Service· Carti· Other Caribbean

Carti Road to Panama City (Crew Change)

9° 27.2′ N · 78° 59.5′ W

The only road into Guna Yala climbs over the continental divide from the Pan-American Highway to the Carti ports, about 2 to 3.5 hours from Panama City, and is the standard way to swap crew or run a provisioning trip.

Belize Barrier Reef

Practical

Position is the Punta Redonda dock anchorage, 09°27.207'N 078°59.531'W, good holding in sandy mud right off the beach and dock with a reef off the point for protection (Spirit of Argo 2016; $2 to use the dock, launch $5 to a boat; other pick-up spots are Carti Sugdub, Punta Cupula/Nonomulu and Acuadup). The mainland ports (Barsukun, Niga Kantule, Dibin) are collectively called Carti; Niga Kantule charged a $2 port fee (Wikivoyage 2016). See also the El Llano–Cartí Road entry for bus and shared-car options. Everyone pays a Guna entry fee at the road checkpoint: $20 for foreigners, $7 for nationals (Wikivoyage); operators now quote $20–22 (2025). Shared 4x4 transfers leave Panama City around 5 am, $25–40 per person each way (verify locally). Only registered vehicles are allowed on the final stretch. IMPORTANT: if your boat has not yet cleared into Panama, do not take the Carti road; police checkpoints fine or arrest anyone without an immigration entry stamp (Noonsite). Getting crew in or out by road was reported very difficult in 2018; flights to Porvenir or Playón Chico are the alternative.

Best for

Crew changes and provisioning runs to Panama City

Nearby