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San Blas Pristine Paradise: Indigenous Guna Yala Culture & Unforgettable Island Tour
4.3
86 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.
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:
24 hours
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…
- 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
- San Blas Day Tour
- Shared boat/lancha transportation all day
- Lunch
- One beverage: Bottle of water, soda or beer
- Snorkel Equipment (snorkel and mask on a shared basis and on request, guests may bring their own)
- Island Taxes
- Itinerary might change due to weather and ocean conditions
- San Blas Day Tour
- Shared boat/lancha transportation all day
- Lunch
- One beverage: Bottle of water, soda or beer
- Snorkel Equipment (snorkel and mask on a shared basis and on request, guests may bring their own)
- Island Taxes
- Itinerary might change due to weather and ocean conditions
What's Not Included
- Guna Entrance Fee paid to border patrol ($22 for Internationals, $7 for Panamanian residents)
- Guna Entrance Fee paid to border patrol ($22 for Internationals, $7 for Panamanian residents)
Additional Information
Begin your San Blas journey with an early morning pick-up from your accommodation in Panama City (between 5:00 and 5:45 AM). Enjoy a relaxing 2.5 to 3-hour drive through the scenic jungle highlands, including a stop for snacks. Arrive at the Port of San Blas by 9:00 AM, where you’ll wait for other guests to join.
Embark on a 30-minute boat ride to Isla…
Begin your San Blas journey with an early morning pick-up from your accommodation in Panama City (between 5:00 and 5:45 AM). Enjoy a relaxing 2.5 to 3-hour drive through the scenic jungle highlands, including a stop for snacks. Arrive at the Port of San Blas by 9:00 AM, where you’ll wait for other guests to join.
Embark on a 30-minute boat ride to Isla Perro.
10:00 AM–1:00 PM: Revel in the beauty of Isla Perro’s stunning beaches and savor a fresh lunch with options of fish, chicken, or vegetarian dishes.
1:00–2:00 PM: Explore the Natural Pool, a submerged island featuring waist-deep, crystal-clear waters.
2:00–3:00 PM: Visit Isla Nuinudup, a newly accessible island boasting tranquil, untouched beaches.
3:00 PM: Make a brief stop at Isla Diablo to rinse off.
4:00 PM: Head back to Panama City, with an expected arrival by 7:00 PM.
✅ Optional Roundtrip Transportation (Please select during check-out)
✅ Fresh lunch (fish, chicken, or vegetarian)
✅ Shared Mask & Snorkel (Please request from your boat crew. Guests are welcome to bring their own)
*Times may vary depending on weather and ocean conditions.
- 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.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(86 Ratings)
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Maryeve_k
Dec 18, 2024
The air conditioned van... - The air conditioned van was very comfortable and our driver was experienced maneuvering around the many curves and steep inclines/declines along the way.
The boat crew were slso excellent navigator as they took us to various beautiful islands.
Lunch was tasty, with choices of chicken, fish, and vegetarian dishes plus a drink.
I would recommend this day tour.
Review provided by Viator
Kristen_a
Aug 25, 2024
Great experience. Loved... - Great experience. Loved the food. Relaxing. Tour could have been shorter. More activities on the island.
Review provided by Viator
Harrison_c
Aug 14, 2024
100% recommended - It was and amazing experience. I definitely recommend anyone visiting Panama to take a day to visit San Blas. The organizers were also great , professional, and very helpful.
Review provided by Viator
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
Fumio_t
Feb 13, 2025
Transportation from the... - Transportation from the city was easier than I expected and it took just about two hours on the way back. It is definitely worth travelling to see the beautiful beaches in the islands and sea water was super clear. Enjoy!
Review provided by Viator
Tamara_l
Dec 15, 2024
San Blas Relaxing Tour - Great tour of the islands. The lunch included was okay. You have to be open-minded on this tour. The beaches are for relaxing . You should bring pesos as there is no way to use a credit card, beach towels, snacks, bottle water, and a change of clothes. We were dropped off in each island and given a specific time to enjoy the space.
Review provided by Viator
Donyale_h
Aug 21, 2024
A great day in Panama - The staff is amazing very friendly very helpful when it was time to eat the tour guide knew who everyone was and what they wanted it was smooth sailing on the water all 4 stop amazing beaches 10 out if 10
Review provided by Viator
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
Thereseann_j
Nov 11, 2024
Day well spent - This tour was very fun and relaxing. It would have been five stars if the road to the boat loading dock wasn’t so winding and our driver was friend. The driver took us off route on our way back to drop off someone who wasn’t apart of our tour. The drive to and from take about 6 hours.
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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