The Islands of the Kuna Yala Archipelago
Posted by Travel Editor
There are some 365 small islands which form the archipelago known as the Kuna Yala or the San Blas Islands. The San Blas Islands are a collection of islands of pristine sun bleached sandy beaches, coconut plantations and palms and home to the Kuna people who govern the Islands. Most of the islands are unspoiled, the perfect place to kick back and forget the rest of the world. Accommodations are, for the most part, simple and rustic. But it’s the best thing in life to spend the day on your own tropical deserted island and be the first one to place your feet in the sand. You can book a day on a deserted island and a Kuna guide will take you by boat to the island and provide you with a simple lunch. It is possible to travel by road and boat to the islands, but the most convenient way is to fly by either Aeropuerlas or Air Panama. The following is an introduction to some of the major islands of the Archipelago de San Blas.
El Pouvenir
San Blas Islands Relaxation
El Pouvenir is the main island, the capital of the San Blas islands. It is a small island known by the name of Gaigirgordup to the native Kuna people. This is where many tourists will arrive when they travel to the San Blas Islands. There is not much here, but there is an airstrip where Aeropuerlas and Air Panama flights land in the early morning. You will find a small grocery store, a few small bamboo huts of the locals, the Museo de la Nacion Kuna, a museum which has some displays of Kuna Indian culture and artifacts. It is worth a visit as an introduction to the Kuna heritage. On El Pouvenir, there is a simple hotel (the Hotel El Pouvenir) and a small beach.
Islands close to El Pouvenir are Isla Nalunega and Isla Wichub-Huala – busier than El Pouvenir. Both islands have more of a selection of accommodations, local government buildings and a few shops which do not stock much in the way of merchandise. The Hotel San Blas is located on Isla Naluenga. Naluenga is cleaner but has no beach. A man named Alberto Vasquez rents out a couple of the rooms in his home to tourists. He also provides food if you arrange it with him. On these islands, you will experience the life of the Kuna villagers up close, especially by staying with a Kuna family.
Not far away from El Pouveir lies Ukuptupu Island between Isla Nalunega and Isla Wichub-Huala. The Cabanas Ukuptupu Hotel is located on Ukuptupu Island. This popular hotel consists of wooden cabins built on stilts over the water. Cruise ships stop at Isla Wichub-Huala and the island becomes full of tourists when the ships dock and Kuna women busy selling molas. The Smithsonian Institute was located on this island until until 1998. From the Cabanas Ukuptupu, you can watch the sun set, the canoes, the ships and yachts sail relaxing in a hammock.
Nearby lie some other popular small islands, worth taking a day trip to snorkel, relax and soak up the sun. These small islands include Isla de los Perros (Dog Island or also known as Achutupu) – are less crowded, with fantastic snorkeling about the shipwreck where underwater life is plentiful. The silence and the glorious beaches make it ideal for relaxation under the palm trees. Other nearby islands is Isla Pelicano – good for snorkeling on its coral reef and Isla Ogobsibu which is a private island.
Carti
At Carti, there is a landing strip for airplanes and some large villages of the Kuna people. There is also the Kuna Museum of Culture featuring Kuna mythology and culture, a medical center, a school, a library and post office. Many Kuna people dress in traditional clothes waiting for the cruise ships to arrive. Some of them then trade their traditional clothes for western dress. You will find many Kuna people here selling molas. It is polluted here with garbage littered on the beach and not as clean as one would like. There is basic hotel here, dormitory style accommodation on Carti.
Close by, there is the island which is less crowded and has beautiful beaches and palm trees – this island is called Isla Aguja of the San Blas Islands archipelago. You’ll like this island more if you like snorkeling and relaxing on white sand beaches under the palm trees.
Cayos Holandes
Cayos Holandes or the Dutch Keys are a group of remote islands, the furthest from the mainland of Panama, where a few Kuna people live. The Cayos Holandes are surrounded by clear water, coral reefs full of marine life and make a great location for snorkeling. If you are sailing near these reefs, careful navigation is required. You can hear the waves break against the coral reefs, most aptly named “Wreck Reef” because of the Spanish ships that got shipwrecked here.
I will write further of more of the San Blas Islands in another posting. There’s much to explore in the way of snorkeling in the coral reefs and observing shipwrecks and the stunning marine life, sunning on the white sandy beaches or under the palm trees and experiencing the culture of the Kuna people. If you are seeking a busy activity filled vacation doing anything more than boating, snorkeling and relaxing, this may not be the vacation for you. A San Blas Islands vacation is the perfect place to relax and escape from it all.
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.