Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Tocumen International Airport (PTY). Airport transfer is available at an extra cost.
Arrival by bus
Santa Catalina is in the province of Veraguas, 400 kilometers away from Panama City (six hours drive). Buses depart from Albrook big bus station and change bus in Santiago and in Sona. The cost is about 20 USD.
When you're in Panama city, you take the metro train to the last stop, Albrook Station. From there you find the buses to the town, Santiago (3 hours). From Santiago, you change bus to go to Soná (1 hour). And finally in Soná you change for the Santa Catalina bus (1.5 hour ).
Start traveling in the morning because the last bus from sona to Santa Catalina is at around 4 p.m. When you arrive at Santa Catalina, you hop off at the center of town in the main intersection. From that intersection you want to go to the hostel, Surfers Paradise.
You take the steep road going up towards the Estero beach. You keep walking on the paved road for 1 km. And after the entrance of Santa Catalina Hotel. You have a dirt road going right. Keep going towards the sea and after 500 meter you arrive at the best place in town. The owner is Italo. He's going to host you.
Arrival by car
Driving directions from Panama City:
- Go to Santiago de Veraguas which takes four hours.
- Then, go south to Sona which takes one hour.
- One kilometer before Sona, turn left to Santa Catalina.
- After driving for 35 kilometers, turn left in El Tigre.
- After 15 kilometers, you are in Santa Catalina.
- Once there, follow the way to the beach of Estero.
- Turn left in the downtown intersection.
- On the way to Estero ,past Hotel Santa Catalina, on the next intersection you turn to the right on the dirt road.
- Follow the dirt road for 200 meters and you find Surfer's Paradise Hostel.