Colon Islands Tour (Panama Caribbean Coast)

Not only will I highlight and review our food stops on this trip, but I need to share all the travel adventures! You never know if you will find yourself in Panama, so here is my review. The first of our adventure days was spend on a Colon Islands Tour. Colon City is on the Caribbean side of Panama and only a little over an hour commute. Though we drove further down the coast for our island hopping adventure. Overall it was just under 3 hours of a drive to our destination.

We had our very own tour guide, Daniel, and he was awesome. If you ever sign up for this tour, I would recommend requesting him if possible! It was an early morning wake up call as we had to be ready to be picked up by 7am. But Daniel came right to my cousin’s place to pick us up. He was a great tour guide, sharing facts and history of Panama the entire ride. We made a few pit stops. First a grocery store where we were able to get some beer and cooler to enjoy on each island stop! And let me say, compared the states, beer was cheap! We could get a six pack for under $6! lol The second stop was a local street vendor in Colon for some bananas to feed the monkeys! Both key items you will need for this tour!

Once we arrived at the boat peer, we met our captain, Jesus. Though he didn’t speak English, he was a great guide to all the islands. First stop on the tour was monkey island, Isla Linton. This is where the bananas came in handy! We each were able to feed the monkey as he walked right up to shore waiting for his sweet treat. We were warned not to try and trick him or play with him. A simple feed the monkey and that was it LOL. Always good to be on the safe side.

Next stop was a natural pool in Isla Linton. Here we enjoyed crystal clear water, warmer waters in the sun. It was relaxing, pretty and a great stop for a swim! Next stop was Isla Mamey, where we road through the Love Tunnel. It was a small natural passage through mangroves that gave a bit of a “rainforest” adventure feel and vibe! After passing through the Love Tunnel, we stopped a gorgeous white sand beach of Isla Mamey. Here we were able to relax in the sun (or shade for some lol), swim in more crystal clear water! This was a bit more rocky/sandy than the natural pool. (I recommend some water shoes) There was a small reef that you could explore and snorkel. It a bit of work out trying to swim against the current lol. But I was able to see a variety of fish and creatures! This location our cooler full of beer and snacks was the perfect afternoon on the beach!

Our final island stop on this tour was Isla Grande, Colon Province. Here we first enjoyed an ocean front lunch at El Coral. (This is not included in the tour package and you should bring cash). So many good fresh seafood options (and others) to pick from. Every dish is made to order by the chef and owner. We started off with drinks. I ordered a Caipriniha (my new favorite drink to order, drink and now make lol). This time around I opted to order the grilled shrimp with french fries. 9/10, so delicious! Also expect to be joined by the local island dogs. They are friendly, patient and just a bit hungry!

After lunch, we spend some time on the beach front of Isla Grande. This location has a resort that you can come back and stay over night. There is some water sports, vendors selling merchandise and a masseuse. Mom enjoyed a quick 30 min massage – which was definitely more like an hour. But hey, who complains about that! I tried to swim and snorkel at this location, but the water was a bit deeper and quicker waves. So instead, I enjoyed some time in the sun!

We finally made our way back to the boat and back to the port. We enjoyed all the island views, fun facts and history. Our drive back we stopped at Portobelo National Park, Colon Panama. Here we were able to explore some of the fort still standing and learn of some of the history. Our drive back seem longer on the way home since we hit traffic. But also since we were drained from a fun day in the sun. It was about 11-12 hours in total for this tour. Overall, I give this tour a 9/10 and would recommend. I do really think Daniel, our tour guide, made it such a great experience! But it was a great island tour on the Caribbean coast.

Live to Eat & Travel,
Tiv