See Panama Formalities for detailed information on procedures for clearing into and out of Panama and how to obtain the cruising permit.
Full clearance can be done in Linton Bay during weekdays with the Port Authority based here. Immigration is 30 minutes away in Portobelo.
The authorities at Linton Bay Marina are closed at weekends. Hours are from 8 am to 4 pm.
Saturday, Sundays and Holidays there is an extra $
20,00 Charge.
Obtaining a cruising permit and authorization for a zarpe, still needs to be done in Colon - or - skippers can choose to pay an agent approx. US$75 to obtain the cruising permit on their behalf (at least 1 week turnaround). This won't delay you however, as it's possible to depart with the stamped receipt for the official permit and final authorization will be emailed to you in approx. 8 days. The original can be collected on the way back north.
The Port Authority office is in the same building as the marina office, in a blue container at the entrance to the Marina. Some English is spoken here.
All fees are payable in cash.
Important Note: There is no bank in Linton Bay (Puerto Lindo) or in Portobelo, but there are banks and ATMs in Sabanitas, which is on the way to Colon or Panama city. You can take a bus from Linton Bay to Sabanitas.
Last updated: November 2022
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Sailing Vessel Gray Ghost Oct 2020
Linton Bay Marina.
The Marina Has been open for almost 5 years .
While staying there I lost a new 3 months old Inverter Charger with a value well over$ 1200.00.They refused to Help to fix this in anyway.I found out later by asking around lots of others have also lost their inverter Chargers there.
The travel lift operator has damage many boats seriously with keels being pushed up into the hulls of catamarans as well as blowing out bulkheads on monohulls.There was very little training giving to the operator.There was a operator from Texas which had a good handle on the yard but the owners would not provide the replacement parts and supplyes to him to have a safe environment and safe equipment on site so he walked off the Job.Next in Line is a guy with very little training and experience, and now lots of boats are being damaged . The Boats in the yard are scraping and sanding next to the ocean and the reefs with out any ground protection at all .The heavy rains just wash all into the ocean.
The Club House was started 3 years ago and has been since been halted for 2 years now.The club house houses has a makeshift restaurant with unfinished cement floors, walls, and ceilings.Their water drainage is a Pvc pipe leading directly into the ocean.
The showers are two stalls for 80 plus boats and some 40 more hauled out ,not near enough.The toilet is one for the mens room prepare to wait.There sewage system is normally backed up and you can smell the strong sent coming from there septic tank which also dumps into a canal on site.This canal leads to the ocean. You decide.
Feedback from Susan Keating of SV Nordlys – 2 August 2018
We arrived in Linton Bay Panama August 1, the next morning we got our cruising permit right at Linton Bay Marina at the Port Captain Office on site. It was a simple and pleasant experience. The cost was $180US for one year permit, plus $5 fee.
Next stop was the Immigration office in Portobelo. Even though we arrived minutes before lunch we were received politely and processed quickly. We received a six-month visa. There were no further charges.
Altogether a pleasant experience as we had expected much worse from reading some other reports on Noonsite. Can’t was to explore this beautiful country.
Feedback from SY Moya:
Clearing into Panama at Porvenir and Puerto Lindo February 2018:
After leaving Columbia we were heading to San Blas and tried to clear into Panama in Porvenir. We succeeded to clear in with Immigration and persuaded him to issue our immigration the same day. Our passports have been stamped with a round stamp saying “entrada Porvenir“ at no cost.
After asking for a tourist visa, the official ensured, that the regulation has changed in a way that, no visa stamps will be granted any longer, instead the stamp in our passports enables us to stay in the country for 6 months from the time of entry.
At Porvenir, we also were asked to buy the cruising permit for San Blas issued by the Guna congress in the office next door (cost: 20USD for the boat, plus 20 USD for each person, our children (aged 3 and 5) were at no cost).
We specifically asked also to purchase the cruising permit for Panama for our sailing vessel, as several sources mentioned that the legal entry to the country can be concluded in Porvenir. The official informed us, that it is not possible to obtain the Panama cruising permit in Porvenir and that we are required to gain one in the next 72hrs at Puerto Lindo (50nm from Porvenir) or Colon, as otherwise we could be fined for illegal entry to the country of our boat.
