Everything below comes from Casa Cayuco’s published booking terms and FAQs as we collected them in November 2026. We are the lodge’s partner, not the lodge, so for anything that is not written here, such as changing dates or a special situation, ask Casa Cayuco directly before you pay. We have not invented any exceptions.

The Casa Cayuco booking terms at a glance

If you only have a minute, these are the terms that matter:

• Deposit: 50% to confirm, by card or bank transfer
• Cancellation: three tiers, explained below
• Minimum stay: 3 nights
• Check-in: 3:00 pm; check-out: 12:30 pm
• Age: no guests under 5 years old
• Insurance: strongly recommended by the lodge
• Extras: drinks, excursions, tips, and 10% hotel tax plus 7% tax on drinks and excursions
• Currency: US dollars

Room rates are not published on the lodge’s site, so we never quote nightly prices. Open the live booking page for your dates to see what your stay costs, and read on for what the terms mean in practice.

The 50% deposit: what it is and when you pay it

To confirm a reservation at Casa Cayuco you pay a deposit of 50% of the booking. The lodge accepts it by card or bank transfer. The deposit is what the cancellation tiers below apply to, so it is the figure to keep in mind when you decide how firm your plans are.

Two practical points. First, the lodge’s published terms do not spell out the date by which the remaining balance is due, so check your booking confirmation or ask the lodge, and put the date in your calendar. Second, payment on site is accepted in cash, by bank transfer or by credit card, and the currency is the US dollar. Panama uses US paper money, so you do not need to exchange anything. Keep in mind that the 10% hotel tax applies to room charges, so the figure on your invoice will differ from the headline room rate you see first.

We would also set aside some cash for the small things away from the lodge. The lodge suggests bringing cash for crafts in Salt Creek village and for chocolate at the chocolate farm.

The cancellation tiers, step by step

The Casa Cayuco cancellation policy depends on how many days before check-in you cancel:

Notice that even the friendliest tier is not a free cancellation: there is always a $100 admin fee. The sharper edge is the 45-day line. After that, the deposit is gone, so plan your cancellation decision around that date, not around the day you travel.

A simple way to use this: when you book, count back 60 and 45 days from check-in and note both dates. If you are still unsure about flights, leave, or health at the 60-day mark, that is the moment to decide whether to keep the booking. We do not know of exceptions beyond these tiers, so any special case is a conversation with the lodge.

A worked example with dates

Imagine check-in on 15 March 2027. Sixty days before is 14 January 2027, and 45 days before is 29 January 2027. Cancel on or before the 14th and the deposit comes back minus the $100 admin fee; cancel between the 15th and the 29th of January and half of the deposit is forfeited; cancel from the 30th of January onwards and all of it is. The dates are only an illustration of the tiers, so run your own check-in date through the same sums. Count carefully, and when in doubt about the exact day on which a tier changes, ask the lodge to confirm in writing.

Three-night minimum, check-in and check-out

The minimum stay is three nights. That is a deliberate fit with a remote lodge: you travel by boat, and a shorter stay would be mostly transfers. If you can only spare two nights, this is not the right place for that trip.

Check-in is 3:00 pm and check-out is 12:30 pm, which gives a relaxed morning before the boat, and those times line up with the lodge’s daily boat. The scheduled transfer, included round trip, picks up at Bocas del Toro airport at 2:00 pm for the recommended flights, with a 3:00 pm departure from the lodge’s dock in Bocas Town; the return leaves Casa Cayuco around 12:30 pm. The lodge recommends Air Panama flight 980 (arriving around 2:00 pm) and flight 981 back (leaving about 2:30 pm). Other transfer times are private and cost extra, and early pick-ups are not available. You will receive a pre-arrival form to complete. Arriving a day early in Bocas Town or Panama City is an easy way to take pressure off the connection. Our guide to Air Panama flights and the boat transfer explains the timing.

Travel insurance: why the lodge strongly recommends it

The cancellation tiers are strict, and a remote island adds a second layer: boats, flights and weather all stand between you and the lodge. Casa Cayuco strongly recommends travel insurance, and we agree with that advice.

We cannot tell you which policy to buy, and we are not recommending any provider. What we would do is read the cancellation and interruption cover carefully, check that it covers the reasons you care about, such as illness or a missed connection, and buy it around the time you pay the deposit, since cover often depends on when you buy. Confirm the details with your insurer, not with us.

