Panama Whale Watching Tours 2018
Whale Watching in Panama City is on the Rise!
Whale watching in Panama is quickly becoming one of the most popular things to do in Panama City! Just 5 years ago you could barely find any affordable options to go whale watching in Panama departing from the city. Flash forward to 2018 and everyone is trying to get in on the whale action in the Pearl Islands. Thank goodness! The more interest generated, the more providers enter the game, and the more options we have as consumers.
The Importance of Choosing Responsible Whale Watching Operators
As consumers, we are also responsible to choose to support operations that use safe whale watching practices. I have been on whale watching tours all up and down the Pacific Coast. Not just Panama, but Costa Rica, Mexico, California and all the way up to the San Juan Islands just off the coast of Vancouver, BC. Most have been amazing experiences with passionate & knowledgeable guides and experienced captains who can predict the path of the whales in order to avoid collision. Unfortunately I have also seen other operations that clearly are not educated on whale safety. They are just trying to get close as close to the whales possible to make their clients happy.
So close they ran right over a whale coming up for air. Was that selfie really worth the injury caused to the whales? If you see this irresponsible behavior, ask the captain to report them. Document what you can and file a report. When I see things like this it is very upsetting. Thankfully, the good whale watching operations outnumber the bad and whale watching in general is an amazing experience I hope everyone has the opportunity to experience at least once in their lifetime.
Some countries such as Mexico have very strict laws about the distance you need to keep between yourself and the whales that are strictly enforced. They also have limitation on the number of vessels that can be used to operate whale watching tours. Some countries have these rules, but do not have the means to enforce them. And others are so new to whale watching, there really is not enough education and training out there. As the whale watching opportunities in Panama continue to expand, we hope the public will become better educated and some of these regulations will be adapted and enforced in Panama.
Panama City Whale Watching Tour Options in 2018
This year we are working with 3 main whale watching options departing from Panama City. Each has its own unique qualities, so to help you choose, we thought we would give you a bit more info on each of them.
Pearl Islands Whale Watching + Contadora Island Beach Break
Type of Boat: Double-Decker catamaran
Pricing: $145 adult, $95 children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 not permitted.
Departs: Sundays only from Flamenco Island Duty Free at 6:30am
Duration: 11 Hours
This is new to our offerings this year and our most economical option. The catamaran is a larger slower boat, but the views from the upper-deck are excellent for spotting whales. You will spend the entire journey out to Contadora seeking and following whales at a leisurely pace.
Once you get to Contadora Island, they take you to the beautiful Playa Cacique to spend an hour or two hanging out on the beach and just enjoying the Caribbean like ocean. There is a restaurant and facilities there as well. You basically have plenty of free time to explore Contadora Island. They will grill up a tasty BBQ lunch on the boat while you are enjoying the beach.
On the way back they will continue to seek out whales, but the atmosphere turns more into a party boat than a whale watching tour. Overall this is a great day for the whole family full of plenty of activities and a taste of whale watching in the Pearl Islands. I would not recommend this to those who are entirely focused on the whales.
Whale Watching Pearl Islands + Isla Bolaños Beach Break
Type of Boat: Fast Ferry catamaran
Pricing: $160 adult, $130 children ages 5 to 12. Under 5 free!
Departs: Saturdays & Sundays only from Brisas del Armador at 8:00am
Duration: 9 Hours
We are happy to have this tour back this year with a few changes we like. This tour is hosted by the pioneer of whale watching in Panama, Ann Gordon de Barrigon. Her passion for cetaceans and depth of knowledge of the humpback whales is what sets this whale watching tour apart from the rest.
The single deck catamaran is actually quite fast, so this tour departs a bit later than the other catamaran whale watching tours. You will spend the first few hours of the day seeking out whales and even have the opportunity to listen to them sing thanks to the hydrophone on board.
They have changed the island they visit from Isla Contadora to Isla Bolaños. I love the change as this is a completely secluded beach with private access for their group only. They have chairs and umbrellas set up do a traditional BBQ served on picnic tables. There are restrooms on the island, but not much else. Just a great place to relax and swim and explore.
Very similar to the other catamaran tour in design, but a different focus. I recommend this tour to all ages, and especially those who are passionate about seeing and learning more about whales in their natural environment.
Private Whale Watching Charter from Panama City
Type of Boat: 27′ Speed Boat
Pricing: $1150 for up to 9 people
Departs: Any time, any day!
