Have you ever wanted to live like Robinson Crusoe and sleep on a deserted island for a night? If yes, then you should add the San Blas Islands to the TOP of your bucketlist. This remote island archipelago off the north coast of the Isthmus of Panama, east of the Panama Canal is a paradise yet to be discovered by the masses. Compromising of around 370 islands (mostly inhabited), these islands make the perfect island getaway. If you are looking for adventure, culture and a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience, San Blas island hopping with kids will be a trip the whole family will enjoy!
Why Go to the San Blas Islands
Unlike most island paradises where you stay on one island at a resort, the San Blas islands are a bit different. The best way to experience the magic of these islands is by hopping from one island to another. It’s quite the adventure! The San Blas feel untouched and pristine since the islands aren’t overcome with tourists yet, which make the whole experience more authentic and peaceful. It is here where you can really get away from it all and leave your troubles behind.
Snorkeling in pristine coral reefs, taking a nap under the palms, eating fresh caught lobster and sipping coconuts–that’s just a snippet of what to expect in the San Blas islands!
Since the San Blas islands are occupied and owned by the Kuna Yala tribe (an indigenous group of people in Panama who have existed here for hundreds of years), you really get to observe this beautiful culture up close and personal. You will feel like you’re taking a step back in time, as things are at a slower pace of life here. You also don’t have the amenities that you might be used to. But that’s what makes this island hopping trip so memorable!
The Kuna people are incredibly warm, welcoming and kind and being among them is both an educational and inspiring experience. San Blas island hopping with kids was truly one of our favorite adventures!
How to Get to the San Blas Islands
You have 3 ways to get to the San Blas Islands and it all depends on from which direction you are coming from: Panama or Colombia. We came from Panama City after spending a week in Bocas del Toro.
*Note: You cannot cross the border from Panama to Colombia or vice versa. This is because traveling over the land border, known as the ‘Darien Gap’ can be very dangerous. This is a popular drug trafficking route out of Colombia to Panama and is not safe (plus it’s just untamed jungle the whole way!).
and find serenity in the islands!
Option 1: Fly to the San Blas Islands
The first and most expensive option to reach the San Blas islands is to fly via Air Panama from Panama City. This option is good if you want to get to San Blas quickly and comfortably and don’t care to island hop. If you choose this option, you will need to stay in one of two lodges: Sapibenega or Yandup Lodge.
However, most travelers don’t make this choice because it’s pricey and you’ll miss out on the opportunity to travel through the Caribbean Sea by boat! The flight leaves to various landing spots around the San Blas islands. Be sure to book the flight at least one week in advance as only one plane leaves per day at 6am.
Option 2: Catch a 4 X 4 from Panama City and then boat around the islands
This is probably the most common way to get to the San Blas islands. From Panama City, you can take a 4 X 4 shuttle (most guided companies include this transportation) to the port city of Carti on the mainland and then from there, you will get on a boat (sail or speedboat) and island hop around San Blas for a few days before reaching Capurgana or Cartagena.
We will go into the differences between taking a sailboat vs a speedboat later.
Option 3: Take a bus and then a ferry from Colombia
with the Kuna people.
As stated above, if you are coming from Colombia, you can either take a sailboat from Cartagena or a speedboat from Capurgana (a small border town). To get to Capurgana, you will need to take a bus and a boat ferry from wherever you are in Colombia (most travelers come from Medellin or Cartagena). For example, you can take a bus from Cartagena to Necocli and then a ferry boat over to Capurgana (which takes about 1.5 hours and costs around $24 USD).
Once you are in Capurgana, there are plenty of great hostels to stay at, lovely beaches and hikes (stay a day or two if you can to enjoy it fully!), and of course, this is where you would catch the speedboats to the San Blas islands. More on that below.
When to Go to the San Blas Islands
beautiful and unique in their own way!
