About this hotel
General information
Islas Secas is a private archipelago of fourteen volcanic islands in the Gulf of Chiriquí, some 32 km off Panama’s Pacific coast. The resort occupies only the main island, Isla Cavada; the other thirteen are left as they are – forest, cliffs, mangroves and empty sandy coves. Accommodation is scattered through the greenery on the slopes above the ocean, from a tented casita for two to the four-bedroom Casa Cavada on the cliffs, sixteen bedrooms and no more than 32 guests on the whole island. Interiors take their cue from Panamanian tradition: timber, natural fabrics, high ceilings and full-height windows.
Stays are all-inclusive, covering cooked-to-order meals, most drinks, the minibar, guided walks, snorkelling and diving within the archipelago, water sports, daily yoga and one 60-minute spa treatment per guest. There are no televisions, the night skies are dark and full of stars, and frigatebirds wheel over the islands by day. The island runs on solar power, and commercial fishing is banned in the surrounding waters.
Location
The islands lie in the Gulf of Chiriquí on Panama’s Pacific coast, about 32 km from the mainland, with Coiba National Park an hour away by boat. The resort’s own 16-seat Twin Otter flies on a schedule from Panama City to the airstrip on the main island in just over an hour; guests are met at Panama City’s international airport and helped through arrival formalities, and the resort can arrange a night in the city beforehand. The alternative is a domestic flight to David airport followed by a boat transfer of about 90 minutes; private aircraft land at David airport, about 20 minutes’ flight from the islands.
Spa
Secascent Spa sits enclosed by forest, offering aromatic massages, sound baths and restorative rituals, with a copper bath and suspended daybeds between treatments and birdsong in place of background music. One 60-minute treatment per guest is included, treatments are for over-18s and are best booked ahead. Each casita has a Secascent Mixology Box for blending a bath oil of your own. Yoga is held daily overlooking the Pacific, alongside forest rituals and stargazing sessions.
Sports & leisure
Most activities are included, and the Activities Center team plans each stay before arrival:
- diving at more than 20 sites close to the jetty, from sheltered coral gardens to volcanic pinnacles and walls; a three-hour Discover Scuba session for beginners, one dive a day for certified divers and a full PADI course on site
- snorkelling on the archipelago’s reefs, with parrotfish, sea turtles, eagle rays and the occasional dolphin
- kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, on your own or with a guide to the caves and blowholes of the outer islands; Hobie catamaran sailing, wakeboarding and wakesurfing
- e-foiling (over-12s) and Seabobs (over-10s)
- humpback whale watching – the southern population arrives in July–October, the northern in December–April – with Bryde’s whales and false killer whales also seen; hydrophones for listening to whale song and fluke photo-identification for research
- four guided trails of 2.1–3.4 km across Isla Cavada, leading to beaches, lookouts and the mangrove near Playa Canales; birdwatching with binoculars from the Activities Center
- a private day on a deserted beach on Isla Pargo or Isla Coco with snorkelling gear, kayaks and a picnic; sunset cruises aboard Cavada, a 50-foot yacht, with cocktails and Champagne
- at extra cost: day trips to Coiba National Park, about an hour by boat, for diving, snorkelling and walks in primary forest; surfing at Morro Negrito, 45 minutes by boat; and catch-and-release fishing for tuna and marlin offshore
- excursions to Boquete for its coffee farms and the forest trails around the Barú volcano (about 2.5 hours by boat and car), and to the Bocas del Toro archipelago, a 40-minute flight from the island airstrip
For children
The Activities Center team runs nature bingo on the forest trails, treasure hunts, exploring with magnifying glasses and telescopes, beach games, ceviche-making and other cooking sessions, cupcake decorating, movie nights and Spanish lessons. Children can learn to snorkel, teenagers can try a range of water sports, and taster dives offer a first go at scuba.
Restaurants & bars
Life centres on Terraza, a beachside space beneath a soaring thatched roof, open for breakfast, long lunches and dinner from a daily-changing menu rooted in Panamanian cooking and the catch of local fishermen – ceviche, catch of the day steamed in banana leaf, Panamanian barbecue. Next door, Balboa Bar mixes cocktails to order, with chess sets and sofas for reading, while light lunches and snacks are served by the Mango Pool. Guests choose when and where to eat: a beach picnic, a candlelit dinner under the stars or a seafood barbecue on the sand of Isla Pargo.
Swimming
The main place to swim is the Mango Pool, an infinity pool above the ocean with loungers under the palms, a short walk from Terraza. There is no sandy beach within walking distance on the main island: guests swim from the jetty at the Activities Center and from a swimming platform nearby, while the archipelago’s sandy beaches, such as Canales and Pargo, are a short boat ride away. Casita Sombras has its own steps down to a small sandy beach, and every casita except the tented ones has a private plunge pool.
Pets
Pets are not accepted.
Rooms
Six types of accommodation, from the tented casitas and the secluded Casita Mirador for two to two- and four-bedroom casitas with terraces and pools, plus the stand-alone Casa Cavada on the cliffs. All look out to the ocean through tropical greenery.
Each casita has an en-suite bathroom for every bedroom, individually controlled air conditioning and ceiling fans, high-speed Wi-Fi, a French press, a daily-replenished minibar with water, soft drinks, beer and snacks, bathrobes, flip-flops, a beach bag and towels, a hairdryer, a reusable water bottle, Secascent toiletries, reef-safe sunscreen, insect repellent and board games.
Casa Cavada
A stand-alone house on the cliffs, 700–800 m from the other casitas: four bedrooms with one king, two queen and two twin beds or one king and three queen beds, six bathrooms, a sitting room, kitchen, dining room, bar, gym and a large infinity pool with terrace. Up to 8 guests, with its own house manager, chef, housekeeping and bartender.
Casita Grande
Four separate casitas, each with its own bathroom, joined by a broad terrace and a pool above the ocean in tropical gardens on the south-east of the island; bedrooms have a king bed or two twin beds, and it can be booked with three or four bedrooms. Up to 8 guests; an outdoor movie night, private yoga, a sound session on the deck and a private dinner at the casita are included.
Casita Sombras
Two casitas high in the trees on the north of the island, linked by a sea-view terrace; a canopy walkway leads to the plunge pool and steps lead down to a small private sandy beach. Two en-suite bedrooms, each with a king bed or two twin beds; up to 4 guests.
Tres Palmas
Two separate casitas on the north-west of the island, joined by wraparound terraces with a plunge pool, deep daybeds and views over a calm lagoon. Two en-suite bedrooms, each with a king bed or two twin beds; up to 4 guests.
Casita Mirador
A secluded casita among the trees above the bay, with a terrace, plunge pool and daybeds under a thatched cabana. One en-suite bedroom with a king bed; up to 2 guests.
Tented Casita
A tented casita whose walls roll up to open the bedroom onto a terrace with views over the greenery to the sea, with large daybeds and an outdoor soaking tub. King bed, en-suite bathroom, up to 2 guests; the main pool by Terraza is a short walk away.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.