The drive from Panama City to San Blas takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes. The short answer is Yes. You can book flights at Air Panama or Aeroperlas, but book in advance since it are all small aircrafts and the demands for seats it high. Are you dreaming of pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and a tropical paradise getaway? We would not recommend the day trip option if youre traveling with kids. So, we thought wed share our experience traveling to the San Blas Islands from Panama City. Most sleeping options are built from natural materials and you can find a variety of different styles. You can also stay in a Kuna village. The San Blas Islands in Panama are a paradise for backpackers, myself included. While access to the islands can be challenging, the reward is well worth the effort. An average flight from Panama City to San Blas Islands costs around $100 for a roundtrip Flying Air Panama Air Panama is the second biggest airliner company in Panama and has the most flight schedules to various domestic destinations. There were so many highlights to our trip to the San Blas Islands. Learn More. To help you choose the best option for you, I've broken them down below. During this time you might either stay on one island or do some sort of island hopping either way, this leaves plenty of time to get a fairly good impression of the islands! Fiji or Tahiti. The Truth About Visiting the San Blas Islands, Panama Our guides are professional, multilingual and excited to serve you. Many people feel that this is the best time to visit Panama and the islands. We pride ourselves in being a 100% indigenous business and in supporting our local communities. One of them did not. The indigenous province is regulated by the Guna people (those indigenous to the San Blas Islands) and they have been known to change their entry rules with no warning. Along the way you visit the San Blas islands and learn sailing on open water. When booking your San Blas Island accommodations, keep in mind that the boats are small and it takes about an hour to reach the outer islands. If you have a dry bag, remember to use it. Tip: Youll be wearing a swimming suit the whole time in San Blas, so put it on early so youre prepared to get wet on the boat ride. They have their own language, Guna, which is still spoken by the majority of the population, and their traditional clothing is a significant part of their cultural identity and is regularly worn by the women. Most of the drivers who drop off guests in the morning will wait around to transport guests back to Panama City. We hope you find inspiration, tips, and tricks to help you have amazing adventures too! The San Blas Islands are a popular weekend get-away destination for local Panamanians and residents. It took 30 minutes of asking questions to everyone we could before someone finally assigned us to a boat. We visited in June, in the heart of the wet season. Panama is a wonderful country which definitely deserves a visit! Look for full packages that include transportation (incl. Turns out, the cheapest we could get boat transport for was $70 per person, which felt CRAZY HIGH (especially since we were very familiar with the old boats they would be taking us on after all our time in the Caribbean Corn Islands). Very simple. It was tight but it worked fine. Watch this short video. Accommodations on San Blas Islands are limited, so its best to reserve your dates prior to arriving in Panama. Very impressed with tour experience. We were hoping to save money by driving a rental car out to the islands and back again since we had a large group. Of course, dont forget your beachwear bathing suit, a towel, sunglasses, sun protection and some casual beachwear. Houston to San Blas Islands via plane, bus, and shuttle - Rome2rio If you drive on your own, and dont stop, you can probably leave Panama City around 5:30. Big Island Hawaii. Haha.. yes, one of them loved the boat ride. Learn more about the San Blas Islands, the native Kuna Indians, and how to get there! You are able to self-drive from Panama City to Puerto de Carti, provided you have a 44 vehicle and appropriate insurance. To get to Sapzurro. Theres a big difference in the price too, with the speedboat being more affordable, but the trip is shorter, (although this might be better for some of you?). While the road has sections that have been recently paved, its still a road where nearly everyone will get motion sick. Thanks for sharing this great story of your family adventuresso well written and presented!. A 4x4 driver will collect you from your accommodation in the capital, usually at around 5 am, and will drive you for around four hours to a port, where a water taxi will take . Sea San Blas Jan 26, 2022 BOOK NOW In order to experience the true beauty of Panama and to understand its colorful, diverse and ancient culture, then you need to escape from Panama City to San Blas Islands. Click here to check airfare prices and schedules. First of all, you are required to have a 44 car to enter Guna Territory. San Bls: Best Things to Do & Travel Guide (2023) - Remote Expeditions Its in the middle of nowhere, so we were confused. This particular location appears to be geared towards tourists who book a tour to the San Blas Islands. When you board the boat, try to sit at the front. Open water sailing can be . iTravel byBoat, based out of the San Blas islands knows most of the boats on the islands and arranges trips and transportation. This is what we did with our tour company (more information in the next section). Island hopping trips are also a popular option for