The San Blas trip is possible all year round as the weather is mostly good any season however it is important to note that between December and March, it is windy. This means there will be big waves, not necessarily around the islands as it is sheltered by a reef, but the journey over open seas can get rough (this is especially true if you are traveling by sailboat). If you get seasick easily the sailing trip might not be for you!
Sail or speed boat?
By Sailboat
The more popular way to travel through the San Blas islands is by sailboat. Most people who choose to sail are traveling from Cartagena to Panama or vice versa. Most sailing trips last 5 days, from which you will spend two full days sailing the open ocean. Be warned, the last two days on the open ocean can be extremely rough when it’s windy. This option also means that you will spend less time on the islands and more traveling in between them. If you would rather have more time experiencing the magic of these islands and the indigenous people who live there, this option isn’t for you.
By Speedboat
Not many people know about this option, but you can also take a speedboat through the San Blas islands. This is what we did because one, we wanted more time on the islands and two, it was cheaper for us. We chose to go with a company called San Blas Adventures and we did the 4 day trip from Panama to Colombia. The other reason we chose to go with San Blas Adventures was because we loved that they are all about sustainable, responsible tourism.
with the Kuna people, speedboats are the way to go.
This means that they heavily involve the Kuna people who inhabit the islands. In fact, the Kuna have part ownership in the company! San Blas Adventures works closely with the Kuna on all aspects of the trip and most of the money from your fare stays in San Blas, distributed among the local people they work with and the different communities you get to visit along the way.
Island Hopping Itinerary with San Blas Adventures
Day 1
If you are coming from Panama City, the day will start around 5AM with a bumpy 3-ish hour ride in a 4 X 4 to the port town of Carti where you will load up your luggage on the speedboats. *Note: You will be required to bring large, durable garbage bags to put your luggage in (backpacks, suitcases, etc). This is to keep your gear dry inside the speedboats. Once the luggage is securely on the boat, it’s time to take off for the first island adventure.
As mentioned previously, one of the benefits of going in a speedboat with San Blas Adventures is you won’t spend more than 3 hours in a boat per day. This means a lot more island time!
The first island on Day 1 was our favorite, as it was small and extremely photogenic. It also felt like we were on the movie set of Castaway! The snorkeling on this island was the best too, with a shallow reef (perfect for kids!), lots of colorful fish and even rays. We ate a delicious lunch of different salads and fresh fish, played soccer and volleyball on the beach, took naps in hammocks and drank cold coconuts under the palms. PARADISE!
We spent the majority of the day on this island before jetting off to a bigger island, about 20 minutes away, where we would eat dinner and sleep for the night. On this island, there are some Kuna families that live here that help with the cooking, as well as sell some of their goods. We played volleyball and also had a team competition: a photo scavenger hunt. This was a great game to get to know the group better (we had 28 people in our group including guides!). Dinner was fresh lobster and more fresh vegetables and salads–so delicious!
Another few things to note about island hopping with San Blas Adventures. First, you sleep in hammocks under one, big communal hut on the islands! I will be honest, at first I was nervous about how this would be with 20-something other people, but it actually wasn’t bad at all! If you are a light sleeper and worried about snorers, bring ear plugs just in case. Hammocks were comfortable though–and even though it’s hot on the islands during the day, having a light blanket with you or wearing leggings/sweats and a sweatshirt is a good idea, as it tends to cool down at night.
Day 2
and had lots of grass, perfect for playing soccer.
Each morning on the islands begins early with breakfast and then it’s time to pack up and move onto the next island. After a 2-ish hour boat ride to the next island on the second day, we spent the day playing a lot of volleyball and soccer, but also slack-lining, more swimming and relaxing! Each night if the weather conditions were good, we had bonfires on the beach after dinner.
Day 3
The third day with San Blas Adventures started with a longer boat ride (perhaps 3 hours?) to the first island where the majority of the day we snorkeled, played volleyball with the Kuna and chilled on the beach. Later in the afternoon, we used the Kuna’s wooden canoes to paddle over to the community island (about 15 min away). That was a treat! We then spent a few hours playing with the local kids, watching a traditional Kuna dance, eating dinner and learning more about their culture. It was one of the best parts of the entire trip!
