Central America is a place of many cultures. All countries at first may seem similar, yet no two are the same. The most beautiful of them all was Panama. Specifically, the San Blas Islands are located just off the northern tip of Panama. What better way to explore them than 5 days sailing San Blas.
San Blas consists of around 365 known islands and cays, 49 of which are inhabited by the indigenous Guna people. The Guna people have inhabited the San Blas islands for centuries, they have adopted a traditional way of life, culture and governance. They wear vibrant handmade clothing and create the most amazing art! Please make sure to buy some when you visit because it helps the locals out.
These islands are known for their unspoilt beauty, delicious seafood and diverse marine life. They are home to the third-largest coral reef in the world!
Now let’s talk about my trip and experience in San Blas.
I booked my San Blas sailing trip Panama > Colombia trip through ‘Blue Sailing’ and I can not recommend them enough. Everything was efficient, it ran smoothly and the food and vibes provided were second to none. Many people opt for the powerboat option when doing San Blas. Whilst it is a fair bit cheaper, I don’t think you experience the culture and beauty the islands offer quite as much.
Day one: Panama City to the Boat
My first day visiting San Blas started early, at 4 am in Panama City when Blue Sailing sent a 4×4 jeep to pick my friends and me up from our hostel. After a quick coffee and pastry pit stop we started on our way to Peurto de Carti.
As the sun rose over the beautiful ocean we made our way into the dense jungle, it then made sense to me why the 4×4 was essential. It took around 3 hours to reach our destination. Just an opening in the jungle with lots of wooden fast boats! After being eaten alive for around an hour whilst waiting for our fast boat to arrive, we finally boarded and set off.
It took us around 2 hours to arrive at our boat ‘Sophia’, she was anchored off of one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen. The photos will never do this justice. We boarded our boat, met our crew and captain who gave us a safety briefing and told us everything we would need to know about the next few days.
They dished us out a mean lunch and set us on our way snorkelling on the coral reef. We were surrounded by turtles, reef sharks, nursery sharks, sea snakes and so much more. This alone is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
After a few hours of this, we set up shop on the local island, had a bonfire, and some amazing BBQ food and drank until around midnight when the crew ferried us back to Sophia. I opted to sleep on the top deck under the stars where it’s a bit cooler with a breeze and the gentle hum of the ocean to send you to sleep.
Day two
The next morning I woke up at the crack of dawn, and diving into the diamond-clear sea was the first thing on my mind. After I had scratched this itch, we enjoyed fresh fruits, yoghurts, scrambled eggs and a few other bits. We hoisted the sails and set off on our way to the next island.
After around a 2-hour sail, we anchored up for the day, had a swimming stop and spent some time on the island. Met the locals and played some beach volleyball over a cerveza or two. I then spent some time exploring the nature and wildlife on the island. And had a great snorkel where we found a sunken shipwreck and so many pretty fish! I even saw a hammerhead shark!
We swam back to the boat where we played cards and other silly games. I finished the evening by reading my book as the sun set in the distance marvelling at what a wonderful life we all live.
The beauty of sailing the San Blas is the beauty of doing nothing. You can immerse yourself in the culture and laid-back lifestyle of the locals, and worry about today and not tomorrow.
Day three
This is the last day we spent in San Blas before the 2 day open water crossing to Cartagena. The whole day followed a similar course to the first two. Lots of sea, sun, swimming and sailing. By this point, all of the 11 guests had really bonded and the vibes were amazing. We all spent the day trading travel stories and reminiscing on how amazing these 3 days had been.
We ate dinner on one of the local islands where the local Guna inhabitants cooked smoked fish with rice for us. This was honestly delicious and such an amazing experience. We enjoyed a big family dinner, beers were flowing, bugs were swarming and we laughed and smiled into the night.
We got back to the boat around 9 pm, where we were given a serious safety briefing by the crew about the crossing which was about to commence. This can be seriously dangerous and extremely choppy. Having heard so many horror stories some of the guests were slightly worried, but the crew did their best to calm this anxiety whilst being informative about the dos and don’ts over the next two days.
Days four and five
We started the open ocean crossing during the night of day three, luckily the conditions were great for us so we had minimal rocking through the night and everyone managed to get a few hours of sleep. The next day consisted of sunbathing and nothing but water in every direction. You could even see the curvature of the earth!
These two days can be a bit tedious, you jump off and swim, there is zero phone signal and if it’s too choppy you may have to stay inside the boat. You also have to be inside as soon as it turns dark so it can be fairly restrictive. Luckily we had great conditions the whole way and spent both days sunbathing and whale spotting.
As we sailed towards Cartagena we were surrounded by hundreds of dolphins on their morning hunt. The crew let us jump in, which was an experience which will stay with me forever. We anchored up for a few hours and enjoyed our final meal whilst the captain had our passports stamped by customs.
We finally tied up to our mooring in Cartagena and said our emotional goodbyes. Everybody tipped the crew and headed off onto our next adventure. All the guests and crew on my boat actually decided to head out for dinner and drinks the same evening in Cartagena old town which was great fun and the crew acted as our local tour guides!!
Final words
5 days sailing San Blas is honestly a core memory that will stay with me forever. I made some great friends. Made amazing memories, enjoyed fresh food, saw the prettiest islands on the planet and got a great tan. There is so much more I could say but I highly recommend you go out there and experience it for yourself.
Tips
- Make sure to take plenty of cash, none of the islands have phone signal which means no card machines.
- Some of the islands have makeshift bars and you can buy local art/ clothes.
- Bring a waterproof bag so you can get your camera/phone to the islands when you swim over.
- Make sure to buy plenty of beers and snacks to enjoy during the day. You can bring as much onboard as you like!
- Portable charger, this one speaks for itself.
- Take a hat and plenty of sun cream, you really cannot escape the sun out there.
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