visiting a range of islands and the highlights of San Blas in just a few days. How You Can Get To San Blas Islands In Panama And Have Fun Hi thanks for the really cool trip tips! If we didnt have to pay any extra fees, we would have broken even, so we decided to go with a transportation company. Therefore, you will need to arrange for your own transportation to the port of Cart or another designated entrance point. I would highly recommend the San Blas Islands and the opportunity to sail with Roberto. In the last 5 years, weve visited nearly 40 countries together and in 2017-2018, we took a year off to travel the world together. Depending on the time of year, the road may have giant potholes and eroded pavement, which is why you MUST have a 44 Jeep or SUV. San Blas island archipelago consists of 365 islands stretching North-East from the capital Panama city in the Caribbean Sea. Quickest way to get there Cheapest option Distance between. We purchased water, snacks, pastries, sandwiches and fruit for the trip. We offer support in English and Spanish. Seeing several different islands on our trip, Fantastic for fishing (we did a lot of trolling while we sailed). You are travelling over water so prepare to get wet, dont take anything valuable. To determine the best transportation for your trip, contact where you are staying and ask them for their best recommendations. Recommended Fly Houston to Panama City, travel Fly from Houston (IAH) to Panama City (PTY) Travel from Panama City to San Blas Islands Basically, a 44 vehicle picks you up from your hotel in Panama City and drives to Puerto de Carti. However, apparently, this is to avoid morning traffic and maximize time on the islands, which makes sense. Obviously since there are all these transportation companies, they have to have contacts to help arrange just boat transport. If your plan is to take a day trip to San Blas islands, you will absolutely want to join a tour so you can visit a few different islands. The sailing tours look incredible. Travel tip go to the bathroom BEFORE you drive this section of the road. I want to see hotel recommendations when using Rome2rio Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. Best Tropical Island for Hiking. In order to experience the true beauty of Panama and to understand its colorful, diverse and ancient culture, then you need to escape from Panama City to San Blas Islands. There are primarily two ways to reach the San Blas Islands from Colombia and this is either on a speedboat or chartering a sailing boat. Your accommodation or the operator/agency, through which you make your reservation, usually offers a package that includes transport in a 4WD and the boat transport to the island. How to get to Colombia from Panama? We left our luggage at the hotel and packed small overnight bags. It would be unnecessarily stressful. However, our plan was to spend a few nights on a remote Caribbean island without the luxuries youd find at a typical hotel or resort. San Blas Islands to Eberswalder Strae (Berlin U-Bahn) via - Rome2rio They pick you up by your place of stay and drive you in about 2,5-3 hours to Garti/Carti. From the checkpoint to Carti takes another 1.5 hours, for a total of 3 hours (with a short break at the checkpoint). The biggest downside of a San Blas sailing trip is that for nearly ALL OF THEM, you need to arrange your own transportation from Panama City to your boat. We booked our boat trip through VRBO and they have a great selection of affordable sailing trips to San Blas Islands. San Blas Islands - Travel guide at Wikivoyage Most travellers book a full sail trip that starts in Panama City and moves along the coast of Panama and the crosses a small part of the Caribbean Sea. The indigenous Kuna Yala tribe have self governing authority over the islands and a part of the mainland. If you are renting a car and this is part of a Panama road trip, you will need to take into consideration that you will be passing through the Guna Yala province. Make sure to save your receipt since you may need it when you get back to the port to prove youve already paid the entrance fee (some people arrive from Colombia so they regularly check for entrance payment). The best San Blas Islands tour companies are going to offer you a variety of experience options for an affordable price. This guide will provide you with everything you need to know about how to get to San Blas from Panama City. We run our own cabins and boats and have been welcoming guests for almost 15 years now. The day trips from Panama City to Guna Yala generally depart around 5.30 am. You can also take the ferry from Panama to Colombia but this boat wont stop in San Blas and then youre missing all the fun! Make sure your package includes snorkelling equipment. Rates for the 44 jeeps and water taxis can be found on our travel rates page. But ask questions if you feel like something is not right. The Guna people, who are the indigenous inhabitants of the region, have managed to preserve their culture and traditions even as the world around them evolves. How to Get to San Blas Islands, Panama - As We Saw It After we got to the port, we know that theres absolutely no way we would have all gotten on a boat where we needed to go, especially since we had to fight to even get on our prepaid and arranged boat. If you are looking at the speedboat option, we met a few people on the islands who said they had used San Blas Adventures and San Blas Frontera for their speedboat trip and were happy with the company. There's a big difference in the price too, with the speedboat being more affordable, but the trip is shorter, (although this might be better for some of you?). We reached our final destination, Yanis Island, about one hour after departing from the mainland. The 44 SUV is a 7-seater (pictured above). I have created this table to show the differences in these options: *There are two arrival locations in Panama, one is still on the islands in Porvenir but the other is on the mainland at Puerto Lindo. It was super chaotic and the boat captains seemed to have no interest in talking to us, which was very frustrating. In some months, the boat rides can get quite wet. In the next section, well get back to the practical details of planning your trip to the San Blas Islands. 