Isla Grande Hotel

Sister Moon Hotel, Peace and Relaxation

Located on a hilly slope and surrounded by palm trees, the Sister Moon Hotel is located 20 minutes away from the island- perfect walking distance to be exact. The first thing you might notice about the hotel is likely to be the backpacker style layout it has. I was really fond of how humble the hotel looked compared to the rest of the corporate looking facilities out there. The Sister Moon Hotel offers so much for so little. Rooms are usually available during anytime of the year. If you’re just stopping by and need a place to stay, backpackers are always welcome. Try getting a bunk bed unit for travelers.

When I walked in one of the standard rooms for the first time, I was blown away with how nicely decorated it was, despite the fact that it is not a luxurious hotel. It’s actually a very economic alternative.

The rum bar is actually very popular among locals and frequent visitors. Have a drink and talk with lots of different and interesting people from so many backgrounds. Drinks have never been too expensive here, so feel free to look at the menu with no fear. If you’re into adventuring, try a boat ride for only $3 USD per person. The pier is just 2 or 3 minutes away from the hotel.

You might want to watch out for a couple of things. The boat ride doubles in price during the evening for no apparent reason. The surf is extremely loud at night, louder than other parts of Isla Grande. So keep that in mind before you visit.

To book reservations at the Sister Moon Hotel, click here.

Fishing is something I’ve learned these couple of months, and I have to admit, it’s a lot of fun if you find a great fishing spot. Isla Grande offers a variety of fishes of all types, from sergeant fishes to large tuna fishes. You don’t really need much experience if you want to catch some good fishes, these waters are practically gold mines of the sea, you’re going to catch all kinds of fish here. I don’t feel Isla Grande really promotes fishing in their tourism agenda, perhaps because most of their visitors have no interest in fishing, who knows.

Don’t expect to find fishing experts like in San Blas, I suggest you bring your own rod and equipment and try your luck. Most of the experienced fishers already know what kind of fish are found in certain areas of the ocean, so if you run into any of them, try asking for a couple of tips. You might find certain places where fishing equipment are available for rental, yet most of them are very hard to find. Try asking a local, they are always willing to help out with any questions you might have regarding Isla Grande.

Isla Grande will never be the ideal place for fishing but it is encouraged. If you know nothing about fishing, you might want to find somebody that does. Proper training at Isla Grande is practically non existent. Fishing should be enjoyed at its full experience and in a relaxing environment, Isla Grande has just what you need.

“For more information click here”

If there is paradise on earth, it is here, it is here. These oft-quoted lines, written in another language, for another place, come repeatedly to mind when one merely looks around when on Isla Grande. The name is a misnomer, as it is actually a rather small island in the Caribbean, off the mainland town of Portobelo, which is located an hour and a half from Panama City.

Much of Isla Grande is protected and open only to limited tourism. Hopefully, the restrictions will protect this gorgeous, emerald paradise forever. Covered by virgin tropical rainforest, there are two walking trails, one leading to a lighthouse and the other leading to the other side of the island where you will find a postcard-perfect beach, known as La Punta. The beach is surrounded by coral reefs, which give the water a greenish hue. A little further down the beach, the waters are ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving. With the water perpetually at 28 to 30 degrees, no matter what the weather may be like, a dip in the water is always heavenly. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Chris Walker – Our family went and stayed for 3 days / nights in the Banana’s resort on Isla Grande. Overall we enjoyed our stay. The scenery was beautiful, the staff was very friendly, and the accommodations were excellent. The group was running a pricing “lodging special” for kids to stay free. What was not included was transportation from Panama City, meal costs on the island (except for breakfast), and the water taxi to get to the island. Thankfully, we brought cash with us to cover the water taxi, as that charge was not a piece of information until we were in the van on the way. Trying to secure a reservation was a cumbersome process that involved emails, international phone calls, and international faxes. It was challenging to get it done, and the lack of information that we are used to having (confirmations, confirmation numbers, etc) left us wondering if we really were going. We used their taxi service to get there, as our planned arrangements to get there ourselves fell apart. The driver was nice, prompt, and did his best to avoid the potholes on the road beyond Portobello. Read the rest of this entry »

We spent the weekend out on Isla Grande at the Banana’s Resort. Here’s a quick trip report. (Note: It seems like the link we had for Banana’s in Panama Guide already is broken. I’ll find their new webpage and fix the broken link later…)

For starters, we made our reservation on Saturday morning by calling the office in Panama City. After they had confirmed they had an open room at $119 per night, I informed them I was retired an entitled to the pensionado discount. They dropped the price to $83 per night, and that was honored when we got out to the island. So, good news there. Read the rest of this entry »