Accommodation in the San Blas Islands
Posted by Travel Editor
This is a brief list of where to stay in the San Blas Islands of Panama. Although it is wisest to book your accommodation ahead of time, it is possible to just show up and look for a hotel room but you are taking your chances. Camping is also an option on some of the San Blas Islands, but you will still have to pay for transportation and you will have to obtain the permission of the local Kuna chief. If you have a hotel booking, the hotel usually provides transportation to the island where your hotel is located. Most of the hotels are pretty basic or rustic and sometimes bathrooms are shared.
The Hotel San Blas
The San Blas Hotel
The Hotel San Blas is located in a Kuna village on Isla Nalunega which is five minutes from El Pouvenir. A two-storey hotel, the Hotel San Blas has 30 rooms which will set you back about $35 a night – at the time of writing this article. Meals are included with your room. Bathrooms are shared. Also included are day excursions to other islands in the Comarca. The hotel’s tourist guide is very helpful and friendly and speaks English and French. There is a small beach in the front.
Nargana Lodge Hotel
A rustic hotel, the Nargana Lodge Hotel is accessed from Corazon de Jesus. The Nargana Lodge Hotel has a restaurant named El Caprichito which serves delicious crab dishes. Price ranges for a room are approximately $20.
Alberto Vasquez’s Homestay
For a unique experience, to experience the life of the Kuna people, try booking a room with a Kuna family. Alberto Vasquez is situated on Nalunega Island, five minutes from El Pouvenir, telephone 6772-5135 to book one of the two rooms available in his house. There is a shared basic bucket and barrel shower/bathroom. The cost of a room is reasonable but excursions to the islands are an extra charge. Alberto is friendly and is a good tourist guide for you.
Hotel El Pouvenir
To book a room at the Hotel El Pouvenir, email hotelelpouvenir@hotmail.com or telephone 6692-3542 or 221-1397 from Panama City. The Hotel El Pouvenir offers guests simple rooms with private bathrooms. It is located near the landing strip at El Pouvenir and a grocery store is next door. Meals are included in the daily rate which is approximately $35 – $40 dollars. If you are craving fresh lobster though, there is an extra charge for this.
Cabanas Wailidup
The Cabanas Wailidup on the private islands Isla Wailidup are located 25 miles from El Pouvenir which is the point of entry for staying at the Cabanas
Wailidup Cabanas, San Blas Islands
Wailidup. This is one of the closest thing to a luxury hotel in the San Blas Islands but it’s not and rooms cost between $95 – $125 per night. The Cabanas electricity and power comes from solar energy. Owned by Juan Antonio Martinez who also owns Kuna Niskua on Wichub-Huala Island. The rooms are small thatched cabins with private bathrooms, overlooking a beautiful white sand private beach with a pier and a restaurant and bar. At certain times of the year, sand flies can be a problem. Visit the Cabanas Wailidup website at kuna-niskua.com.
Sapibenega Kuna Lodge
The Sapibenega Kuna Lodge is the luxury hotel on the San Blas Islands, the most luxurious and expensive hotel on all the San Blas Islands. It is located five minutes from Playon Chico. Beautiful thatched cabins overlooking the sea, with hammocks on balconies and private bathrooms, it’s a wonderful place to stay on the San Blas Islands. The restaurant and bar offers a variety of drinks and serves up crab, lobster and fish daily. Guided tours are also available. Rates for lodging are approximately $150 per night and up.
Uaguinega Ecoresort, a.k.a The Dolphin Island Lodge
On Isla Uaguitupu you will find the Uaguinega Ecoresort or a.k.a. the Dolphin Island Lodge which you can reach by way of Mamitupo Island. A popular eco-resort consisting of cabanas made of the typical cane and thatch roofs and with wooden cabins. You’ll also find internet is available here if for strange some reason you get bored. (Internet is not available at other hotels in the San Blas Islands). Nice comforts at the Uaguinega Ecoresort/ Dolphin Island Lodge include volleyball, hammocks for relaxing and a bar-restaurant. Their website is at www.uaguinega.com.
Kwadule Lodge
Kwadule on Isla Kwadule is reached from Corazon de Jesus. The lodgings on this exclusive private island are nice cabanas on stilts overlooking the sea. Each cabana has its own private bathroom. Great snorkelling nearby in the coral reef and there is a restaurant bar for dining and drinks.
Cabanas Ukuptupu
The Cabanas Ukuptupu are located five minutes from El Pouvenir on Isla Ukuptupu. Their website is at www.ukuptupu.com. Reservations can be made from their website which has their phone numbers and email addresses. Accommodations consist of 17 wooden cabins/cabanas over the water. Walkways and hammocks for relaxation and great views of the boats arriving at Wichub-Huala. Primitive bucket and barrel showers. Bathrooms are shared. Beautiful white sand beaches and scenery. Tourists who have stayed here have highly recommended the Cabanas Ukuptupu.