Duration: 8 Hours
Finally! We found a private whale watching charter at a reasonable price to offer our clients. The 27′ Proline is a super comfy boat with the perfect seating arrangement for whale watching. It is also the perfect vessel for navigating the Pearl Islands. It can make it out to the archipelago in under an hour, so that leaves you plenty of time to seek out whales as well as explore more of the Pearl Islands than most charters.
The best part about the chartering your own boat is that you can customize your trip however you like. You are not bound by an itinerary, so you can follow the whales all day long if you wish, or take breaks exploring the Pearl Islands or snorkeling in the crystal blue water.
This boat has snorkeling gear, fishing gear, boogie boards and more to enjoy. They provide beer, water and juices on board and have the option to bring your own food or have them prepare a BBQ lunch while you have fun.
If you are serious about whale watching, they can hire a marine biologist with a hydrophone to ensure you have the ultimate whale watching experience. The $15o seems like a lot at first, but if you have a full boat, that is just over $16 per person for a truly unforgettable whale watching experience in Panama.
The private whale watching charters are great for those who prefer a VIP experience or simply like to move to the beat of their own drum. The private charter is still an affordable option for groups who are unable to participate in the special promotion weekends. This is also a great option if you are visiting when the whales are visiting from the northern hemisphere. The fast boat is great for seeking out whales, even when there are less to be found.
Gulf of Chiriqui Whale Watching Tour Options in 2018
Whale watching in the Gulf of Chiriqui has also grown over the past few years. The great thing about the Gulf of Chiriqui is that it is a protected marine park. This means no large ship traffic and a natural safe haven for not only whales, but over 20 different species of marine mammals. The whale watching season in the Gulf of Chiriqui runs from mid-June to mid-October every year, but spotting marine life and whales is best between August and September.
There are a small handful of companies offering whale watching tours departing from Boquete, but we have found due to the lack of interest, many times they combine all visitors into one tour rather than operating them all separately. It does not make sense to send out 3 different boats with 2 people each, so we understand and ask our clients to be flexible. Better to combine groups and go together rather than not be able to go at all due to lack of participants.
The whale watching tour we offer from Boquete sometimes goes to Isla Bolanos and sometimes goes to Bocas Bravas depending who operates the tour that day. The experience is nearly the same, the only difference is that Isla Bolanos is in the marine park, so it has no facilities. Something to consider, but they stop for bathroom breaks on the drive to and from, so not too much of an inconvenience. Sadly we are sure pretty much everyone is using the ocean if necessary.
Gulf of Chiriqui Whale Watching + Beach Break
Type of Boat: Panga style boat with shade (outboard motor)
Pricing: $73 Per person, children same as adults
Departs: Daily depending availability
Duration: 9.5 Hours
This tour departs from Boquete between 7am and 8am in a van for the 1.5 to 2hr drive to Boca Chica where you meet with the boat. We recommend eating a good breakfast before you go or packing snacks for the road. Once at Boca Chica they take you to board the boat and head out into the Chiriqui National Marine Park. The time spent searching for whales varies depending on how many whales are spotted and the interest of the group.
Like all the whale watching tours in Panama, this one includes a stop at a secluded beach as well. Actually, this is something I love about whale watching in Panama! In most places that you go to observe whales, you spend about 4 hours on a boat and return to shore. In Panama, they have the fortune to mix up the day with beach time, brilliant! In Chiriqui however, more time is spent on the islands than in the boat since you do not have to travel very far to see whales.
As mentioned, they stop at a couple different islands. Isla Bolaños is the most popular stop. This is the uninhabited island inside the marine park. This has no facilities, but it is a stunningly secluded little island that is perfect for relaxing on the beach. You can actually see whales right from the beach at times. The other island they stop at is Boca Brava. This is a large (3000 hectare large) island just across from Boca Chica. The great thing about Boca Brava is that it is surrounded by mangroves and tropical vegetation that is inviting to wildlife and tropical birds. Boca Brava is just outside of the National Marine Park, so there are facilities there.
Whale watching Chiriqui Gulf is also on our list of top 5 things to do in Boquete. If you are visiting Boquete, or David during the summer months of July to September, I would highly recommend this tour to single adventurers, couples and families without young children. This is also the most economical whale watching tour anywhere in Panama that includes transportation.
Panama Whale Watching Season 2018
Now that the whale watching season in Panama is among us once again, we hope that more of you have the opportunity to experience the incredible whale watching opportunities in Panama. We hope you find this list helpful and we welcome your comments based on your own experiences. If you have additional questions about any of the tours listed above, please let us know and we will be happy to assist you.