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San Blas Pristine Paradise: Indigenous Guna Yala Culture & Unforgettable Island Tour
4.2
71 Ratings
Warsobtugua
Experience the untouched beauty of San Blas and immerse yourself in the indigenous Guna Yala culture. Explore pristine islands, white sand beaches, and a famous shipwreck on this unforgettable tour.
Duration:
14 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- San Blas Islands - Important: Please note that itinerary might change due to weather or ocean conditions.
Isla Perro, enjoy one of the nicest islands in San Blas with a white sand beach and the famous shipwreck located right off the beach. Snorkel the wreck with our included snorkel and mask, lounge on the white sand beach or take a dip in the crystalline azure ocean.
We will serve you a freshly prepared tasty lunch with a selection of fish, mixed seafood, or chicken. Explore the Kuna culture and pristine beaches of this typical island paradise
- San Blas Islands - Our next stop is Arena Blanca, a tiny speck of island with ankle deep water surrounding it. This is a great opportunity to take breathtaking photos, bathe and relax in the water and walk around the little island.
- San Blas Islands - We continue to the Natural Pool, which is a sunken island allowing visitors to stand waist deep on fine sand in the middle of the ocean, oftentimes spotting sea stars.
- San Blas Islands - Our last stop will take us to Isla Diablo, the neighbor island of Isla Perro. Here you will have a chance to rinse off salt water and sand to get ready for your return to the port.
What's Included
- Island Taxes
- San Blas Day Tour
- One beverage included (water, soda, or beer)
- All-day shared boat transportation
- Lunch provided
- Snorkel equipment available (snorkel and mask)
- Flexible itinerary subject to weather and ocean conditions
What's Not Included
- Guna Entrance Fee paid to border patrol ($22 for Internationals, $7 for Panamanian residents)
Additional Information
San Blas is one of the few untouched island chains in the world, inhabited by the indigenous Guna Yala tribe who continue to live a very basic yet contented lifestyle. Our sought-after San Blas Tour takes you to some of the most picturesque islands in the archipelago. Contrary to other tours which lead you to packed beaches, our destinations are in exclusive spots.
The expedition includes a stop at Isla Perro where you can enjoy its pristine white sand beach and the well-known shipwreck just offshore, Isla Diablo or Isla Yansailadup, or Arena Blanca & the celebrated Natural Pool. The day’s specific schedule is settled in the morning, contingent on the judgment of the captain and the state of the ocean.
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking.
- Departure time is between 5:00am and 5:45am from your Panama City lodging. If staying at Playa Bonita area, your departure time is between 5:00am and 5:15am.
- You are welcome to bring a cooler with your own drinks, potable water, snacks and beverages (fruit juice or alcohol). The driver will stop at a supermarket on the way to San Blas in order for you to purchase additional items.
- PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BRING YOUR ORIGINAL PASSPORT. WITHOUT IT, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE GUNA TERRITORY AND THE SAN BLAS ISLANDS.
- Please be advised that San Blas is in the Guna territory, which is an autonomous, Indian zone. The services are very basic. The Gunas will be providing all touristic services, such as meal preparations, car and boat transportations, lodging, and tour guiding. We are proud to be working with this friendly tribe and with each booking we give back to the community, supporting their customs and their traditional way of life. We kindly ask you to respect this beautiful culture and their simple way of life, leaving your expectations behind and learning about their innocent culture.
- We recommend that you bring your personal hygiene items, such as towels, sunscreen, hats, mosquito repellent.
- In San Blas Islands there are no ATMs, please bring cash. You can buy additional drinks, snacks, souvenirs etc.
- “Tigo” is the cell phone company that has the best reception in San Blas.
