San Blas Islands.
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Overview

The San Blas Islands is a group of islands just off the Caribbean coast of Eastern Panama. The indigenous Kuna Yala tribe have self-governing authority over the islands.

Understand

The local people, the Kuna, are a wonderful example of how an indigenous people continue to flourish and practice their age-old customs surrounded by the modern world. They are friendly and mostly welcoming to tourists. The Kuna self-govern the comarca Kuna Yala which essentially comprises of the islands and the neighboring mainland and extends all the way down along the coast to the border with Colombia.

Most of the 365 islands and cays are uninhabited, some are densely populated and probably not too attractive for tourists, and the rest usually have only a few buildings for the family that lives on the island and some facilities for tourists. Not all the islands have power generators. In any case, electricity is usually shut down at night. Then, the moon and stars provide the only light.

Talk

Tulekaya is the first language of the indigenous people of San Blas. The language is only written phonetically, i.e., you will find the same word written in many ways like islands of "Gardi" and "Cartí" which refers to the same place.

The younger generation is for the most part being schooled in Spanish in Panamanian-run public schools and therefore is fluent in Spanish. Generally, anybody who is professionally interacting with tourists will be fluent in Spanish. Knowledge of English is, however, very limited. In the more remote villages of Kuna Yala you may find that even knowledge of Spanish is much more limited.

Get in

By sailboat There are a number of different boating options if you want to get here to or from Colombia:

There are over 30 vessels operating this route. A person would be ill advised to book an 180 nautical mile ocean passage on a vessel he hasn’t inspected with a captain he hasn’t met. The waters between San Blas and Colombia can be challenging at times. Don’t depend on second hand information.

Vessels depart regularly from Portobelo, Puerto Lindo, Carti islands and Porvenir. iTravel byBoat, based out of the San Blas islands knows most of the boats on the islands and arranges trips and transportation.

Ave Maria Sailing offers a 5-night island hopping sailing voyage from Panama to Colombia via the San Blas Islands.

Captain SailColombiaPanama.com offers automated online reservations 24/7, plus advice from Captain Jack, a professional sailor.

If you go to Dibin and don't find a boat there you can walk a trail along the coast to Niga Kantula (200 m) and ask for transportation there without paying the fee. Boats from the islands arrive at about 15:30 at Cartí port. At that time there are plenty of boats available to go the islands.

Small (but very fast: up to 400 hp) motor boats service the entire stretch from Cartí to Colombia.

To go to Colombia you need to go to Puerto Obaldía where the immigration office is. However, he has a fame of letting people down in the last minute and tries to talk you into staying at his very unattractive hostel while you're waiting for a departure that is always scheduled for the next day. The inspector at the Dinib port is very friendly and knowledgeable about which boats might leave or pass by today. When choosing your boat, make sure that it has a roof, otherwise you might get the sunburn of your lifetime. Also, ask the captain whether he is going directly or whether he is doing a service called cedulación. In the latter case, the journey to Puerto Obaldía might take up to five days.

If there are no boats all the way to Puerto Obaldía, you can also go to intermediate points and try again from there.

Most captains are very reluctant to take passengers; going into Puerto Obaldía, their paperwork is checked and they usually have no license to carry passengers.

By plane Commercial flights to El Porvenir and Puerto Obaldía in Guna Yala are available through Air Panama and FlyTrip. If you are willing to get to Corazón de Jesús, Mulatupu, Tubualá, Achutupu (Isla Perro), Playón Chico, Ogobsucum, the best option would be through a charter flights provider sucha as Blue Skies Panama.

Charter operators fly from Marcos Gelabert (Albrook) Airport in Panama City. Travel times range from 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the destination. This is the most expensive but also safe and reliable way to access the corners of the archipelago.

