Tour to the Caribbean Coast: 3 Islands: Grande, Mamey and Monkey plus "Love Tunnel", Including Historic Portobelo Fort

based on 25 reviews

Duration:11 hours (approx.)
Location: Panama City, Panama

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Join us on our one-day Caribbean Coast adventure, visiting three pristine islands (Isla Grande, Isla Linton and Isla Mamey) plus the "Love Tunnel" and the old world town of Portobelo. Experience the other side of Panama, with its Caribbean charm, vivid history and afro-latin rhythms. Only 2.5 hours away from Panama City, you will be immersed in a different world of pristine beaches, turquoise waters and colorful culture.

‘Puerto Bello, ’the Beautiful Port, was named by Christopher Columbus in 1502, when he landed here on his fourth New World voyage. Since it was common during that time to abbreviate Spanish names, the beautiful port quickly became known as simply ‘Portobelo.’

We offer you the BEST:
- Timely pick up from your lodging in Panama City
- Spacious and comfortable transportation with friendly and knowledgeable drivers.
- Expert native guides.
- Excellent customer service. We are available to help you with any questions or needs.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Panama City
All guests are picked up from their accommodation in Panama City.
2. Portobelo National Park
We will make a short stop for visitors to take photos at the beautiful ruins of Portobelo and our guide will explain the history of this fort.
3. Colon
The tour starts at 7am, with our bi-lingual driver and guide picking you up from your lodging in Panama City. Enjoy our comfortable, air-conditioned car as we cross the country from the Pacific side to the Atlantic side. At 9:30am we arrive at the port, where a lancha boat will take you to the monkey island Isla Linton, which is famous for its Howler monkeys inhabiting the dense forest canopies. You will hear their barking howls when disembarking the boat and may also spot a few curious faces looking at you from atop the trees. Isla Linton also has a natural pool, surrounded by mangroves, inviting you to soak in the balmy, shallow waters. The experience will almost feel surreal, as realize your heightened senses, listening to the multitude of birds chirping all around you and the occasional monkey bellowing at his companions, all while sitting waist deep in a natural bathtub.
4. Isla Mamey
We continue our tour to Isla Mamey though the “Love Tunnel”, a small passage for our boat through the mangroves. Isla Mamey will welcome you from afar with its large white sand beach. With a huge, shallow reef right in front, this will be the perfect opportunity for you to unpack your snorkel and dive into the iridescent ocean. Various palm trees will afford plenty of shade, inviting you to lay down and enjoy the gentle Caribbean breeze.
5. Isla Grande
At noon we head to Isla Grande, a short 10 minute boat ride from Isla Mamey. As you step off the boat you will be welcomed by palm trees and white-sand beaches. A popular getaway for folk escaping the urban grind of Panama City, Isla Grande is an ideal setting for snorkeling, scuba diving or simply soaking up the island’s relaxed vibe. There are no roads here, just a small footpath along the island's southern coast, backed by pastel-colored cottages. Many of the people living here are of African descent and are eking out a living from fishing and growing coconuts – you’ll get a taste of both when you sample the local cuisine. We will take you to an oceanfront restaurant, where seafood is served fresh from the ocean to your plate and where you can spend the rest of the day lounging on the private beach, sipping on a cold Balboa beer or snacking on delicious Patacones (fried plantains).
6. Portobelo
At 3pm we will return to the port, making our way back to Portobelo, giving us the opportunity to explore the rich historical buildings around town. ‘Puerto Bello, ’the Beautiful Port, was named by Christopher Columbus in 1502, when he landed here on his fourth New World voyage. Since it was common during that time to abbreviate Spanish names, the beautiful port quickly became known as simply ‘Portobelo.’ During the 16th to the 18th centuries Portobelo was an important silver-exporting town and one of the two Atlantic ports on the route of the Spanish treasure fleets. The city of San Felipe de Portobelo was officially founded in 1597 and its ensuing 200-year history was riddled with various invasions by English privateers and the Royal Navy. The first attack on Portobelo happened in 1602 by the English pirate William Parker, but it was the infamous Sir Henry Morgan who managed to sack the city in 1671. Attacks on Portobelo continued unabated until the city was ultimately destroyed in 1739 by an attack led by Admiral Edward Vernon. Although Portobelo was rebuilt in 1751, it never attained its former glory and over time became a virtual ruin. Later, much of the outermost fortress was dismantled to help building the Panama Canal. Many of the larger stones were used in the construction of the Gatún Locks. There are, however, still considerable parts of the town and fortresses left to explore and take pictures of. Portobelo is now protected as a national park and as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Today Portobelo’s residents make a living by fishing, growing crops or raising livestock. Though economically depressed, Portobelo is experiencing somewhat of a cultural revival, with renewed interest in Congo art, music (especially punta, better known abroad as reggaetón) and dancing. Each year the town bursts to life on October 21 for the Festival del Cristo Negro, one of the country’s most vibrant and spiritual celebrations.

