How to Get to the San Blas Islands
Posted by Travel Editor
Exactly how do you get to the San Blas Islands Panama?
The San Blas Islands Panama attract many of tourists each year searching for a tropical island escape, surfing on amazing waves, a backpacking adventure vacation, from all over the world. The Islands are close to Panama, on its north east coast and well connected to the mainland and can be reached quite easily.
How to get to the San Blas Islands? Tlhere are several options available to you. A 20 minute plane ride from Panama City will take you to these beautiful islands. A vast majority of people arrive in these islands by plane, though there are boats too that are available to take you to the San Blas Islands. Daily flights are available offered by Air Panama and Aeroperlas. You can book a return flight from the Aeropuerto Marcos A Gelabert or more commonly known as the Albrook Airport in Panama City for about $80 US to the Playon Chico airport in the San Blas Islands. You must book your flight in advance because there is only one flight per day and the flights fill up fast. You also must have a hotel reservation at one of the San Blas hotels so you will be picked up at the airport and taken to your accommodation.
You can reach the San Blas Islands by boat from the mainland. There are many small boats which supply essential items to the islands, which also double up as ferry service. With a little bit of luck you can easily get on one of these boats and reach your vacation island destination. You can easily find them in the harbor at Colon.
You can also find many such boats anchored in Nombre de Dios, Carti and Portobello. These boats take supplies over to the islands and you may be able to get a ride with them for a small price. Another option would be to rent a boat to take you to the island of your choice. In fact, a vast majority of visitors to these islands often rent boats. Chartered boats are a great way to explore the numerous islands of the region. They also offer you a great way to enjoy the natural splendor of the region’s rich coral life. For those looking for some adventure, hiring a kayak would be a great way to have some fun, as well as travel between the various islands.
There is a road to the San Blas Kuna yala (El Llano/Carti) and you can hire a driver to pick you up in Panama City and take you by four wheel truck to the Islands for about $25 per person, each way.
Many large cruise ships too pass through the islands. Cruise ships are the best if you want to soak in spectacular views of the islands and the coral reefs. Luxury yachts are another great way to explore the manifold natural splendors of the area. Apart from helping you travel between the various different islands, luxury yachts would also double up as world class accommodation too. This is what makes them a favorite with visitors to the islands. You can find many operators in the mainland offering yacht charter, complete with accommodation, dining and crew.
So there are several ways to get to your San Blas Panama vacation islands. Best advice is to book ahead so everything will go smoothly and you can relax and enjoy your visit to the islands.
The links to the two national airlines of Panama can be found on our Panama Travel Resources page.
- Aeroperlas Air Panama Cabanas Ukuptupu Carti Cayos Holandes Coco Blanco Coral Lodge Dog Island Kagantupu Kuna Kuna Indians Kuna Niskua Lodge Kuna Yala Panama Playon Chico San Blas hotels San Blas Islands San Blas Islands Panama San Blas Islands vacation San Blas Panama Sapibenega Kuna Lodge
The San Blas Islands Vacation
Posted by Travel Editor
The Comarco de Kuna Yala, or better known as the San Blas Islands Panama on the north east coast of Panama are a collection of 378 islands.
The indigenous people, the Kuna Indians have since the 1950s owned these islands where are slowly emerging as a most valued tourist destination. 49 of the islands are the home to the Kuna Indians. The rest of the islands are deserted. You can take a 20 minute flight from Panama City to get to the islands. Best advice: find a good travel agent to help you book your vacation to the San Blas Islands.
Accommodations on the islands can be classified as basic and rustic. If you are looking for a luxuy hotel in San Blas, you are not going to find one. They are great for backpackers and people willing to rough it for a bit, the trade off being the beauty of these tropical islands. The islands’ hotels mostly specialize in eco tourism. Electricity is not always available and sometimes you will not find hot water when you want it.
The beaches are gorgeous and unspoiled. Many of the hotels consist of cabins with porches and hammocks sitting out over the water. If you are looking for a way to de-stress and get away from it all, this is the place.
Your vacation in the San Blas Island can include experiencing the Kuna Indian culture which has their own customs, language and traditions. For a great souvenir, you can buy a mola, a brightly colored cloth with designs of birds, animals and fish, handmade by the Kuna women. Tours can be arranged of some of their villages.
What to do in the San Blas Islands? Besides doing nothing and relaxing, you can snorkel and diving in the surrounding corral reefs, go fishing, swimming, and exploring the beaches and jungles. The best time to book your vacation would be between April and June.
Paradise is found here in the San Blas Islands. You won’t want to leave.