The last night in the San Blas islands was spent on the community island in beds in hostel-type accommodations instead of under a hut in hammocks. This “lodge” is owned by the company and the community, so the only people that stay here are guests with San Blas Adventures.
Day 4
The final day with San Blas Adventures was spent boating to Colombia. We started the day out early with breakfast, then packed up the boats and left for the border. This boat ride was by far the roughest, but luckily, it was only a couple of hours to our next stop. After going through immigration at the Panama-Colombia border, we got back on the boat and jetted to Sapzurro, a small, sleepy town in Colombia. We spent the afternoon eating homemade tamales and ice cream on the beach and playing in the water.
Near the end of the day, we got back on the boats and went to our final destination with San Blas Adventures, the town of Capurgana. This was a cute town, known for excellent scuba diving just off-shore in Colombia. Our group had one final dinner together, and then we were off on our separate ways (most were heading to Cartagena or Medellin the next day). There are several hotels and hostels in Capurgana, and it’s easy to book when you get there.
experiences and adventures!
Additional Info and Packing Tips
Some additional tips on what to expect and pack for a trip in the San Blas island hopping with kids:
1. Leave small children at home
Because of the nature of most trips in the San Blas (sailing or speedboat), we would highly recommend not bringing young/small children (unless you charter your own boat). One reason is you are with a group of adults, mostly backpackers in their 20’s, so it can get a bit rowdy at times. The other thing to worry about with young kids is you’re around water a lot making it more stressful if your kids aren’t 100% water safe and excellent swimmers. Also, you’re moving around a lot, making it a bit of a hassle with luggage and young children.
We suggest bringing mature kids 8 years old and up. Trust us, it will be a much more enjoyable experience for everyone!
2. Be prepared for rough seas
As mentioned earlier, the sea can be rough at times (especially if you sail), so if you get seasick easily, bring Dramamine or wear a motion sickness bracelet or patch. Even in the speedboats, there were a couple of days where the waves were pretty big making for a bumpy boat ride.
3. Expect rain sometimes
You’re in the tropics so did you expect perfect weather everyday? We went in the dry season and still had a couple of days of overcast skies and mild rain showers.
4. Pack minimally
You don’t need to bring a lot to the San Blas Islands. Most of the time you will just be wearing a swimsuit! The less you bring, the easier it is so pack around (remember you’re moving luggage on/off the boat everyday!). More on what to bring below.
5. Bring cash for tips, souvenirs and drinks
Your tour guides with San Blas Adventures (and I’m sure other companies too) will tell you this, but this is important. On the islands, you will need cash for drinks (other than water) such as coconuts, sodas, and alcohol. If you plan to buy souvenirs too, you will want cash. And of course, tips for the guides are always appreciated (but not required). We would recommend at least $50 USD per person.
What to Pack
Here is a basic list of essentials to bring with you on your San Blas island hopping adventure:
2 Swimsuits
Lightweight, microfiber, quick-dry towel (one for each person)
2-3 Tee-shirts and shorts (you don’t need for everyday because most of the day you will just be wearing a swimsuit)
Pants and sweatshirt (for nighttime, but also to avoid bug bites from sand flies)
Sandals
Rain jacket
Light blanket (if you get cold easily sleeping)
Wide-brimmed hat
Sunscreen and insect repellent (we recommend reef-safe sunblock with the active ingredients of zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide and bug spray with 30% Deet)
Toiletries (there are very basic showers and bathrooms/toilets on the islands)
Portable chargers/cords (for phones, cameras, etc)
Reusable water bottles
Passports
Cash (in small bills)
Handlamps
Conclusion
One of our all-time favorite adventures was island hopping through the San Blas Islands. It was such a unique experience and one we would highly recommend with older kids or without kids. If you have more time to spend in Panama, we would suggest combining this trip with 2-3 days in Panama City and a few days on the islands of Bocas del Toro.