Think about what could actually go wrong on this trip. You may miss the daily boat because of a flight delay, in which case a private transfer for a fee is the lodge’s alternative to the scheduled one. Someone in the group may get ill before departure, and with the 45-day line a late cancellation costs the whole deposit. Insurance is the only thing in this list that can soften those two moments, which is why we mention it before anything else on the extras list.

The same goes for health. The lodge says malaria and Zika are not a concern in its region and that Hepatitis A and B vaccinations are good to have but not required, but that is not medical advice, so talk to your doctor before you travel.

What is included, and what is extra

The stay price covers a lot, which is why the extras are easier to plan. Included:

• Round-trip scheduled speedboat transfer from Bocas Town
• All meals: chef’s choice breakfast, lunch, a three-course dinner and an afternoon snack, plus locally grown coffee and tea each morning
• Kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, snorkel gear and yoga mats
• A guided tour of Salt Creek village
• Daily housekeeping and 24/7 on-site staff

Not included:

• Staff gratuities: recommended at 12 to 15% of the stay
• Beverages: there is a full bar, and outside alcohol is not allowed
• Guided excursions: priced per person, for example $80 for the half-day Zapatillas islands trip or $25 for the Casa Cayuco Sendero jungle loop, as listed in November 2026 and subject to change
• Taxes: a 10% Panamanian hotel tax on room charges and a 7% tax on excursions and beverages

For a fuller budget walk-through, see our guide to what is included and what is extra at Casa Cayuco.

Other rules worth knowing before you pay

A few more terms can decide whether the lodge fits your trip:

• No guests under 5: the lodge does not accept younger children because of the remote location and safety. Kid-friendly meal options are available on request, and children from 5 up are welcome.
• Smoke-free: the resort is smoke-free.
• Air conditioning: only the Estrella De Mar villa has it; every other unit is open-air with high-powered fans.
• Hair dryers: guests are asked not to use them, as power comes from solar panels.
• Planning ahead: activities do not need to be booked in advance; the in-house guides plan them with you at check-in.

The new Starfish and Cangrejo units are ready for stays from 15 December 2026. We say more about them in our guide to the new beachfront bungalows. Before paying, run through this short checklist: you can stay three nights or more; nobody in your group is under 5; you are comfortable with open-air rooms and fans; you have noted your 60-day and 45-day dates; and you have a plan for travel insurance. If all five are a yes, you are in good shape. If you are not sure the lodge suits you, our overview of where to stay in Panama is at the hub linked below.

How to book Casa Cayuco with our 4% discount

We are Casa Cayuco’s partner and earn a small commission when you book with our code. The code gives you 4% off, and the lodge itself says booking direct gets the best rate.

1. Open our booking link on Casa Cayuco4% off · HungryTravelPanama, which opens the lodge’s own booking engine.
2. Check that HungryTravelPanama is in the promo box before you search dates, and type it in if it is not.
3. Choose your dates (three nights or more) and your room.
4. Pay the 50% deposit to confirm, and diarise your 60-day and 45-day cancellation dates.

That is all there is to it: no separate form for the discount, because the code is applied at booking on the lodge’s own page. If the promo box looks empty after you open the link, type the code in by hand before searching. Keep the confirmation e-mail, since it is your record of the dates and the deposit.

For the bigger picture, see our Where to stay in Panama hub.

FAQ

Our Honest Final Word

The Casa Cayuco cancellation policy is firm but easy to understand once you see the dates. The deposit is 50%, you have a refund window until 60 days before check-in minus a $100 fee, and from 45 days the deposit is lost. That is why we pair it with travel insurance and a calendar reminder. The terms also mean the lodge is not for anyone who wants flexibility for a one- or two-night stay, or who is travelling with a child under 5.

If the terms suit you, open Casa Cayuco4% off · HungryTravelPanama and check that HungryTravelPanama is in the promo box so you get our 4% reader discount.

4% off · code HungryTravelPanama

Rooms you can book at Casa Cayuco

Tap a room to see live rates. Our link pre-fills HungryTravelPanama in the promo box for 4% off your stay.

Beachfront bungalow · sleeps 5Tortuga Beachfront BungalowAll meals + boat transfer includedCheck rates with 4% off →Beachfront bungalow · sleeps 2Pelicano Beachfront BungalowAll meals + boat transfer includedCheck rates with 4% off →3-bedroom beachfront villa · sleeps 8Estrella De Mar Tropical Beachfront VillaAll meals + boat transfer includedCheck rates with 4% off →

Code HungryTravelPanama gives 4% off stays booked directly with Casa Cayuco. We are Casa Cayuco’s partner and earn a small commission when you book with our code. All our Panama stay guides →