7 days 21h. You will get very wet if you sit in the back of the boat. These tours offer convenient online booking as well as competitive pricing, making it an affordable way to see one of the most pristine island destinations in the world. However, it is generally difficult to get in touch with them and most speak only Spanish or might not be very responsive. Another option is using a waterplane to land in San Blas. Feel ready for your San Blas Island Adventure? Make sure that you take all safety precautions before the boat disembarks from Panama City. The San Blas islands are under a tropical maritime climate with temperatures almost the entire year at around 27-29 degrees Celsius (or 8184-degree Fahrenheit) and night temperatures at around 23 degrees Celsius (or 73-degree Fahrenheit). Sailing from Columbia to San Blas Islands (or vice versa) is another popular way to visit these islands, given the close proximity between Panama and Columbia. Required fields are marked *. The drive from Panama City to San Blas Islands passes through Guna Yala, which is an indigenous province in northeast Panama on the Caribbean coast. When you get to the port, youll have to pay an additional $2 entrance tax to get into the port. Also, check out our tours: https://www.sanblasfrontera.com/tours/. To get to San Blas Islands, you have to take a panga transport boat from the mainland to your designated island. As I mentioned above, arranging your own boat transportation at Carti can be very difficult. Covid-Update: currently village stays are not possible. If youre staying overnight, like we did, the boat will take you directly to your island. The airports (really just landing strips) are at Achutupo (ACU), Corazon de Jesus (CZJ), EL Porvenir (PVE), Malatupo (MPP), Playn Chico (PYC) and Puerto Obalda (PEU). Our hotel pick-up was at 5:00 AM. What do you need to bring & what to expect during your time on the islands? There are more than 360 islands to visit, and your tour guide is going to be able to help you select the perfect destinations for your itinerary. Then get in a dougout with a small motor and head out. It was still hot and tropical, minus the sunshine. You will not find all-inclusive resorts with huge swimming pools here. From there, you board a small boat that transports you from the mainland to the islands. Ready For An Unforgettable San Blas Experience ? The local government permits a number of selected drivers to bring tourists in 4WD to San Blas, or you can drive in your own car (necessary: 4WD) to the port of Cart. This makes the islands special in so many ways we cant even explain. pick-up and drop-off at your hotel), boat rides, and lunch. Do you want to become a partner of San Blas? We stayed at this Panama City hotel and it was excellent and a fantastic price. We recommend you join a tour that organizes your transportation from Panama City to San Blas Islands. Some of the islands with airports include El Porvenir, Corazon and Playon Chico. An adventure-seeking family of 7. We booked online, prior to arriving in Panama. However, there are better options for getting to San Blas Islands. We mostly used Uber to get around Panama City. Book Our Trips To The San Blas Islands, Panama. Your email address will not be published. We chartered a sailboat for our trip to San Blas Islands and it was absolute perfection. Of course, with most countries, there are still areas and people affected by poverty, which is more obvious outside of Panama City. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. How far are the San Blas Islands from Panama City? The road is quite windy and bumpy, so I imagine youd need to hire a driver or rent a vehicle. With daily trips, overnight experiences and multi-day tours available, you will be able to pick the tour that is right for you. No electricity, no bathroom. Can you visit the remote islands independently? This means immigration crossings and paperwork, food prep, where you will stay, which islands you will visit and activities to keep you busy. in this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about planning your trip. You will be jumping in and out of a boat and possibly also get a bit wet while doing so, so it might not be the best time to put on your finest clothes. Book your flights as early as you can, because fares increase as the date of departure approaches. Thats a tough one. Here are the three options to get there: Getting to the San Blas Islands: There are only three options to visit the San Blas Islands: The Kuna culture and lifestyle is still very much alive today and a visit will feel like entering a long-forgotten world. However, the word remote may imply that these islands are difficult to get to. Prices reflect the cost on a per person basis. We have a trip in November. I believe its $21 USD per person for foreigners (as of February 2020). It appears to be a daily routine. To get to San Blas, youll take a vehicle to the port and the only way to