Panama, located between the Pacific and the Caribbean, is the land bridge connecting Central and South America. Panama’s beautiful coastlines and archipelagoes attract many tourists, but those looking for a more secluded experience will find what they’re looking for on the San Blas Islands.

The Caribbean islands are relatively unknown to most, but they deserve to be much more famous. A group of picturesque islands inhabited only by the indigenous Guna tribe, the islands make for a magical experience.

The San Blas islands are home to pristine landscapes, diverse ecosystems, and communities of Guna. They host visitors keen to get a taste of island life without the bells and whistles associated with luxury resorts. Accommodation here is mostly backpacker-style with shared cabins and bathrooms – with a few exceptions.

The islands attract people from all over the world – but it’s not mass tourism. It is still pretty and quiet. I feel it is mostly known in the backpacker world but it really is a destination worth exploring for all ages and walks of life.

Where are the San Blas Islands?

The San Blas Islands is a group of islands which are located just off the Caribbean coast of Eastern Panama. There are 365 pieces of paradise scattered in the Caribbean. More than 300 of them are uninhabited. All are coated in coconut palms, and most are too small for Google Maps to bother with.

The name is really Guna Yala (“Guna territory”), after a name change in 2011, but as most people still call it San Blas, I will use that name for now.

One of the 365 amazingly beautiful San Blas Islands

MAP

OF THE SAN BLAS ISLANDS IN PANAMA

How do I get to the San Blas Islands?

There are three ways to get to the islands:

– By flight
Flights to the San Blas islands are the most comfortable way to reach the islands. All flights leave from Panama City’s domestic airport Marcos Gelabert early in the morning. A prior overnight stay in Panama City is required. There are different little airstrips in the Guna territory. Depending on where you are planning to stay, a short flight might be the only option to get to some of the lodges.

Currently, the only flights to the islands are charter flights to reach the sail boats. Air Panama has not resumed these flights after COVID (as of Sept 2023). 

– By 4×4 jeep transfer
The road into San Blas (Guna Yala) has vastly improved and is now accessible all year round. Only 4×4 or 4×2 vehicles are allowed in due to some steep hills. A windy twisty road leads from the Panamerican highway through beautiful jungle to the little “port” of Carti. An entry fee into the Guna territory is charged when entering, currently $20 per person. You will have to pay a $2 per person fee for leaving from Carti port. It will take you about 2.5-3 hours to drive non-stop from Panama City to the port in Carti and then another 30-45 minutes boat ride to get to “your” San Blas island.
Please note: As you are very close to the Colombian border there is a passport check with border patrol. Make sure to carry your original passports with you and in your hand luggage.

You could also rent a car and drive yourself

– By sailing boat
Sometimes you can find a boat that takes you from the Linton Bay Marina near Colon or from Portobelo to the San Blas Islands.
More common is the option to fly to Corazon de Jesus in the San Blas islands where you board your sailing boat to discover the San Blas islands.

You have different options to sail the San Blas Islands:
1. You can charter a cabin and share the catamaran with a maximum of 4 other people.
2. Or you can charter the whole sailboat including the captain. We offer different options, from monohull to luxury catamaran. Depending on the number of people and your budget.

This is the perfect way to spend any vacation: be it a family vacation, a romantic getaway, or a honeymoon! Enjoy the turquoise waters and the fine white-sanded beaches, explore the amazing underwater world and relax in the hammock with a fresh coconut in your hand – you will feel like Robinson Crusoe! Every day is a new adventure. Afraid of getting seasick? The sea at the San Blas Islands is very calm almost all year round. The windiest months are usually January to March.

Who inhabits the San Blas Islands?

The Guna, a tribe indigenous to Panama, run the islands and have fiercely protected the land, their culture, and their independence. That means no hotels, no chain restaurants, no foreign-owned anything. The best way to find a cell phone signal is by hunting for it on a dinghy. This is one of the reasons the San Blas Islands are not as well-known as The Bahamas or French Polynesia.

The Guna tribe is a small community of about 300,000. Around 50,000 live on the 49 major islands of San Blas. The Guna people live on the islands like they did hundreds of years ago: fishing with a line, and climbing trees and harvesting coconuts with their machetes. Tourists are an important part of how the Gunas make a living but are only allowed on a few islands where the Guna provide food and lodging.
The tribe has self-governing authority over the islands and a part of the mainland (their “comarca”). The Guna are quite remarkable. They are a matriarchal society, meaning all property is owned by the females. They are kind and happy people but please be polite and ask their permission before taking pictures of them in their beautiful colorful outfits, called Molas. In the Guna language, this means shirt or clothing. Molas make a unique and wonderful souvenir.

Spending time in the San Blas islands exposes you to a completely different side of Panama. When you get to know the hosts and their customs, keep an open mind, and remain respectful of your surroundings. Your stay in this part of the country will be an experience you’ll never forget.

TropiQ Trips owner Anja, me, with local Guna women on the San Blas Islands (I am 5’6″) in 2012

Can I go island hopping on the San Blas Islands?

When you are on day trips and hire a boat and captain, yes. Otherwise, if you are looking to stay overnight on several islands, this is more difficult to arrange. Most boat transfers are from the port in Carti to the prebooked island lodge. Some close by islands can be explored on day trips from your lodge.
The best way to see several islands and to get to such beautiful places as Cayos Holandeses, the Dutch Cays, is to sail the San Blas islands, as mentioned above. These islands are further away and harder to reach.

Isla Aguja (translates to needle island, or Icodub in Guna language) – one of the islands close to Carti

Can I stay on the San Blas Islands? Are there San Blas Island hotels?

