San Blas tours and 2021 deals! With 365 islands in total, island hopping is a must during a visit to the San Blas Islands. Companies like Cacique Cruiser specialize in adventures through the archipelago. You can opt to stay as long as you would like in the islands, as most of them have family-run casitas, which are open to travelers to the area.
Have you ever wanted to spend a day and a night on your own beautiful island? An island paradise smack-bang in the middle of gorgeous clear blue seas where there’s no one else around?A place where all you have to do is jump in the water when it gets too hot? Well, the island you see in the image above is one of those. We stayed there on our second night. Well that’s San Blas. It gets even better. We had a Kuna Native visit us. An hour after he left he dropped off some ice cold beers we could enjoy around the fire on our own island. I guess Robinson Crusoe wouldn’t have minded that service!
Your San Blas adventure starts early in the morning. A friendly driver will meet you at your Panama City lodging between 5:15am and 5:45am and safely transport you and up to five other guests to the Port of Carti. Relax and start enjoying during the 2.5-3 hour journey through the spectacular jungle highlands. Oftentimes we encounter wildlife, such as monkeys and sloths on the road and will gladly stop the car to give you opportunities to admire these beautiful animals and to take photos. Our drivers will also stop at a grocery store in case you want to purchase any items, such as snacks, water or fruit. When arriving at the port your “lancha” boat and San Blas trip tour guide will be waiting for you, ready to commence the San Blas tour. The 30-minute boat ride to the first island may be a little bumpy and, depending on ocean conditions, there may be some ocean spray. All of our boats have ample space and feature sun protection that will make this journey more comfortable. Read extra info on https://www.taotravel365.com/darien-jungle-expedition.
Although it’s not on most travelers’ itineraries, Punta Chame is home to one of the nicest beaches in Panama and it’s also the best place for kiteboarding in the country. Set on a peninsula jutting out into the Pacific Ocean, this area is literally all about the beach. The endless stretch of beach here is wide, and the water is warm and shallow, giving kiters who are learning the distinct advantage of being able to stand up in the water to collect themselves as they work with their kite. The winds are side on shore and quite consistent from December to April, which is Panama’s dry season. Several kite schools offer lessons, including Machete Kite and Kitesurf Panama, located at opposite ends of the beach.
Few locations include Sendero Los Quetzales near the small town of Cerro Punto is one of Panama’s most beautiful trails. The 9 km (5 miles) route starts east of town and takes between four and seven hours. The trail winds through the cloud forest of Parque Nacional Volcan Baru and follows the Río Caldera, crossing it several times en route. It ends in the mountains above Boquete. The trail can also be hiked in reverse, but it’s entirely uphill from Boquete. Because the trail is not well marked it is recommend to hire a guide or join an organized tour.
San Blas adventure travel destinations are a trendy thing to do right now. 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!
For those coming from or going to Colombia and who have plenty of time to spare, you can charter a sailboat that will travel for 4–5 days between Panama City and Cartagena (or vice versa), with a 2–3 day layover in the San Blas islands. Prices start from around $530 for the crossing, though you really need to do your research to make sure you have a seaworthy boat and a dependable captain. Hostel Mamallena operates in both Panama City and Cartagena, and has the best information on sailboats. Be warned: even with a solid boat and captain, this trip involves 30 hours or so on the open ocean; those who get very seasick might want to look elsewhere. Find additional info on https://www.taotravel365.com/.