- Infants need to sit on laps
- PLEASE BE PREPARED FOR A 2.5 to 3 HOUR CAR JOURNEY EACH WAY OVER CURVY ROADS! THERE IS ALSO A 25-30 MINUTE BOAT RIDE TO YOUR FIRST ISLAND WHICH CAN GET QUITE BUMPY AND WET. We feel that the islands are worth the long drive, but some travelers have complained about the drive and the fast boat ride from and to the port. While we strive to provide our guests the best service and an unforgettable experience in San Blas, we are not responsible for road and ocean conditions, and we would like you to be aware of this fact :)
- The use of drones is prohibited in San Blas. Heavy fines are imposed on those who disobey the law.
- AGAIN!!! Please be prepared for a 2.5 hour car journey each way (1 hour on a highway and about 1.5 hours through the mountains over curvy roads! Please do not leave bad reviews because of the road. We try to warn you ahead of time ;)
- The road to San Blas is very curvy. If you are sensitive to motion sickness, please prepare accordingly by bringing appropriate medication.
Location
Carti Parking and Boat Terminal
The tour starts in the port of Carti. Contact our office for exact driving directions and instructions. Plan to arrive no later than 8:30am. Only 4x4 vehicles are allowed entry into San Blas territory. All other cars and SUVs will not be allowed to enter the territory and you will lose your tour.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.2
(71 Ratings)
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Kim_m
May 29, 2024
Beautiful and fun - The islands are beautiful and fun. The only downside is getting in out of the boys on the islands. The beaches are beautiful and you see different types of sea life on each island. The snorkeling was very fun.
Review provided by Viator
Radek_k
Apr 27, 2024
Wonderful San Blas Islands Tour! - We had a fantastic time on our tour of the San Blas Islands! Both our guides and our driver did an amazing job ensuring that everything went smoothly. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and really went the extra mile to make our experience memorable. The islands themselves were breathtaking, and the clear waters and white sandy beaches were like paradise. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a mix of adventure and relaxation, led by a great team.
Review provided by Viator
Olger_f
Mar 30, 2024
unforgettable experience I highly recommend it! - Excellent trip we highly recommend to all ages! unforgettable experience I highly recommend it!!!!!!!
Review provided by Viator
Babluashraf_u
Jan 1, 2024
san blas island - Back to Panama city to my Hotel was very scary, driver name was Adrian , he was driving very fast overlimit, more then 100 km in 60 miles limit road,so fast on the way Hotel i was praying. anyway safe and security is priority for every one.
Review provided by Viator
Rick_m
Dec 8, 2023
A simply amazing an memorable day! - The entire experience was fabulous. Very relaxing yet exciting. The drive to the pier was smooth and comfortable because the road was fully paved last year. After arriving at the pier, we were efficiently assigned to a boat and off we went. The ride was just slightly chopped because our tour was in December, which is the start of the summer winds on the caribbean. So we got sprayed a bit but not drenched.. After the first island, where we got a surprise of a late morning snack of fresh fruit the waves had calmed down and the rest of the so rides were very smooth. The lunch was tasty and fresh. The bathrooms were better than expected. Snorkeling at the old ship on little dog island was good and the equipment they provided was in great shape. Our driver was amazing and took the time to drive slow through the mountain roads after we told them my wife was vulnerable to motion sickness. There were six of us but his car was a large SUV and comfortable. He scouted and found wildlife in the jungle as we drove through it and would stop to let us look at the monkeys and Toucans. Very memorable day overall. Getting up at 5 was not an exciting concept but well worth it. We were in the water or on islands from 9 to 3, with about 4.5 hours on land or sand dunes which was plenty. We got back before 7, even though we were the first pick up and last return. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Yuridelisd2022
Sep 15, 2023
Everything was excellent! - Amazing! Love the people I ended up with, had a great time. Both tour guides were great! (The driver, Adrian and then the Guna Yala guide). The beaches, Caribbean Sea is beautiful! 100% would do it again 🫶🏽😁
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kendra_c
May 27, 2024