Tourists are only allowed on a few islands of San Blas and on these islands, the Guna provide food and lodging for them all year round. Accommodation consists mainly of backpacker lodges that can be reached by jeep via Carti port. But there exist a few more comfortable lodges. They are much better than the backpacker lodges near Carti but still rustic. There is no such thing as upscale or luxury accommodation on the islands. None of the lodges have AC or TV. One such example is the Yandup Island Lodge which can be reached only by flight.

The kind of lodge you are looking for depends on your budget, available time, and the kind of experience you are after. We can definitely help you decide.

Our Panama Family Adventure tour includes a stay in a basic San Blas island lodge reachable by jeep and boat.

Our favorite San Blas lodge, the Yandup Island Lodge, is only reachable by flight from Panama City, followed by a short boat ride.
It is a rustic family-owned lodge with 10 ocean-view and over-water cabins on a small private island near the Playon Chico community in Guna Yala. The island is surrounded by coral reefs and a small beach with white sand and crystal-clear water.
The bungalows have private bathrooms, double and single beds with orthopedic mattresses and mosquito nets, ceiling fans, 24-hour electricity powered by solar panels, hammocks, and wraparound porches with an incredible view. There is no tv or AC. The lodge offers tours to the rainforest, river, mangroves, waterfall, Playon Chico community, cemetery, and other uninhabited islands for swimming or snorkeling. Snorkelers can spot more than 75 species of coral, hundreds of varieties of tropical fish, and the occasional dolphin. Tours and meals are included in the package.

Check out our Highlights of Panama or Honeymoon Adventures in Panama tours that both include a stay in this lodge.

Unfortunately, Air Panama has not resumed flights to the San Blas Islands as of Sept 2023. So the “nicer” lodges such as the Yandup Island Lodge remain closed as they cannot be reached via road. I will update this article as soon as this changes.

Typical huts for tourists on the San Blas Islands

What should I bring to the San Blas Islands?

What you should bring, depends on whether you’re planning on doing a day trip (not recommended in my opinion unless you literally only have one day) or are staying on the islands for a couple of nights (yes!!!). It is important that you do your research beforehand and to ensure you have all the essentials. A day of exploring only requires the basics: sunscreen, snacks, a big bottle of water, and adequate beachwear.

For an extended trip, however, you’ll have to factor in the realities of island living. Although the San Blas Islands, known also as Guna Yala comarca (independent territory), are not that far from modern Panama City, you will feel you have traveled in time to a whole different place. The San Blas islands are a very remote place. There are no ATMs so make sure to bring enough cash with you, preferably in small notes. Notes bigger than US$ 20 are not even accepted.

There are no big supermarkets so it’s best you bring everything you need with you. While many islands have a kiosk dedicated to selling souvenirs, soft drinks, and alcohol, it’s highly recommended that you bring your own supply of drinkable water. Most arranged transport from Panama City includes a stop at a supermarket, so stock up on a couple of 5L bottles and use them to refill smaller ones.

Suggested packing list

Other than food, water, snacks for in-between meals, and cash, here are some other items you’ll want to bring to San Blas. Keep in mind you’ll basically live in your swimsuit:

• a sarong for the beach
• a towel for showers (unless you are staying in the Yandup Island Lodge)
• maybe a light sheet (sometimes there’s a breeze and it can get a bit cooler at night but you will probably be fine without)
• your own snorkeling equipment
• mosquito spray – there really are hardly any mosquitoes but more sand flies (especially at the port in Carti)
• flip flops
• light short and long-sleeve cotton clothing
• hat
• baby wipes or hand sanitizer
• a good book or fully charged kindle
• any medication you need
• a camera or GoPro
• a wet bag to save your electronics & valuables (alternatively a plastic bag) from the elements

Make sure to leave all your big luggage and suitcases in Panama City. Hotels will keep it for you free of charge. Neither the boats nor the jeeps have space for big luggage. And as you can see above, you really don’t need much on the islands. A large backpack will be perfect.

Guna community in the San Blas Islands

What else should I know about visiting the San Blas Islands?

Spending time in the San Blas islands exposes you to a completely different side of Panama. When you get to know the hosts and their customs, keep an open mind, and remain respectful of your surroundings. Your stay in this part of the country will be an experience you’ll never forget.

Also, life on the islands means that staying connected to the outside world may not be possible. Mobile network signals are often weak. Going off the grid may be daunting for some of you, but take it as an opportunity to have a distraction-free break. Just make sure to keep loved ones informed that you’ll be hard to reach for a few days to avoid potential worry. And enjoy this breathtakingly beautiful piece of land.

Me, Anja Phillips, on my last visit to the San Blas Islands in the summer of 2017

*****

Conclusion:

The San Blas Islands are truly an amazing place to visit! The small islands with unspoiled beauty, turquoise water, white-sand beaches, swaying palm trees, are absolutely stunning. But they are not well developed. Accommodations are very rustic. If beautiful peaceful destinations away from all the crowds are for you and you don’t mind basic accommodation … go! If you are a luxury traveler: avoid!

My personal opinion: I have been to countless countries, all continents (including Antarctica), and many of the most beautiful places in the world – and the San Blas islands are still my favorite place to visit. I can’t wait to go back there and show them to my sons! I know they will love them just as much as I do.

Visiting the San Blas Islands really is an adventure that you won’t want to miss.

Are you ready to experience your own San Blas Islands adventure? Contact us today for your personal island experience! We can’t wait to hear from you. Contact us for a free quote!

Have you been to the San Blas Islands? What did you think?

Let us know in the comments.

Check out these tours that include a stay on the San Blas Islands: