• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Panama
      • Portugal
      • Colombia
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Belize
      • Spain
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Indonesia
      • Vietnam
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Panama
      • Portugal
      • Colombia
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Belize
      • Spain
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Indonesia
      • Vietnam
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result
Home In Focus: Panama

Things You Must Know About The Wonderful San Blas Islands

Palm Trees And White Sand... Starfish And Sea Turtles—Panama’s Secret Beach

Rebecca Teeters by Rebecca Teeters
Aug 15, 2022
in In Focus: Panama, Panama
0 0
0
San Blas island beach

Adobe Stock/roca83

317
SHARES
3.9k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Think palm trees swaying in the breeze, crystal clear water, and white-sand beaches. Then add pelicans overhead, starfish within yards of your feet, and maybe even a dolphin or sea turtle to round out the day…

These are the San Blas Islands. Located on the Caribbean side of Panama, just east of the Panama Canal, this archipelago of approximately 365 islands and cays, offers an opportunity for total relaxation and leaving the hassles, stresses, and worries of everyday life behind completely.

A visit to San Blas, officially known as Guna Yala, is not only a chance for escape. It’s also an opportunity to experience a rich part of one of Panama’s indigenous populations, the Guna people, previously known as the Kuna.

Life on San Blas is simple and basic. No need for a cell phone, as service is unreliable. There is no internet, and electricity and fresh water are scarce.

On the other hand, dinner is fresh fish caught by the locals, and the night sky is filled with a million stars. The break from 21st-century reality is refreshing beyond your wildest imagination.

Of the 365 islands, only 49 are inhabited, and 40 can be visited. Finding the place to stay that best fits your preferences can be tricky. Each resort is very different from the others, and it isn’t easy to find reliable information on what to expect in each case.

Paradise islands with white sands and clear waters in San Blas, Panama
Adobe Stock/schame87

Get Your Free Panama Report Today!

Simply enter your email address below and we'll send you our FREE REPORT - 101 Things You'll Wish Someone Had Told You About Panama.

Visiting San Blas

Some of the islands cater to a younger crowd, others are more family-oriented, while some of the farthest away islands are more appropriate for a romantic getaway. It’s important to note the sleeping arrangements. Some of the islands accommodate only two people per cabin. Others only have community bathrooms, albeit well-lit, spacious, and clean.

By now you may be thinking that this seems complicated. It is, but it’s worth it. San Blas is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Once you have made your reservations, the staff will contact you to arrange pick-up from just about anywhere in Panama City. The transport is timely and efficient, and I recommend that you take advantage of it, as the trip from Panama City is more than two hours over difficult terrain.

Once on the road, your driver will ask if you would like to stop at the grocery store. Say yes. There is a large new Xtra on the way where you can pick up essentials. Although most of the rentals in San Blas include three meals a day as part of the stay, you should bring drinks and snacks to keep in your room. For sure you should bring drinking water, but also buy soda, beer, wine, and anything else you’d like to have during your stay. These things are not very available (or at all available) once you reach the islands.

Your San Blas adventure begins at Puerto Dibin, a bustling set of docks that might seem chaotic if you approach it on your own. However, if you arrive with a driver, he will introduce you to your captain and help you find a place to wait until it’s time to board your boat. This will happen when everyone from your group going to your island has arrived. Remember, people are coming from various places throughout Panama City.

Also remember that you’re now on island time. Once your lancha sets off from the dock, it’s time to settle back and enjoy the ride. As the ocean spray hits your face and the crystal-clear water passes by below, let yourself fall into relaxation mode. You should have achieved a real sense of peace by the time you arrive at your destination.

Take at least one of the day tours offered by your hotel, as this is your opportunity to see other islands. Pelican Island is a highlight. It’s now underwater. Here you are in the middle of the ocean, but can walk in shallow water, splash in the natural pools, and snorkel among the starfish that call the seagrasses home.

Becky Teeters
Panama Insider

Tags: beaches in panamahow to visit san blasislands in panamaPanamasan blasvisit san blas
Share153Tweet68
Rebecca Teeters

Rebecca Teeters

Rebecca Teeters is a freelance writer who spent many years in New Orleans, Louisiana, before catching the travel bug. After four years in Nicaragua and a solo drive through Central America, she has finally put down roots in the small beach town of Puerto Armuelles, Panama, where she enjoys learning about the local culture and blogging about those lessons.

Related Posts

Palm trees, sea and houses in Isla Grande shore. Colon province, Panama 
In Focus: Panama

A Beach Adventure In Panama To Start 2023

by Gabrielle Wells
January 5, 2023
0

When I was a kid, I dreamt of swimming in Caribbean waters... shades of turquoise and blue lapping at white...

Read more
Typical foods eaten for Christmas and New Year Eve in Panama

Christmas Eve Dinner In Panama: A Rundown For Expats

December 22, 2022
Los Islotes, Panama

Starting A School In Panama Near Los Islotes

December 14, 2022
Trekking Barefoot To Los Islotes Through The Jungle

Trekking Barefoot To Los Islotes Through The Jungle

December 13, 2022
Christmas Holiday Scene in Panama City, Panama

Celebrating A Palm Tree Christmas In Panama

December 8, 2022
A map of Panama

Invest In Panama For Low-Risk, Fast Profits

November 25, 2022
Girl from El Cuarto Rojo doing aerial suspension

Panama’s Art Scene Is Being Disrupted. Here’s All About It

November 10, 2022

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas

A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today.







Get Your Free Panama Report Today!

​​Simply enter your email address below and we'll send you our FREE REPORT - 101 Things You'll Wish Someone Had Told You About Panama.
 

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2023

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

The World’s Best Places To Be In 2023?

Discover Them Here…

Sign up for FREE and learn how to live the good life on a modest budget, find bargain property, and more. Plus, check out our free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE.

RETIRE OVERSEAS AND LIVE LIKE ROYALTY

Get Your Free Panama Report Today!
 

​​Learn more about ​​​PANAMA and other countries in our free, daily Overseas Opportunity Letter​​, as well as our ​In Focus: ​Panama ​newsletter​​​​​​. Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE REPORT – ​​​101 Things You'll Wish Someone Had Told You About Panama.