Would Definitely Do Again - The blueness, the calmness of the waters and the islands. this was an experience we were not wholly prepared for. we read the reviews, had our doubts, and booked anyway. So glad this opportunity was not missed. To begin, the ride is not that bad. I would probably curb what I eat the morning of the trip, since you may have a tendency to get dizzy or carsick during the ride. Winding hills, downhills, uphills. I was prepared, I had on nausea bracelets. Not a problem. A little bumpy at the end, but all in all the roads are VERY well paved. The ride is long, hence the early morning pick up, still no bother. We were prepared. The boat ride, no problems. No choppy waters, the captain and navigators were very efficient and smooth riding across the waters. No problem with the boat ride. This was Panama in May, yes it rained, but still no problem. We were prepared and in NO WAY can the tour guides control the weather. Still overall the tour guides, captains, navigators did they best to make it a safe and fun adventure. Safety was priority, life vests at all times in the boat, hands and arms in the boat at all times and of course no standing up during moving. The tour guide and his crew did his best for the plus size women in our group. What we were not prepared for was the getting in and getting out of the boat. THAT was atrocious. The boat was lower than the decks all of the time. You had to be a very agile, lithe ballerina to get out of the boats onto the decks. There was no easy, pretty or sexy way for this plus size woman to get out of the boat. The gentlemen were more than willing to lend a hand or few to get me up from rolling on the decks,, because that is exactly how i navigated that ordeal. That would have to be my only complaint or concern. Now, a ladder did appear on one leg of the trip, when you could literally "walk" across the ocean on a sunken island, but it was not geared for moving from the boat to a deck. The walking across the island,water was most beautiful. So,to say all that, YES! I would most definitely NOT pass this experience up. I would most dubiously do it again, but be forewarned the getting in and out of the boats was the hardest part for this plus size woman. Thank you to all for this epic journey for my birthday. Check. A most wonderful memory. The snorkeling was phenomenal. Saw all kinds of fish, coral, crabs, sunken ships. Beautiful experience. A must do.
Review provided by Viator
Schawn_f
Apr 1, 2024
Great care free tour - Absolutely wonderful driver. The road was paved & while driving briskly, the driver was completely safe. He was there right away after our boat trip & get us back to the hotel quickly. Which was much appreciated as we were tired from our fun filled day. Yes, you aren't going to get much of the cultural aspects of the islands, it's great for a day trip overview.
Review provided by Viator
Arthurlyn_g
Oct 9, 2023
Okay trip - The trip was beautiful but the TRAVEL to get to the trip was HORRIBLE. It was 6 people
In the car all Americans. 2 blacks, two white and two Spanish. He made the white, and black people pay but did not collect money for the two Spanish people. He used the money given from the four other passengers to pay for the two Spanish passengers and said something to the Spanish passengers in Spanish and they replied thank you, very unfair and unprofessional.
Review provided by Viator
Msaje_e
Jun 13, 2024
Over hyped - The tour guides were really nice but I think this tour was over hyped and the 2-3 drive to get there was not worth. You start at around 5 travel by car and meet up with your boat around 8/9 where you island hop to small isolated islands that all look the same. Just sand a couple of palm trees and nothing much. They might have a little bar stand that over charges and no food. Around 12/1230 is a small lunch then off to another tiny pile of sand I mean island that does not look much different from the first. There was no real snorkeling just nothing much to do. You final head back to the cars arriving around 4pm for that 2-3 drive back to Panama City. Got back around 630/7pm and I was starving. There are much better islands to include the ones that are closer to Panama. I wish there was an option for this tour to be shorter because after lunch I was definitely ready to go home as again each tiny “island” looks exactly the same. I felt like I was captive from 5am to 7pm without much value for what I experienced. All the tour guides were very nice, but I think the tour needs some work. The food was ok. For a trip like this there should be an option for breakfast lunch and dinner as again you are literally gone all day. Again there was only one stop around 1230 that had food.
Review provided by Viator
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