Kuna Niskua Lodge
Owned by Sr. Juan Antonia Martinez, The Kuna Niskua Lodge is located on Isla Wichub-Huala which is five minutes from El Porvenir. It is located in the center of a Kuna community. Most rooms have a private bath, but the lowered priced rooms share bathrooms. Rooms are priced from $50 – $75 per night, but prices may have changed since the writing of this posting. Good recommendations from guests who have stayed here. Website for contacting and booking a room: www.kuna-niskua.com.
Kuanidup Lodge
Kuanidup Lodge on Isla Kuanidup – (accessible from El Pouvenir) is the perfect island escape, 25 minutes from Rio Sidra – white sand beaches, hammocks and attractive rustic cabanas. Telephone 6635-6737 or email kuani9@hotmail.com for booking a cabana vacation.
Cabanas Coco Blanco
The Cabanas Coco Blanco are found on Isla Ogobsibu and can be reached in 15 minutes from El Pouvenir. Your hotel room is a cane and thatched cabana located on a white sand beach on this secluded island. Telephone 6706-7316 or email cabanascocoblanco@yahoo.it. Italian food is on the menu. Meals are included in the price of your cabana.
A List of Hotels in the western San Blas Islands
Posted by Travel Editor
The western islands (the Comarca Kuna Yala) of the San Blas Islands is situated inside a coral reef that makes the water calmer and clearer and makes it an ideal location for snorkeling. The following article is a list of San Blas hotels located in the western part of the San Blas Islands. Most of the available San Blas Island lodging is rustic and quite basic but the surroundings of the islands make it a great tropical island escape adventure. The scenery of white sand beaches lined with palm trees, the sea and the mountains in the distance is tranquil and beautiful.
Access to the western San Blas Islands is by way of a flight from Panama City with either Air Panama or Aeroperlas airlines to the airport at El Porvenir. There is little public transportation, but there is a road to Carti Suitupo where you will then travel by boat the San Blas Islands. These hotels are owned and run by the Kuna people and many of the hotels offer trips out to other islands of the Kuna Yala where you can find excellent snorkeling, fishing, and visiting Kuna villages. The food available on the menus is fresh, and consists of lots of tropical fruits, rice, and freshly caught seafood such as lobsters and fish.
Cabanas Wailidup
Cabanas Wailidup consists of small cabins built on stilts with wooden floors and private bathrooms on Isla Wailidup. There is also a restaurant and bar.
Hotel San Blas
The Hotel San Blas is located on the island of Nalunega where there lives a community of about 300 Kuna people. It is not far from the El Porvenir airstrip. The 31 hotel rooms are very simple with few furnishings and electricity available only between 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Their telephone number is: 262-5410
Cabanas Coco Blanco
Located on Ogobsobudup Island or “Coco Blanco” Island, the Cabanas Coco Blanco is made up of four small cabins built of bamboo and thatched roofs and come with their own bathrooms. To make reservations, their phone number is 6700-9427 and their email is cocoblanco (at) centrodereservas (dot) net. I’ve put the email address this way so that they don’t get tons of spam emails.
Coral Lodge Eco Resort
The Coral Lodge Eco Resort is perhaps your most luxurious accommodations in the San Blas Islands. Consisting of six bungalows built over the water, this resort has a restaurant and bar. Each room has its own bathroom, nicely decorated with teak and rattan furniture, air conditioning and sun decks. Their website is at www.corallodge.com
Cabanas Ukuptupu
The Ukuptup Island (“Sand”) Island cabanas consists of cabanas resting on stilts over the sea, just 5 minutes from El Pouvenir. Their website is at www.ukuptupu.com
Cabanas Kuanidup
Located on the Isla Kuanidup, the Cabanas Kuanidup has simple cabins, shared bathrooms and no electricity. Kerosene lamps will light your way in the evening.
Cabanas Veronica
The Cabanas Veronica, formerly called Robinsons Cabanas, is closer to Rio Sidra airport than the airport at El Pouvenir. The Cabanas Veronica consist of simple cabins.
Kuna Niskua Lodge
Classified as a hostel on Wichub-Wala island, the Kuna Nishua Lodge is only five minutes from El Porvenir. The K Lodge is not on the beach, but it is clean with comfortable beds and private bathrooms. There is limited electricity which runs from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. They have a website at: www.kunaniskua.com
These San Blas Island hotels usually charge a price which includes your room and food and some activities. Some of these western San Blas hotels have websites where you can book online. Others have email addresses and phone numbers which will enable you to arrange your San Blas Island vacation.
Below is a map of the San Blas Panama islands.
Map of the San Blas Islands