San Blas surfing and christmas 2019 offers! San Blas adventure travel destinations are a fabulous thing to do right now. The San Blas Islands are off of both Panama and Colombia on the Caribbean coast and stretch along down to the Colon region of Panama. The name is really Guna Yala, after a name change in 2011 but as most people search San Blas, I will call them that in this article. The region is the territory of the Guna people, short for Guna Yala. These are the indigenous people of Panama and Colombia and they actually don’t have the same rules as the rest of Panama – they had a treaty years ago to where they can govern this land in their own way (in many ways but not all). When you arrive, you pay the fees when you come into their territory and stay at their hotels. You can alternatively sail, but from what I gather it’s not entirely legal.
Your San Blas adventure starts early in the morning. A friendly driver will meet you at your Panama City lodging between 5:15am and 5:45am and safely transport you and up to five other guests to the Port of Carti. Relax and start enjoying during the 2.5-3 hour journey through the spectacular jungle highlands. Oftentimes we encounter wildlife, such as monkeys and sloths on the road and will gladly stop the car to give you opportunities to admire these beautiful animals and to take photos. Our drivers will also stop at a grocery store in case you want to purchase any items, such as snacks, water or fruit. When arriving at the port your “lancha” boat and San Blas trip tour guide will be waiting for you, ready to commence the San Blas tour. The 30-minute boat ride to the first island may be a little bumpy and, depending on ocean conditions, there may be some ocean spray. All of our boats have ample space and feature sun protection that will make this journey more comfortable.
The people in your group will make it what it is. That’s a fact that you can’t change.But the chances are that most of the people you will meet on these types of trips are open minded, interesting and willing to get to know you. So don’t worry about that too much and just look forward to meeting them. Below you can see the image of our group – representing 7 nationalities: English, German, Chilean, Dutch, Canadian, French and the US. Discover additional info on San Blas Day Tours.
And, as with any travel agency, we’re making a booking for you in a hotel in San Blas. We don’t operate the hotel nor are we in charge of their reservations. Once we receive a request for a reservation from yourself we will see if the hotel has a vacancy. We will then confirm a reservation for you and ask you for payment. We will ONLY confirm a reservation with you once we have received confirmation from the hotel. We ask for a payment as the hotels in San Blas usually request full payment before your arrival. We will make those payments on your behalf and obviously reconfirm your booking before your arrival. Now, as anywhere in the world, problems can arise and mistakes can be made. It has been known that a hotel can cancel at short notice, even though a deposit or full payment has been made. This is rare and we try not to work with the hotels that have done this. If this does happen then we will make all efforts to find you a new place to stay and to obtain a refund from the original hotel. As we said, San Blas is certainly not like it is back home and it doesn’t operate like it is. Don’t expect your hotel to be the equivalent of a hotel of equal value in Panama City. Accommodation will be very basic and you may well be sleeping in a grass hut with a sand floor. But I guess that is part of the attraction right? The very fact that you’re not back home and things aren’t the same. If they were, you wouldn’t have come.
Few attractions include Aticama Beach, The main attraction of this place is the gentle surf beach, along her find several booths where you can enjoy the famous dish made of scallops and for dessert, yaca snow.
With 365 islands in total, island hopping is a must during a visit to the San Blas Islands. Companies like Cacique Cruiser specialize in adventures through the archipelago. You can opt to stay as long as you would like in the islands, as most of them have family-run casitas, which are open to travelers to the area.
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. Read extra details on San Blas Travel Tours.