By land From Panama City there is a regular road all the way to the ports of Cartí. Though a 4x4 vehicle is not necessary at all anymore, only registered vehicles are allowed on the final stretch of road. You should be able to ask a local to borrow a card for a few cents. At the Cruce, cars pass by every couple of minutes to take tourists or goods to the ports. From the ports you can go to the islands or towards Colombia by boat (see above.)

See

The San Blas offers a large array of sights. Starting with the fascinating people, incredible seascapes, colorful reefs and islands, to the abundant sea life in its waters and wildlife on the mainland. There are continuous festivals and gatherings occurring at villages that visitors can witness to get a glimpse of the culture. Numerous Kuna villages offer visitors multiple opportunities for various glimpses at the daily lives of the Kuna.

Assudub Bippi Measuring about 150 by 60 meters (500 by 200 ft) Assudub Bippi, also known as Perro Chico, the island is small enough to swim around.

Assudub Dummad Measuring about 120 by 60 meters (400 by 200 ft) Assudub Dummad, also known as Perro Grande, is actually smaller than Perro Chico. It features a spacious beach and there are hardly any building on the island: a house where the local family lives, a block with a shower and toilets (free,) and a well. There is plenty of space for camping and the vibe on the island is more relaxed than on Perro Chico maybe because the family does not charge for the picnic tables or seats.

Do

If you snorkel in the Dog Islands, you will find a great variety of tropical fish in the shallow warm waters. This is not the case for the main villages that have their latrines where land and water. such that boat transport often is required.

Be sure to bring small change with you and be prepared to be in the middle of nothing.

Buy

The native peoples wear very colorful traditional clothing and make and sell beaded jewelry and molas, which are creatively stitched squares and articles of multi-layered cloth that can be very elaborate and take weeks to make. They also incorporate the mola craft into clothing, shirts and other various articles which can be purchased.

Eat

The larger villages in San Blas have small restaurants with limited menus. Villages also have small grocery stores that sell basic food items and beverages. Ice is very hard to come by in San Blas.

Kuna hotels and lodges typically include meals as part of the stay. Meals usually include locally caught fish, crab and lobster. Available vegetables are typically the basics, tomatoes, carrots, yucca, onions and potatoes. Do not expect a wide variety of foods as the kuna diet is very basic and exposure to western-style foods is highly limited.

Drink

Some of the islands have one small bar that caters to the locals and tourists alike. Ice is in short supply. Drinks, including beer and sodas, can be purchased at small stores on some islands.

Water in most villiges is piped directly (unfiltered) from streams on the mainland, and is therefore unsafe as drinking water for tourists. As a non-native, beware of any locally-prepared beverages including: hot chocolate, chicha (fruit or vegetable-flavored drinks), chicha fuerte (alcoholic chicha), water, and ice. Follow sanitary practices with all eating utensils and plates/bowls, as they are likely washed using non-potable water.

Tourists are advised to bring their own drinking water and drinking receptacles.

Sleep

There are small and very rustic hotels on some of the islands, and due to the lack of restaurants, they offer all-inclusive meal packages. Also most hotels will include day trips to some of the smaller islands, where they will leave you alone for several hours to snorkel, sunbathe or swim. These Islands offer pristine white sand and crystal clear water, and coconut trees that offer natural shade from the hot sun.

Be aware that all the accommodations are very basic, often simple huts made of sticks as rooms - which is also what the locals live in. You hear your neighbours, you might see them as the walls are a little see-through at night if the lights are on inside, and you share a bathroom with toilet and shower look alike.

There is no dedicated lodging at the ports. You can pitch a tent for free in a shelter at Dinib (there is a guard all night). As of late 2016, there is still a construction site for a school (yellow building) about twenty minutes walking before you reach the ports. The workers there have often hosted travelers who got stranded at the port for some reason. They might have a spare room (very basic but probably not worse than lodging on Cartí Sugdub island). The guys are mostly drunk, friendly, and harmless.

Cartí Homestay used to be a pleasant hostel but they are only rarely receiving guests now because of issues with the community. (Try to locate Germain if you want to stay with them.)