San Blas Islands/Kuna Ayala
The San Blas islands and Kuna Indians have been the subject of numerous National Geographic articles. Indeed your experience will be “right out of the pages of National Geographic.” They offer two unbeatable attractions: Caribbean islands of stunning pristine beauty and an opportunity to visit the Kuna Indians, a living Indian culture with a fascinating culture and way of life.
In 2011 Lonely Planet selected San Blas as the #3 tropical paradise in the world:
"Look up ‘tropical paradise’: there will probably be a picture of the Kuna Yala archipelago. These small islands (also known as the San Blas Islands) are part of the semi-autonomous territory of the Kuna people with are part of the semi-autonomous territory of the Kuna people and feature palm trees, gorgeous beaches, thatched huts and timeless charm. Big business hasn’t gained a foothold because the Kuna rule the roost, with a series of laws to preserve the natural environment. So no ugly hotels spoiling the view and no package tourism polluting the vibe, just plenty of uninhabited islands to explore."
The archipelago has 365 islands picturesque and palm tree covered, uninhabited and set in indescribably beautiful aqua waters. When famous author John Le Carre of The Tailor of Panama stayed in San Blas his comment upon taking in an island view was" This is not paradise. This is heaven."
This is the place to go if you truly want to "get away from it all" to be seeped in and surrounded by nature. Owned by the Kuna indians, they:ve kept everything natural and authentic. What a pleasure to spend a few days where there's no concrete, glass or steel.
The second major attraction is the Kuna people- a beautiful ancient people, largely unspoiled by modern life.
How To Get There
Air Panama and Aeroperlas have several daily flights from Panama City's Albrook Airport to the different islands. Round trip tickets from Panama City are around $60. Coral Lodge can be reached by road and a lodge boat.
Where To Stay
There are three types of island lodging: stay in an authentic Kuna island lodge over the sea or with sea views, on a yacht or at the nearby, upscale Coral Lodge. To get the experience the close to nature and and truly away from all things modern, we recommend a stay at a Kuna Island lodge. Yandup Island Lodge is highly rated.
If you want all that extraordinary nature but more luxury and personalized service, take a yacht trip with also highly ratedSan Blas Sailing, : sanblassailing.com. If you want all the creature comforts and yet also be close to nature. stay at the romantic getaway, Coral Lodge, on the coast near San Blas. From there you can take day trips to the islands. Coral lodge has Tahiti-style cabins over the sea with wrap around decks, an indoor jacuzzis and an excellent onsite restaurant. coralodge.com.
Nearby trips include boat rides to a pristine island to sunbath and snorkel (which you'll most probably have all to yourself) a boat trip to snorkel at the famous sunken ship site and a tour of an island Kuna indian village.
In Kuna Ayala, lunch and dinner will be freshly caught seafood- lobsters and delectable fish- bring something else if you're not a seafood fan.
For lodging we recommend Sapibenega and Coral Lodge, two excellent all-inclusive San Blas destinations.Sapibenega island accommodations consist of simple, yet comfortable native style cabins with roofs and walls of thatched palm trees—"all natural" lodgings that blend in perfectly with the tropical scenery. It’s a real pleasure not to see any cement for a few days.
Coral Lodge, featured in Conde Nast's Hot Hotel list, on the coast near San Blas, is the upscale lodging option with handsomely appointed individual water villas each with a jacuzzi, gorgeous views and excellent cuisine. It was rated by Conde Nast as having the "best view from the tub".
If you are not staying at an all inclusive hotel, we recommend you visit San Blas with a tour operator who will arrange lodgings, tours etc. Another great way to tour San Blas is by yacht. San Blas was also selected as one of the top two "best cruising destinations in the world" by Cruising World and Le Monde Voyage magazines. San Blas Sailing offers yacht tours.
Where To Eat
At the Kuna Ayala island lodges, lunch and dinner will be freshly caught seafood- lobsters and delectable fish- bring something else if you're not a seafood fan. Also, there are no snack stores etc. so you may want to bring some snacks as well.
What To Do
Stretch out in Island Heaven
There are dozens of beautiful islands with nary a soul in sight. Ask your lodge to take you on a short boat ride to one of these islands to sun bathe, snorkel and take in the extraordinary views. Chances are you will be the only people on the island.
Kuna Indian Village Tours
Visit one of the island Indian villages where hundreds of happy smiling children run around. Learn about the Kuna way of life and their longtime battle to be an autonomous people. Homes that are mostly made of bamboo and thatched roofs and everyone sleeps in a hammock. (Couples share hammocks!) You can buy their famous mola embroideries (colorful reverse applique embroidery featuring tropical designs) directly from the Indian woman artisans and take photos of Kuna women in their colorful regalia. . You may visit their tribal meeting house, and herbal medicinal gardens.
There are additional tours to the mainland to see a traditional burial ground and a jungle waterfall.
Snorkeling
Ask about the best snorkeling spots near your lodge. Some spots may be a few feet from your cabin. If your lodge is in the Porvenir area, the best snorkeling area is Dog Island. the site of a sunken ship, now a colorful coral garden—we counted 27 types of tropical fish.
Diving
Diving is prohibited in the San Blas Indian Reservation but Coral Lodge on the nearby coast has a diving shop and offers diving tours of the surrounding area.
Rainforest Tours
You can tour dense rainforests on the nearby mainland part of the Kuna territory: Waterfalls, wildlife and dense tropical fauna.
Sea Kayaking Adventures
The San Blas archipelago is ideal for kayaking due to the calm seas and endless islands to visit. Coral Lodge has kayak tours for guests. Aventuras Panama offers a 5 day kayaking and snorkeling adventure tour of the San Blas.
Sailing
One very popular option is to experience the San Blas islands on a yacht cruise vacation with San Blas Sailing.