San Blas day trips and 2021 offers! Getting to the San Blas Islands is a journey in itself. It’s essential to have 4×4 transportation, as the winding roads leading to the archipelago are full of intensely steep mountains and valleys. It takes approximately 2.5 hours from Panamá City to arrive at the port, where a water taxi awaits, lasting around 30 minutes, depending on your island destination. When it’s time to end your journey through the San Blas Islands, you’ll likely leave just in time to catch an ethereal sunset along the jungle road.
The Kuna people are the indigenous tribe that inhabit some of the islands. We had the chance to be able to stay on one of their islands for 2 out of the three nights we were there. On the second night we had the chance to play football with the kids and hang out at the local bar in the evening. They’re very welcoming people, and it was definitely a great experience to see the way that the Kuna people live.
At Tao Travel 365 we believe in eco-friendly travel preserving the beauties of nature and forming meaningful human relationships with the locals, while adhering to our Tao philosophies that focus on being in balance with yourself and with nature. Every adventure we offer to our customers has been handpicked and personally experienced by Michael and Paola, who value high quality experiences, great prices and excellent customer service. We believe travel opens up horizons, broadens perspectives and affords us an unforgettably enjoyable experience. Receiving this precious gift of life mostly stems from a beautiful interaction with the local culture and thus we aim to maintain this treasure by sharing our love, energy and profits. Discover more info at San Blas Sailing Adventures.
One of Panama’s top surf destinations is Santa Catalina, on the Pacific Coast. This small but growing town has a laid-back surfer feeling about it. Small guesthouses and hotels, and funky restaurants, force you to slow down and relax. If you aren’t here to surf, great snorkeling and scuba diving spots are nearby, and horseback tours through the surrounding countryside are good options for those not interested in getting wet. One of Santa Catalina’s main draws is Isla Coiba. This lush island, now Coiba National Park, is almost untouched and is considered a biodiversity hot spot, with close to 200 bird species, crocodiles, turtles, and snakes. The scuba diving here is very popular due to the enormous whale sharks that frequent the area. These gentle giants are curious creatures and enjoy interacting with divers. Tours to Isla Coiba can be arranged in Santa Catalina. One of the most fun things to do near Boquete is visiting the local swimming hole at Los Cangilones. Set at a lower elevation than Boquete, the climate here is much warmer, and on hot days you’ll find a fun scene, complete with music, barbecues, food vendors, and Panamanians from far and wide splashing and jumping off the gorge edges into the crystal-clear, warm waters below. In this unique geological place, the river narrows into a gorge before opening up again in a shallow pool at the bottom. Daring adults and older kids jump off the edges into the slowly moving waters and then float down to the bottom, climb out, and do it all over again. Youngsters and visitors who are looking for something a little milder can wade into the shallow waters where the gorge opens up. The walls vary in height, so it depends on how brave you are and how high you want to go. This is very much a family destination.
Few locations include The Amador Causeway connects the three islands by the entrance to the Panama Canal to the mainland. From the causeway, there is a terrific view of Panama City, and the Bridge of the Americas. Many Panamanians like to spend their weekends jogging, riding a bicycle or rollerblading down the causeway, or having a meal or drinks in one of the many restaurants and bars on the islands.
San Blas adventure travel locations are a fabulous thing to do right now. Fly. There are two ways to fly. You can do an Air Panama flight from the smaller Albrook airport in the city (not Tocumen International) to El Porvenir or Playan Chico. These are 20-seaters and are around $100 one-way. This isn’t bad and you’ll then take a taxi to the port and then a boat out to wherever you’re staying. I flew Air Panama several times and they are great. The other option is a privately charted flight. These go from Albrook as well out to tiny landing strips on the islands so you can go straight to your sailboat. We’re talking $3,000 for an 8-seater. You can talk with the sailboat company that you book with to see if there are better prices. A flight was chartered in when we left, so we got a deal of $75 per person to go back to Panama City because it was going back empty. Jackpot!
The 360 or so tropical islands off Panama’s northern coast are home to the Kuna people, who since a revolution against the Panamanian government in 1925 have maintained political autonomy from the mainland. As such, they control tourism on their own terms – a very rare thing for an indigenous group. They know how many visitors are coming to their islands on a given day, where they will be staying, and they benefit directly from most of the tourist dollars spent. Aside from fuel for their motorboats, much of it goes on education, health or permaculture. See more details on taotravel365.com.