get to the islands is by boat. COVID-19 Travel restrictions may apply. Yes, it is possible to organize a San Blas visit by yourself, but it requires some planning and preparation. Its somewhere you will want to visit, its a place of dreams. Eventually, we were guided to the boat that would transport us to our final destination. This water taxi takes you to one of the major islands of San Blas. Day tours start early in the morning (5-5:30am) and return to Panama City around 7 pm at night, giving you plenty of time to explore the islands. Drivers will pick customers up from their accommodation in . Im planning a trip to Panama soon and definitely wanna check out the islands. Some companies share a bit of their profit with us as thanks for the referral. Many vehicles had already left, so we werent sure if the communication from our guest hours on Yanis Island was relayed to the drivers on the mainland. How to get to the San Blas Islands Visiting the San Blas Islands is a unique experience that, unlike most popular tourist spots, requires quite some planning and flexibility. There are approximately 365 islands and cays, one for each day of the year! This is the boat dock on Yanis Island. It will take you a little over an hour to get to the Guna Territory and then 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to the Carti port from there. Before we dive into the details of visiting the San Blas Islands, lets take a moment to appreciate the fascinating culture of the native people who call this place home. 3-Day Bocas del Toro Itinerary (+ Travel Tips), 15 Best Things to Do in Panama City, Panama, 2 Weeks in Egypt Itinerary: Best of Egypt in 7-14 Days. When you are in Panama the most common way to travel to San Blas Panama is by 44 jeep from Panama City to Carti Suitipo, or Garti Tupile. 12 Things to KNOW Before Booking a Trip to the San Blas Islands There are only two main seasons dry season and rainy season and each has its own characteristics. One of the more populair cruises to Panama can be found here. You can reach the Golfo de San Blas from the Caribbean Sea. You can walk hundreds of feet and still only be waist deep. We were told that there are several rollover accidents every week because of the high speeds that drivers take the road at. During our research, we found it made more sense (price and convenience) to go with a tours. The Kuna people and their culture are an integral part of the San Blas Islands history and identity. We had an amazing time sailing around the San Blas Islands and I would highly recommend this company. Click here to check airfare prices and schedules. Guna Yala - How To Visit The San Blas Islands - South America Backpacker Catching a speedboat will make it easier for you as there is less time spent on the boat. San Blas Islands - A short travel guide to paradise - WebWorkTravel So, the sailing trips and speedboat options are the same as the above options from Colombia but in reverse. From a quick day trip from Panama City to a multi-day sailing adventure, you can customize your adventure to your interests, budget, and timeline. The trip from Panama City to San Blas Islands is pretty straight forward. Curious about how to get to San Blas Islands? 20 BEST Tropical Islands to Visit in 2023 (+ Where To Stay!) Some boats have open sides, and others have a cover and plastic windows. You may have a couple of stops along the way to drop off other guests at their island. You can also fly on Achutupu, Garti/Carti, Corazon, de Jesus, Playon Chico and Rio Sidra. A common place to start this journey in Colombia is the city of Cartagena. However, the breathtaking scenery and unique culture of the San Blas Islands make it all worth it. 04/19/2021 By Traveling Canucks 13 Comments Categories: Beach Central America Panama San Blas Islands Travel Stories Trip Ideas Tropical Islands. The pic of your sons on the boat is precious. Our local guides will take you not only to the most popular islands, but also to hidden gems that many other travelers never get to see. Closest airports to San Blas Islands. They also insist on you using a 44 and will not let any smaller cars pass through their checkpoint. Transportation to San Blas Islands is incredibly expensive. For our group, we would need 2 cars, and the price was $275 per car (without any extra taxes or random insurance they require you to buy). However, lots of cruises do travel to Panama City from where you can easily reach the San Blas Islands. It wasnt the best boat experience our knees bashed on the side of the boat each time it splashed on the waves. Be patient, and enjoy the journey! Of course, you can always come to San Blas and just enjoy doing literally nothing. How to get to San Blas Islands? The purpose of traveling is not only to see the sights, but to truly experience the way of life in a different part of the world. The easiest way is to get a bus from Cartagena to Turbo or Necocli and then a ferry to Capurgana and from there another boat to Sapzurro. Travelling to San Blas - Plane, sailboat or 4x4 Jeep - SanBlas-Islands.com I suppose you can arrange boat transportation and overnight accommodations at Puerto de Carti, but I would not recommend that option. There are three main options for getting to the San Blas Islands. Every Zone of San Blas has different boats that serve them best, so contact your captain with which San Blas transfer service they recommend. Written February 8, 2020. Most villages have a dorm available for guests or private hostels. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. The islands vary in size, with some super tiny with no more than some sand and a few palm trees, while others are more developed and are home to large communities, schools, and churches. You would think that a region that gets hundreds of visitors a day would have some sort of organization, but there was none. VDOMDHTMLtml> San Blas Islands, Panama - Everything You Need To Know | Episode 5 - YouTube A quick guide to everything you need to know before visiting the San Blas Islands. Read more. At this point in time it is not yet possible to go by cruise ship to San Blas. Do you need to know how to get to the San Blas Islands of Panama? Its bumpy and windy. When Is the Best Time to Visit Indonesia? A San Blas Islands tour is one of the most convenient ways to get from Panama City to San Blas Islands. There are three ways to get to the San Blas Islands; via sailboat charter, flying and with a water taxi and 44 jeep from Panama City. We're able to help with any questions you might have before, during and after your trip with us. We knew we wanted to visit San Blas on our trip to Panama and after doing insane amounts of research we chose a sailing trip. You can fly to San Blas Islands from Panama City. There are several options to choose from. Abigail is the travel blogger behind Im Going On An Adventure. You can find the Panamanian customs on the island El Porvenir. Great Blog Guys. Whether you come in the wet season or the dry, the weather remains blissfully warm on Panama's islands. If youre planning a visit to the San Blas Islands, you have the option to go for a day tour or a multi-day stay. I have personally visited the San Blas islands on the 5-day sailing trip and wouldnt do it any other way. Getting to the San Blas Islands, Panama (Guna Yala) - Winging the World Once you reach the San Blas islands and if you decide to get there on your own you will need to think about where to stay. Most backpackers travelling between Colombia and Panama choose one of these options. Share your San Blas Islands travel tips in the comments below. How much is a flight to San Blas Islands? Verify that you will be able to work with a local guide who can create a personalized experience for you and your family. How to Get to San Blas? For me, it was the best experience and I think it was definitely worth it. The boat ride is quite bumpy. The rainy season lasts from June to December, although clouds offer relief from the hot tropical sun and showers rarely last for more than an hour. In Panama City you can find allot of tour operators that can bring you to San Blas by 44 jeep and water taxi (lancha). All you need to do is work with a tour operator who can take you over the Pan American Highway in an all-wheel-drive recreational vehicle. Our youngest was able to use the mifold travel car seat (https://mifold.com/). By Air You also have the opportunity to fly from Panama City to San Blas Islands. We were picked up at 7am, and we were the last people on board the boat. Everything You Need To Know About Visiting San Blas | Panama Welcome to some of the most remote islands in the world! In a country that gets 8 months of rain a year, large potholes are very common, so even when its repaved, it usually doesnt stay great for long. The only way to visit the islands on a sailing trip or speedboat is with a tour company. Air Panama - San Blas Islands The other one, not so much. Required fields are marked *. Its more expensive, but its very convenient. The grocery store had 20 similar vehicles in the parking lot; each one filled with sleepy tourists. shares When Rachel and I first started planning our two weeks in Panama we pretty much only had two places on our itinerary: the Panama Canal and the San Blas Islands. The Leading San Blas Island Trips & Tours Agency. If youre reading this, Im taking a guess youve already heard about the islands and that youve decided its time to visit and its a good decision! (Unless of course you have your own boat! Take the Tour from Sapzurro to San Blas Islands. The canal was easy to visit, but arranging a trip to San Blas proved a little more tricky. Sign-up for our newsletter to receive free travel information and family travel tips, 10 Things to do in Panama City, Panama for first time visitors, 15 Photos that will inspire you to travel to Belize, Photos from our visit to Monkey Island Panama from Panama City. Our challenge is finding transport from Panama City to Puerto de Carti. We arrived at our hotel in the early afternoon. When visiting the San Blas Islands, you can decide to either stay on the islands, in a village or stay on a sailing boat. "We are extremely satisfied with our experience to San Blas! 11. This trip will take you in around 5 days to Panama and visits some San Blas Islands. Unfortunately, there is no functioning recycling system in San Blas and locals struggle with an eco-friendly way of dealing with trash brought in from tourism. Those stays are perfect for guests that really want to experience the Kuna lifestyle and culture but keep in mind that villages do not have any beach you might need to negotiate with someone to bring you to a nearby island. Getting to the San Blas Islands by yourself is possible, but requires a lot of planning and flexibility. Just haul it with us? Sea San Blas islands tour today. I will definitely want my 3.5 year old in a seat for the drive. You want to make sure you are on a Puerto Lindo arrival as this will save you 42 / $50 on travel. Some islands have small hotels that include transportation in the nightly cost. The road is full of pot holes and drivers are swerving all over the road to avoid them. For more travel tips and ways to make the most of your trip click here.