More Islands of the San Blas Islands
Posted by Travel Editor
This article explains the islands you can consider and travel to on your vacation in the San Blas Islands. Some are more populated and westernized than others. Other islands are deserted and lacking in tourist facilities, but if that is what you are looking for, these islands are perfect for your escape to the Kuna Yala archipelago.
Cayos Chichime
The Cayos Chichime lie west of the Cayos Holandes. The Cayos Chichime are better known as the Wichudup or Wichitup where you will find a place to stay if there is space, owned by a man called Umburto. These huts will cost you $5 a night, if there’s a vacancy. You can also get some freshly caught seafood and he will provide a boat ride to El Pouvenir for a price. These islands are quite beautiful and worth a visit.
Mamitupo Island
Mamitupo Island has an airstrip and is the gateway to the Isla Uaguitupo or Dolphin Island where you’ll find the Dolphin Island Resort or the Uaguitupo Lodge. If you arrive by yacht, you will be welcomed by a local, Pablo Nunez Perez, in a dugout canoe who is willing to act as your tour guide.
Playon Chico
It is better to go to Playon Chico by airplane because of the rough seas you’ll encounter between here and Corazon de Jesus. It’s a good starting point if you plan to visit more of the San Blas Islands. Playon Chico is a large busy island and probably the most modern of all the San Blas Islands. For the closest thing to a luxury hotel on the San Blas Islands, the island Isla Iskadarp houses the Sapibenega Kuna Lodge. It’s expensive, but has beautiful cabanas on stilts over the water, balconies, private bathrooms, hammocks and beautiful serene views surround the Sapibenega Kuna Lodge. For more information, read our review on the Sapibenega Kuna Lodge or visit their website for booking www.Sapibenega.com.
Corazon de Jesus
Corazon de Jesus is a busy place where there is also a landing strip for flying in, a large grocery shop, and a bank (in Nargana – the only bank you’ll find in the San Blas Islands). It is a bustling center of activity, concrete buildings and commercial activity. It’s an interesting place to visit but very westernized.
Near to Corazon de Jesus, you’ll find Isla Tigre (very clean and the inhabitants living the traditional Kuna lifestyle), Isla Kwadula where the Kuna people also live more traditional lifestyles. The islands are quiet and clean. Accommodation is available on Isla Kwadula with cabanas on stilts overlooking the sea. Good snorkeling will be found nearby in the coral reefs and it has a restaurant and bar.
Also nearby is Rio Acuzar where you will find a grocery store and other stores. Rio Acuzar is a popular stopover for those with boats traveling around the area of the San Blas Islands because of the available services here, including a medical center and phones.
Rio Sidra
There is an airstrip on the island of Rio Sidra and a general store. Rio Sidra is close to the beautiful islands of Isla Kuanidup and Isla Dup Askunikad. Both of these islands have some simple hotels where you will find both hammocks and marvelous beaches. On Isla Kuanidup, you will find some cabana accommodation with hammocks, white sand beaches, coral reefs for snorkeling. Great snorkeling on the reefs can also be found at Isla Nusatupo because of the large reefs, the lack of tourist facilities and tourists. Those with yachts will find the calm, quiet bays here a good place to drop anchor. Nearby, is Isla Maquina, worth a trip to but you won’t find any accommodations or restaurants here.
This sums up the major islands of the Kuna Yala archipelago. Read about the other San Blas islands I wrote in my previous posting, Find your island and enjoy your paradise here on the San Blas Islands.
The San Blas Islands
Posted by Travel Editor
Why did I start a site about the San Blas Islands, its hotels? Not totally. Because I love the place Panama and especially the San Blas Islands. It’s still an undiscovered tourist destination. You will find in the San Blas Islands: miles and miles of unspoiled, pristine beaches, blue, clear ocean waters, coral reefs and lazy palm trees to find shade under and you’ll meet the Kuna people, a very friendly people.
The San Blas islands off the coast of Panama offer eco tourism at its best, especially on the main islands such as El Pouvenir, Cayos Chichime or the Cayos Holandes, islands that make up the San Blas Islands. This is my favorite place to go when I am in Panama. The San Blas islands are a group of 378 islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama. They are owned and controlled by the Kuna Indians, the indigenous people of Panama. In about 1923, they revolted against the Panamanian government and the outcome of this was that the government of Panama gave them the San Blas Islands where they could live their traditional lives, hunt and fish and speak their own language and carry out their customs.
San Blas Panama Vacations
If you go to the San Blas Islands, you should make sure you arrange your trip with a travel agency that is familiar with what the San Blas Islands offer, what lodgings are available, etc., because if you are looking for luxury hotels in the San Blas Islands like what you are accustomed to in, say, North America or Europe, you are not going to find it. Everything here is commonly described as rustic.
The San Blas Islands, Panama, are best described as a tropical island paradise. The San Blas Islands hotels and resorts do not have 24/7 running hot water and electricity. You arrive in the San Blas Islands by way of airplane to an air strip called Achutupo and then will be taken by boat to whatever island you are staying on. You can also travel by jeep or boat to the islands. Your hotel might be a sort of cabin on stilts over the water. You may or may not have a private bathroom. You will have a hammock where you can relax big time. The sunrises and sunsets are glorious.
For these types of accommodations, you can pay anywhere between $80 to $300US+ per night. These hotels are quite rustic and wonderful and are run by the Kuna people. You will have peace, beautiful scenery, snorkeling, fishing, swimming, trips to other islands, fresh sea food for your meals and be able to visit a Kuna Village and experience the culture of the people.
It is a wonderful experience if you want to get lost on a tropical desert island – somewhere on one of the San Blas Panama Islands, relax on the beautiful beaches and escape from it all. If you arrive here stressed, you will lose all that stress and not want to leave this paradise.