Adventure travel in San Blas, day trips and packages for October, 2020! The archipelago has 365 islands picturesque and palm tree covered, uninhabited and set in indescribably beautiful aqua waters. When famous author John Le Carre of The Tailor of Panama stayed in San Blas his comment upon taking in an island view was, “This is not paradise, this is heaven.” This is the place to go if you truly want to “get away from it all” to be seeped in and surrounded by nature. Owned by the Guna indians, they’ve kept everything natural and authentic. What a pleasure to spend a few days where there’s no concrete, glass or steel. The second major attraction is the Guna people- a beautiful ancient people, largely unspoiled by modern life.
Our last stop, an island famous among sailors who know the best kept secrets in San Blas, gives you more time to swim in the beautiful calm waters. With two islands right next to each other and home to a big shipwreck, stranded on its outer reef, you can enjoy the pristine beaches and beautiful scenery. Between 3-4pm we will leave this island paradise and head back to the Port of Carti. Your driver will be waiting for you and safely drive you back to Panama City, dropping you off at your lodging by 7pm. San Blas is one of the last unspoiled and undeveloped places in the world and we hope you will get to experience the beauty of the islands and the innocence of the unique Kuna culture. For our guests who only have one day to travel to the “Guna Yala” nation, the San Blas Day tour is the best option and will surely make you want to come back again. Discover additional info at San Blas day tour.
Panama’s most famous attraction is by far the Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Watching a massive ship, piled high with colorful containers, gliding quietly into the locks reveals the true enormity of this great feat of engineering. Taking a boat tour through the canal gives you even more perspective. If you want to simply see the Panama Canal, the best place to do this is at the Miraflores Locks, about 25 minutes from downtown Panama City. You can see the canal from the five-story visitor center, complete with a small museum, a restaurant, and an IMAX theater in a separate building.
Few attractions include Singayta, Ecological community in which you can hike, horseback riding, cycling and rowing boats. The journey begins in the traditional village, passing through the rainforest and mangroves. Observe the flora and fauna of the area and witnessed the singing of hundreds of migratory birds.Matanche Beach, Bay where along its 7 km of fine sand can practice water sports such as sailing, jet-skiing, diving, volleyball and beach football. Something also interest in the area is the variety of restaurants offering fish and tossed the famous banana bread.
As you may have guessed, the San Blas Islands do not offer wifi. If you purchase a chip in Panama, then you’ll be connected, but to enjoy the islands to their fullest, turn off your phone and tune into nature. This is a perfect destination for the ultimate technology detox, as days are spent resting on the beach and drinking out of coconuts. You can still take a lifetime’s worth of beautiful beach pictures, perfect to share on social media once you return to the mainland.
There are three main options for getting to the islands. The first is to arrange a tour from Panama City, normally for three days and two nights (expect to pay around US$270 per person inclusive). A 4×4 driver will collect you and any others from your accommodation in the capital, usually at around 5am, and will drive you for around four hours to a port, where a water taxi will take you to the island where you’re staying. Accommodation is in tents or cabañas. Typically you will stop en route at one of the four Carti islands, around ten minutes from the port, where there is a sizeable Kuna community.
San Blas adventure travel tours are a fabulous thing to do in 2019. When I was researching about the San Blas Islands in Panama before this trip, I was so disappointed with the information I found – and after going, I can honestly say it’s so outdated or written by people who did a day trip and stayed for a couple of hours. It seemed like this very difficult place to get to and that taking a day trip to San Blas Islands (on a tour) was the only option. This is not the case and I want to share some more recent San Blas Island travel tips so you can be much more prepared than I was. Before the trip, Silvia and I were messaging each other questions and both were unable to find answers online – it made me nervous about booking to stay there since it seemed everyone just went for the day and left but I’m so glad we gave it a go anyway! See more info at TaoTravel365.