Isla de Cañas is an island in the Los Santos region, located a 15-minute drive from Venao Beach, and it truly serves as a perfect getaway. The island is home to 500 residents and features a small village in its midst. On the island, you'll find a picturesque hostel called 'Pachamama,' managed by a French couple that evokes memories of Robinson Crusoe.
The experience on Isla de Cañas is unique and exceptional, but as mentioned, it is an adventure. The island and Pachamama both offer limited facilities. If you have a love for nature and adventure, you should definitely not miss this destination during your journey through Panama!
PACHAMAMA
As mentioned earlier, Pachamama is run by an exceptionally hospitable French couple, Jean Pierre and Irina. Six years ago, they purchased a portion of Isla de Cañas and transformed it into a hostel. Here, you are completely secluded, and even during the high season, it will still feel intimate with a maximum of 10 sleeping spots.
On one side of their property, you have the Pacific Ocean, which offers beautiful waves at high tide for a potential surf session. On the other side, you'll find calm waters that connect the sea with the mangrove rivers flowing from the inland.
The terrain consists entirely of sand, and the large indoor space is constructed in a traditional manner using palm leaves, much like the local population did for their homes. Therefore, you essentially don't need shoes, except during the balmy evenings when mosquitoes are active. It is advisable to bring plenty of mosquito repellent or wear protective clothing during those times. Because of the remote location, power is generated by solar panels, so there is only daytime availability for charging your devices during sunny hours.
The cabins are constructed in the same traditional manner and offer a double bed with an optional additional single bed. They also rent out a covered tent with space for your belongings. Finally, there are two hammocks available for rent as dorm beds. For current prices for your desired date, click here.
ANIMALES Not only are you surrounded by nature, but the island is also teeming with animals. The pets of Pachamama that reside on the property include the playful dog named Coco, a cat with a high cuddle factor, and a parrot named Papu, who can speak a few words. Around the property, you'll also find about a dozen chickens that might sneak your food off the table if you're not careful.
During kayaking or a beach walk, you can spot numerous waterfowl, especially along the mangrove shores as they search for their meals of fish and crabs. In the evenings, beautiful purple and orange-colored crabs emerge, occasionally making unexpected appearances near your feet as you sit at the table. It's also possible to encounter a bat in your cabin or in the restroom.
The island is also known for the sea turtles that swim here annually to lay their eggs on the beaches of Isla de Cañas. Several sea turtles are visible at night during that period, especially when the moon is absent, creating an exceptionally dark environment. Later in the blog, you can read all about the turtles and the turtle project initiated by Jean Pierre.
ACTIVITIES At Pachamama, you can rent kayaks to explore the mangrove rivers. There are several tributaries that venture deeper into the mangrove forests. Kayaking is fantastic at both high and low tides. During low tide, you can paddle through the shallow tributaries and get a good view of the mangrove's structure. However, there is more current during low tide, making paddling a bit more challenging. At high tide, the rivers are full, and you can navigate through the upper layers of the mangrove forest, especially in the early morning, offering a unique experience due to the tranquility and the sounds of wildlife.
You can also rent surfboards. The waves are particularly good during high tide. Please note that the surfboards are of a different quality compared to those at Venao Beach and may show some wear. It's helpful to bring your own wax block for better grip. However, the advantage is that you have the beach to yourself, so this is definitely a recommended activity.
The beach is practically private, except for a few local residents working on nearby plantations. As a result, beach walks in both directions are beautiful, especially at sunrise when the sky is painted with lovely colors. Unfortunately, there is a lot of washed-up litter among the small sand dunes.
FOOD & DRINKS ON ISLA DE CAÑAS
Pachamama offers a full board package for $30. This includes a breakfast with eggs, toast, various homemade jams, and coffee/tea. The lunch and dinner consist of two courses and are entirely fresh and homemade. For instance, the courses may include a starter like beetroot or cucumber gazpacho, followed by a seafood pasta, chili con carne, or another dish. Jean Pierre goes out with the high tide multiple times a week to search for the seafood used in the pasta, so they are incredibly fresh and delicious! You can also order the meals separately ($6 for breakfast and $12 for lunch or dinner). For example, we combined cooking our own meals with having some at Pachamama. Irina's cooking skills are fantastic, and you should definitely try a few of her meals.
The little kitchen you are allowed to use for cooking has everything you need to prepare a meal. Since Isla de Cañas lacks waste disposal facilities, you must take everything you bring and use back to the mainland. At the 'Muelle' dock, which is where you take the charter from Pachamama, there is a large garbage container.
If you're on a tighter budget, you can choose to walk 2 km to the village and eat at one of the five restaurants there. Here, you can order simple dishes with chicken/meat, fries, and a small salad for just $5. Don't expect much, but it could be a budget-friendly alternative.
In the two small mini-markets in the village, you can purchase some basic products, but don't expect an extensive selection. They offer rice, pasta, corn, cookies, and soft drinks. Therefore, it is advisable to do your grocery shopping on the mainland before arriving if you plan to cook for yourself. For instance, they do not have vegetables or fruit.
Pachamama also offers delicious and affordable cocktails, fresh coconuts, and other beverages. It's delightful to sit on a beach chair in the late afternoon, savoring one of their cocktails while enjoying the sunset. They have a large lime tree on their property from which they make fresh lemonade. It's wonderfully refreshing after an afternoon of swimming or kayaking!
TURTLE PROJECT
Every year, hundreds of sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches of Isla de Cañas between July and October. Especially in September and October, the turtles come ashore at night on a daily basis.
The major issue on the island is that the local population also collects the eggs to sell or consume, which is not illegal. In an effort to contribute to an existing conservation project located 4 km away, Jean Pierre has decided to establish his own project. He has constructed his own hatchery that is completely protected from local residents and predators who also seek to acquire the eggs.
You can go with Jean Pierre in the evening/night to search for nesting turtles. During the daytime and in the evening, the hatched baby turtles are released into the sea. You do this together with Jean Pierre or Irina, and you must guide the little baby turtles to the sea because there are many vultures and crabs waiting to prey on them. If you're lucky, you can witness these two remarkable events during your visit to the island.
The baby turtles hatch approximately 60 days after being laid. Together with Jean Pierre, you count the hatched babies and then take them to the shoreline. It's essential for babies younger than 2 days to cover a short distance on the beach by themselves to increase their chances of survival. Babies that are 2 days or older can be placed directly in the water. There are no exact figures, but approximately 1 in 1,000 survives the arduous journey to adulthood.
Afterward, the nests are checked for any babies that may not have emerged for various reasons. If the nests are empty, they can be used again for new nests.
HOW TO GET TO ISLA DE CAÑAS?
To reach a remote island, you'll need to put in a bit more effort than simply boarding a long-distance bus and arriving at your destination. But as mentioned earlier, it's an adventure if you plan to visit this destination.
If you're in Venao, you can take a local minibus from there in the direction of Cañas. The white minibuses always display the destination on their windshields, so you can tell if the minibus is going to Cañas. This is the final destination. It's best to flag down these minibuses at the beginning of the village because they almost always turn into Venao to drop off tourists at their hostels. The fare should not be more than $1 per person, as it's only a 15-minute drive. While we were waiting for the minibus, we were fortunate that a friendly woman was willing to give us a ride and drop us off in Cañas.
As far as we know, the minibus to Cañas departs three times a day. In the morning around 10 o'clock, approximately around a quarter to one in the afternoon, and sometime in the late afternoon. The times can vary, and it depends on when this minibus departs from Pedasi. Have you already arrived in Venao Beach with a minibus from Pedasi? Then this is likely the minibus that can take you to Cañas. You can ask the driver about the approximate departure times in Venao.
From Cañas, it gets a bit more complicated because we're not sure if the minibus can drop you off at the desired location in Cañas. The thing is, Cañas has two ports (puertos).
At the far port called 'Puerto de Cañas,' the public boat departs for $1.5 one way throughout the day to the village on the island. The turnoff to this port is still 3 km beyond the town of Cañas. From the turnoff, it's another 2.5 km to the boats. During low tide, there's a chance you may have to walk through the soft mangrove ground to reach the boats in the final stretch. Once you arrive in the village on the island, it's another 2 km walk along the beach to the hostel. Check the current tides on the tides chart website via this link.
At the other port, named 'Muelle,' which is located 1.8 km south of the town of Cañas, you can be picked up by the charter from Pachamama for $16 per trip. This port is potentially reachable on foot from the village. We walked it with backpacks, and it's quite hot but doable. So, if you take the minibus from Venao Beach, they might drop you off at Muelle.
Another option to reach the ports is to take a taxi from Venao Beach. This ride costs $15. The advantage is that they can drop you off at the desired port. However, we found it too expensive for a 15-minute ride, so we arranged a ride with someone from Venao Beach.
As you probably understand by now, the easiest and quickest of these options is to arrange the charter from the hostel. You will be picked up at Muelle at the desired time and sail directly to the hostel. How you get to Muelle depends on your budget. A taxi is fast, takes you to the port, but is quite expensive. The minibus is cheap but has limited daily departures, and it's uncertain if they can drop you at the port. While waiting for the minibus, you may be lucky to catch a ride with someone else!
If you have any questions about Isla de Cañas, another topic, or simply want to have a friendly chat, please feel free to send us a message in the chat!
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