Cayos Holandeses

Isla Estrella

Yes, you can visit Isla Estrella in a single day. It sits in the Cayos Holandeses area and is included in 2 of our day trips from Panama City, from $135 per person: pickup is around 5:00 am and you are back the same day.

It owes its name to the starfish that dwell in its shallow waters.

Cayos HolandesesArea of the archipelago

2Tours that stop here

$135From, per person

4Islands the same day

It takes its name from what is on the bottom: large starfish resting in water that comes up to your waist. You see them standing, with no mask and without being a strong swimmer, and it is one of the few things in San Blas that impresses an adult as much as a child.

We ask one thing here, and we always ask it: they do not come out of the water. A starfish out of the water suffocates in under a minute, and the photo holding one up is the reason there are none left in other areas.

Photo from the Day Tour to Cayos Holandeses tour — Photo from our “Day Tour to Cayos Holandeses” tour, which stops here. We do not yet have a photo confirmed to be of this particular island, and we would rather say so than pass one off as it.

Which tours include Isla Estrella

Several routes stop here. What changes is which other islands come with it, and the price.

$135 Day Tour to Cayos Holandeses Same day: Isla Tortuga · Banedup $135 Photo Tour: The Postcard Keys Same day: Isla Chichime · Cayos Coco Bandero

What else you see the same day

No day trip stops at just one island. These are the ones that share the morning with Isla Estrella.

Isla Chichime Two twin islands with the most photographed palm trees in Guna Yala; a favorite spot for sailboats.
Isla Tortuga One of the most remote and crystal-clear keys in San Blas; world-class snorkeling.
Banedup An almost pristine cay in the Holandeses chain, surrounded by living reefs.
Cayos Coco Bandero A mini-archipelago of tiny islands with some of the best-preserved coral reefs in the region.

Other islands in Cayos Holandeses

Questions about Isla Estrella

Can you visit Isla Estrella in a single day?

Yes. You leave Panama City around 5:00 am by 4x4, cross into the comarca and continue by boat; you are back the same afternoon. No overnight stay needed.

How much does it cost to reach Isla Estrella?

From $135 per person, depending on which of our routes you take. That price already covers the door-to-door 4x4, the boat, lunch and the guide. The only extra is the comarca entrance fee, paid once: $22 for foreigners and $7 for residents, in cash and directly to the Guna community.

How long do you spend on Isla Estrella?

A day trip splits the morning and afternoon between the islands on the itinerary, so no single stop lasts all day. If you would rather stay on one island without rushing, message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you which route comes closest.

Do I have to swim to see the starfish?

No. They sit where the water comes up to your waist, so you see them standing, without a mask. It is one of those sights that leaves an adult as quiet as a child.

Can I hold one for a photo?

We ask you not to: out of the water a starfish stops breathing in under a minute. Slide your hand underneath without lifting it and the photo works just the same. Where the opposite was allowed, none are left.