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Posted By : Sarah_C
Great trip from standing by cannons in Portobello that had been uses to fight off the Spanish, to feeding spider monkeys, swimming in the mangroves and relaxing on beautiful sandy beaches a trip not to be missed

Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-08 18:28:48

Posted By : HappyFamily43082
We booked directly through TAO. Communication was efficient. We did not realize this would be a private tour. Our tour guide, Ana, was terrific. She's a proud Panamanian who loves to show off her beautiful country. She provided knowledgeable commentary throughout the tour. Her SUV was comfortable for four guests. Our first stop in Portobelo was limited as a movie was being filmed at one of the forts. The island stops were interesting. We brought snorkeling gear, although Isla Moray has a very shallow reef. Lunch on Isla Grande was good, but the pina coladas were excellent!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-01 20:53:31

Posted By : Rickster4665
We had Anna as our guide. She was great and on time, she hit every stop on our toue and was very informative. We spent all day with her as it was an 11 hour trip from start to finish. I was worth every penny!!!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-03-04 10:11:41

Posted By : Richard_P
Anna was right on time and got us to everything we wanted to see. Would recommend this trip to everyone
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-02-15 12:14:05

Posted By : Shaun_B
This was a ton of fun, very nice driver, explained a lot about the culture and took us on a fun adventure.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-06 01:15:05

Posted By : David_P
This was a nice trip but a bit overpriced. We saw some nice beaches and visited some ruins. No food is included. Not even a bottle of water. The beach location seemed like it was abandoned and restrooms were not clean. Water was beautiful and calm.

Driver/tour guide was awesome. He was friendly, informative and very helpful.

Boat driver was also friendly and knew his way around the waters very well.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-08-18 16:29:36

Posted By : Shelley_S
The driver took us to grocery store restrooms which were not pleasant and we only went to one out of the three islands. We did see the fort though. Oscar was basically a driver and not a tour guide. He was talking to locals the whole time while we were bored at the first island. We went up to him several times to tell him to go to the next place. We were his only guests (no others on the tour). No one from their team responded to our messages or emails either afterwards to get some kind of refund. It was not worth the money and half of our day was wasted. Other tours were great and informative and productive but not this one.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-08-16 22:27:34

Posted By : Explore34379170099
My husband and I enjoyed ourselves so much. Our tour guide, Ana Lorena, from Tao Travel 365, was AMAZING!!! She made sure to give us all the information possible. She was energetic, funny, happy, enthusiastic, and informative. We enjoyed ourselves so much. I definitely recommend this tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-08-05 16:05:37

Posted By : Rebecca_H
It was much easier than getting ourselves there independently and finding a boat, but that’s all it was. I had hoped for a guide who was interested in telling us about the history, the life in the islands, but we did not get that. She basically escorted us, and was very nice, but it wasn’t a tour. It was a very expensive ride. I know the monkeys are habituated to people and are used to being fed. I don’t think it’s ok our guide gave the monkey the empty peanut wrapper to then be discarded on the island or end up in the ocean. Even my nine year old was unhappy about this, she knows not to endanger wildlife or pollute. Overall we had a good time but I don’t think the cost for the experience we had was worth it. With a guide who is more than a driver, I think it could be very different.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-07-18 10:47:08

Posted By : Tonya_T
Having the opportunity to feed the monkeys and swim in the mangroves was the best! We also enjoyed Isla Grande but Isla Mamey was very rocky so water shoes are highly recommended. Everywhere we stopped, we enjoyed the clear water. Beautiful!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-07-13 15:28:04