In an article dated January 20, 2022, Joey Bonura lists the 14 Incredible Islands you must visit in Panama. As I scrolled through the article and checked out what he had to say about each, I realized that I could nearly own this list. I have referenced Joey’s blog below. He is a professional blogger sharing great information from his adventures throughout Latin America. Jen and I have had a hard time adventuring in Panama during Covid, but we are resuming our special adventure routine within the country and beyond.
Early last month we checked off one such adventure with a visit to San Blas. San Blas was high on my bucket list, and we scheduled our visit through Elias Perez with Kuna Yala Expeditions. I have referenced Kuna Yala Expeditions below for anyone interested in an adventure there. Our visit was a full emersion experience, staying on the island of Corbiski, where Elias is the administrator and a teacher at a school that educates over 140 Guna children. Almost half his students come from several of the surrounding islands arriving daily by boat.
One of the most outstanding destinations within the national territory of Panama is located in the northern Caribbean coast and is composed of about 365 islands, certainly one island for each day of the year, all of coral origin along 200 miles of coastline in the Caribbean Sea. The chain of islands is called the San Blas Archipelago, and officially known as the Kuna Yala Region. the map below gives a little perspective.
It’s likely that most tourists have heard about this archipelago, and many have seen documentaries on television about this paradise in Panama as the necklace of coral islands has become one of the most popular eco-tourism destinations within the Central American and Caribbean region. Kuna Yala is an autonomous region within the Panamanian territory, and its history dates back more than 500 years before the arrival of the Spaniards to the new continent. Its population comprises approximately 61,707 Kunas (according to the 2000 Census), who reside on the islands and mainland (located in the vicinity of Lake Bayano in northeastern Panama), distributed in about 48 villages in the region.
The Kunas, as the members of the region are called, are considered one of the few indigenous tribes of the American continent that keeps their culture almost intact despite the global changes that affect the world around them. We decided to learn a little more about the Kuna Yala region, the Kunas, their culture, and tourist attractions.
Jen and I had an amazing adventure in San Blas. We traveled to Panama City on Monday afternoon and settled into a room at the Riande. We like to stay there because they allow us to leave our car while we’re adventuring for $5.00 per day. We had a little time for shopping and dinner in the city before grabbing a nightcap and turning in early.
Our driver picked us up at 5:40 a.m. for our journey to the port. San Blas can be accessed from Panama City by air daily with 25-minute flights depending on your destination within this set of islands. We opted for the more adventurous journey. We were transported by four-wheel drive vehicle from the Riande hotel in Panama City, taking the Pan-American Highway toward the Bayano region. It was nearly an hour into the trip that the driver turned off the Pan-American highway near El Llano de Chepo to go directly to the coastal community of Cartí. This option is not for the faint of heart and only accessible during certain months. The road is extremely rough, winding through the mountainous jungle. A person would have to be insane to take their personal vehicle on this road. It was about an hour before we arrived at the passport checkpoint. Technically, when you enter the Kuna-Yala territory you are entering a sovereign nation.
After passing the checkpoint it was another hour through the winding, rutted jungle road before we reached the port of Cartí.
Once we reached the dock, we were met by our boat captain and guide. They would be taking care of us for our entire visit.
I was able to get some of the information above from Panama 24.org. I referenced their site below if you’re interested in reading more about the Kuna-Yala.
Our first island stop was one of the most famous islands in San Blas, Dog Island. This is often considered one of the cleanest waters of the world and one of the best places in San Blas to snorkel. There is an old army gunboat sunk near the shore that is easily reached for the snorkeling enthusiast. We were thrilled by the warm, crystal clear, blue Caribbean water. We found changing rooms and hit the beach, enjoying the peaceful serenity of this beautiful location. We spent the remainder of the morning soaking in the sun and swimming.
There was a small kitchen on the island manned by Kuna women who served us delightful whole fried Corvina, coconut rice and patacones. After a nice lunch, we had more time to enjoy the beach and swim before our boat captain rounded us up. He and the other guide took us to a cool natural swimming place in the middle of the ocean where the water was probably less than 18″ deep. He dropped anchor and invited us to enjoy this amazing place. We jumped from the boat and began exploring the edges which dropped off instantly into the deep, warm Caribbean. One of the guides walked the entire perimeter, returning with a big armful of conch shells. We got some really neat pictures thanks to one of the other adventurers. The boat had snorkel gear on board, but we didn’t use it (I was concerned with using community snorkel gear because of Covid).