We continued to Puerto Lindo and anchored between Isla Linton and the Marina. The Port Authority is located at the entrance to the Marina in a blue container. The Official was very nice, spoke some English, explained all procedures and efficiently issued our cruising permit (cost: 185 USD). Immigration at Puerto Lindo is not possible, however.
Reported by Paul Franssens – 14 January 2018:
We were anchored at Linton Bay prior to our canal crossing when our anchor winch refused to work any longer. It is an old model. The brand is not traceable as it is not mentioned anywhere on the winch.
We bought it second hand and installed it ourselves almost two years ago. It has always done the job until now.
Luckily for us, we met a German electrical engineer, Tom Valentin – phone: +507-6666-2598, E-mail: th.valentin@gmail.com.
He lives already ten years in Panama and has a boat in Linton Bay. He makes a living with installing and repairing electrical equipment for yachts anywhere in Panama. As it was at the very beginning of the season, he was on board his boat.
He had time to come over and although not familiar with the winch or the way the electric motor was constructed, he found out what was wrong and was able to help us. I don’t think so many people would put so much time and effort in an old winch as he did and so we were very pleased with him.
If you have an electric problem, I want to recommend him. He can make it and explain what he has done.
18 June 2016: Reported on the San Blas Cruisers Facebook Group
The Port Captain at Linton Bay Marina (Puerto Lindo) has all the stamps required to check you in for a year.
The cost to check in is $195 payable in cash only.
The Port Captain in Portobelo does not have the stamps for the cruising permit, therefore you would have to go to Colon or to Linton Bay Marina for that.
There is no immigration office at Linton Bay Marina as of today, but it is coming soon.
The closest immigration place from Linton Bay is in Portobelo where you can check into the country.
If the immigration office in Portobelo does not have a special visa, the one that costs $100, then you have 72 hours to get it, either in Colon or in Panama city.
The stamp obtained in Portobelo will be good for you to travel to the country for 72 hours.
There is no bank in Linton Bay (Puerto Lindo) or in Portobelo, but there are banks and ATMs in Sabanitas, which is on the way to Colon or Panama city.
Posted on behalf of Miki Barzam on “Two Oceans”:
The marina in Linton bay is well in operation – excellent docks, electricity available and water most of the time, depending on the local municipality. Very attractive rates at the moment: 0.47$ per foot for monohull 0.63$ for cats. Monthly – 0.3$ and 0.4$ respectively. Travel lift operational.
Posted on San Blas Cruisers Facebook Page – 22 May 2016:
As of today May 21, 2016, the Port Captain in Puerto Lindo HAS all the forms for checking a vessel into the country. He has the General Declaration, the Cruising Permit, The Commercial Entry Form (for those operating commercially, I guess) and can receive and issue zarpes. The immigration person will start on June 1.
We broke a propellor shaft a few miles east of Linton Bay Marina. The Adam Beitel had towed us into a safe anchorage (it was night) and to a slip the next morning. We spent a week replacing the shaft. The marina now has full water and electricity, a new 160-ton travel lift, and a nice fuel facility built but not yet operational. They do not yet take credit cards although this should be available soon.
The docks are high quality and the location is excellent. They appear to have about 100 slips. There are no other amenities at this time although they have big plans for a very complete facility. Everyone at the marina, the yard and mechanical staff was very helpful. This marina has vast potential and so far they are doing things right.
Hello, We were present at the marina when the boats were visited by thieves. The marina has everything taken care of and they improve the surveillance system with cameras, more lights, more guards ….. This is a friendly and cosy. There is a family atmosphere. They give a lot of services and make their way to help us. Thank you to them, WE, we will return
Linton Bay Marina offers very cheap rates, I bunkered 10,000ltrs of fuel also at a great price and had no problems with water. The marina is not finished but more than adequate for what we required. We used a great taxi driver Rodolfo with a ute to drive us to Panama City and assist with the provisioning etc. His daily rates are very reasonable Tel: 6698 1176.
The below comment by Patrick refers to Panamarina.
No docks with water & electricity just moorings buoys near mangrove ( a lot of mosquitos) dinghy dock, To fill up water tank 500l it took up 4.5 hours
Ashore cold shower only. Do not use haul out the trailer (rated-19t), it collapsed under our Oceanic 400 -9t breaking the rudder.
The ramp is made of steel that is rusting fast “marina” owners are hiding behind their insurance that does not want to cover expenses other than the repairs only. We had to wait for 2 months for a new rudder.AS owner said himself ” cheap price, cheap services:…