SAN BLAS Islands - A paradisiacal archipelago

THESan Blas archipelago was our first 4 day stop on our Panama tour. We stayed there from December 27-30 and loved it!

The SAN BLAS archipelago

After seeing photos on blogs, I dreamed of staying on these islands in an indigenous community. The archipelago of Guna yala ou San Blas is an Indian Autonomous Territory in the Caribbean Sea of ​​Panama. Guna yala has more than 360 islets stretching over more than 400 kilometers. In addition to its postcard landscapes, this archipelago allows you to get in touch and discover the culture To use. With a tropical climate and a constant breeze, these islands are always sunny.

Here are some pictures of the Swimmingpool and PELIKANS Island in theSan Blas archipelago.

The SAN BLAS and the community of Gunas or Kunas

These 50 Indians San Blas want, despite contact with the modern world, to perpetuate their cultures. They were already present on the archipelago before the arrival of Christophe Colom. They live in community, independently and do everything to respect their tradition. I had read that women To use only put on their traditional costume in front of tourists and as soon as they left, they dressed in trousers and a t-shirt, then left the islets to reach their apartment.

This is totally wrong. For having stayed 4 days on DE MAR ACHUDUP, I can certify that the use, who kindly welcomed us to their island, are Indians who do not play comedy. The women are dressed in the traditional way all the time: Mola, skirted skirts, bracelets on the ankles and arms, gold rings in the nose, red scarves. They live on their island with their families in cabins such as those rented to tourists. In some families, the more westernized men than the women leave their island to work in the fields in corn or yuca plantations, others fish, transport tourists on excursions or trade with neighboring islands.

Certainly the use take advantage of earning money with tourism but it is a people concerned about its traditions and far from everything that is said about it.

They greeted us a bit coldly at first, but very quickly, going towards had with some funny anecdotes, we managed to get a few smiles and a kind of mutual respect was established. Despite our curiosity, we felt that they did not wish to discuss with us. They stayed behind and we respected the distance they wanted to keep.

All we learned from them was Victor, the intermediary who took care of the stewardship and logistics for the tourists, who explained it to us.

How to go to SAN BLAS?

We went there by road from Panama City:

5h30 Departure from our hotel by Pic Up to the pier to go to the San Blas Islands with our private driver Oziel GONZALEZ Tel: + 507 6004 4721 or + 507 6576 6663

The trip lasts 2h30 with 1h30 of very bad road through the mountains and the forest. At the entrance to the Caribe region, there is a check point where you have to pay an entrance fee of 20 USD per person.

We go to puerto Dibin where we wait almost 2 hours before embarking on a "lancha"! The management of boats is a disaster! The tourists are shared on one side then the other, some luggage protected, others not, the latest arrivals leave before the first ... The registration documents go from hand to hand and do not come back to their issuer ... C ' is a mess.

10h00 Sea transfer to DE MAR ACHUDUP island

10h50 Arrival on the island and installation in our cabin

Where to sleep in SAN BLAS?

The use offer traditional accommodation in rustic cabins built with natural materials. These are straw huts with palm roofs placed on the sand. Simply equipped with beds and a luggage rack, there is no air conditioning or toilets inside. There is electricity in the cabins from 18 p.m. until midnight. In addition, possibility of recharging electronic devices at the bar during the day. The sanitary facilities are shared outside.

The strong point of these accommodations is their location. Indeed, the cabins are placed directly on the beach, under the coconut trees, facing a superb lagoon, with a hammock waiting for you for long naps in the sun ...

In such a heavenly place, we quickly forget the lack of comfort and we like to live in Robinson Crusoe!

Option on Arridup Island

Otherwise, here is the Demar Achudup hut where we slept for 3 nights: More information on Booking

What do we eat at SAN BLAS?

When you book the hotel, you must have full board because there are no other dining options on these tiny islands.

The use prepare simple dishes with products of the day's catch accompanied by the famous coconut rice typical of the region. To vary a little, from time to time there is chicken. Please note, full board does not include drinks. Coke, beers, water, sodas are sold on site for 2 USD.

Optionally, for 10 USD you can order a voucher lobster which they prepare with a garlic sauce.

What to do in SAN BLAS?

Find a calm life, simple and cut off from time. Take the time to bask in the sun, read a good novel, play chess, observe birds, especially the many Pelikans.

Main activities at SAN BLAS

Swimming, snorkeling especially in " at the pool »And excursions to other islands such asPelikan Island,Perro chico island (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and the Perro grande island. To go toLos Holandeses island (one of the most beautiful), you have to pay a supplement because it takes 1 hour from lancha to access it and 1 hour for the return.

At night, contemplating the stars in a sky without light pollution is a real spectacle that can be enjoyed by SAINT BLAS then fall asleep gently to the sound of the waves ...

How long at SAN BLAS?

We stayed there for 4 days or 3 nights. But, as I like to discover, move, walk… I must admit that 4 days is a bit too much. To make the most of it and not get bored, a short stay of 1 to 2 nights is more than enough, except for those who need a lot of rest.

After the San Blas,

let's go to Bocas del Toro !