shipwreck teeming with tropical marine life.
Day 1 · 07:00 PM | Sunset Dinner & Starlit Beach Campfire
Fresh dinner, peaceful stargazing under dark island skies, and beach campfire listening to ancestral legends from our indigenous hosts.
Day 2 · 07:00 AM | Caribbean Sunrise & Breakfast
Wake up to gentle ocean sounds and enjoy a wholesome breakfast (eggs, Panamanian coffee, fruit or bread). Cabin check-out at 08:00 AM, speedboat ride back to Cartí port, and 4x4 return to Panama City (arrival around 12:30 PM).
Accommodation Technical Specifications
- Structure: Native timber oceanfront cabin set directly on white coral sand
- Capacity: 2 to 4 guests (comfortable double bed + optional single beds)
- Bathroom Facilities: Clean shared exterior island facilities with fresh water showers
- Ventilation: Natural cross-breeze through traditional lattice louvers and sea trade winds
- Electricity: Solar power from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM for lighting and device charging in dining area
Why the Private Cabin is Our Most Popular Choice?
It is the #1 pick for couples and friends seeking intimacy, tranquility, and unbeatable value. You get an entirely independent, private lockable room with direct white-sand views and gentle ocean waves lulling you to sleep. Staying on Pelicano Island puts you right on the authentic filming location of Tokyo and Rio from Netflix's Money Heist.
What to Pack (Local Insider Tips)
Original Physical Passport
Your actual passport is legally required at the Guna Yala territorial checkpoint (digital copies or photos are not accepted), plus $23 USD cash per person for the entrance fee.
US Cash ($USD) in Small Bills
There are zero ATMs on the islands. Bring small bills ($1, $5, $10, $20) for extra bottled drinks, cold coconut water, local beers ($2-$3), and artisan mola crafts.
Lightweight Attire & Water Shoes
Breathable cotton/linen clothes, UV sunglasses, sunhat, quick-dry beach towel, and reef shoes for walking over submerged coral fragments safely.
Portable Power Bank
While evening charging outlets are available in the dining area, having your own 10,000–20,000 mAh battery bank ensures your phone and camera stay powered all day.