On our journey, the boat guides toured us around past several islands, giving us a sense of this magnificent place. The island of Corbiski is where our accommodations were located. The island is the home of many natives. As the boat approached the dock, we could see that the homes of the people went up to the edge of the water covering every bit of available land. There is no infrastructure of roads and utilities. The concerns for environmental changes are apparent, but there is no place to dispose of waste. The first thing I noticed is an abundance of garbage. I was told that all garbage had to be transported back to the mainland where there was a cost for disposal.
Most of the native people live on a few of the larger islands with the smaller islands receiving tourists for beach adventures or camping. Some of the smaller islands turn into party spots after dark. We were thankful for the quiet of our cabana, which had its own private bathroom and a nice little covered porch. It was rustic, but peaceful, positioned on a pier over the ocean. The island didn’t have a beach near our cabana. The breeze was perfect the entire time and we had no concerns with insects. We took along bug spray but never took the can out of our bag. Our bathroom plumbing flowed directly into the ocean and the shower was a mere cold trickle. There were no towels, soap, or toiletries provided. We were thankful we had the foresight to bring our own. There were no outlets. The lights were from a solar cell, and we had USB ports to charge our phones. We had cell service, but no wi-fi. There was time for a nap before dinner. We met our host, Elias, for the first time late in the afternoon. He came around to make sure we were comfortable and brought a beautiful hand-crafted mola which his wife had made for us. She had fashioned it after the cover from my book. I got a picture of Jen and Elias proudly displaying the book and the mola.
Dinner was served around 7:00 p.m. The cook prepared us each a beautiful lobster.
During dinner, we had a perfect opportunity to get acquainted with our fellow adventurers. The other three people, whom we had spent the day, were in the cabana next to ours. They were on an adventure from Lima, Peru. One of them was celebrating her birthday, too. She and I shared a birthday and the five of us had a great time getting to know one another over a great meal. All three of them spoke near perfect English, although they were slightly self-conscience of their ability. They became comfortable chatting with us. They were only there for one night.
When we woke the next morning, we went to the dining area and found coffee and breakfast waiting for us. The girls joined us for breakfast, then we boarded the boat for more island adventures. The five of us were treated to two more islands, each better than the previous. We had lunch on a tiny island that actually had chairs on the beach. Jen and I didn’t realize how nice it is to have a chair until there weren’t any.
To most people, throwing a towel down on the sand is fine. To us, being a little further from the sand is good. That last beach was the hardest to leave, even though we were wrinkled from swimming and over-exposed to the sun. By mid-afternoon, it was time to take our new friends from Peru to meet their boat back to the dock. When we parted, they made sure we had their contact information. They invited us to Peru to explore their beautiful country.
After we dropped the girls at their transfer point, we had the option to visit another island, which we declined. That quiet little porch of our cabana was calling us home. Our guides took us to the dock, and we went to rest from our adventure. The place was buzzing with a mission group of teens from Connecticut. They were bunking in the other cabanas. The group is led by Mike Evans who operates a 501(c)3 to bring basketball to underprivileged areas worldwide. His mission is called Full Court Peace. I have linked his website below if this is something you want to read more about. I was deeply touched by what they were there to do. Before dark, they had set up a volleyball net on the site of the future basketball court and had the kids in the village involved in a game.
Elias gave us a tour of his school; however, the students were gone for the day. He also showed us his water project. The village operates entirely on water captured from rain and stored in a huge bladder. No wonder the shower is only a trickle. We enjoyed dinner with Mike and the boys before retiring to our cabana.
On Thursday morning we had a nice breakfast with our new friends from Connecticut before departing for home. I am continuing to get pictures of their project and other pictures from Elias and the school. In one respect, the time there was much too short, and, in another, it wasn’t. I would love to have stayed behind to help build the basketball court and see the school in action, but, truthfully, Jen and I were exhausted and had gotten too much of the beautiful sun.
We aren’t accustomed to primitive accommodations and were ready for our own bed and shower. The other cause of extreme exhaustion is emotional. I was emotionally drained from the extreme poverty and living conditions of these beautiful people. There is so much they need and so many ways to help that my mind was running on overload.
I needed time to get my mind wrapped around how to write this. I would like to suggest ways to help with Elias’s school and water project. I would like to recommend that if this is something that interests you, contact Elias and book a tour. Day trips are available as are multiple day adventures. I would suggest, based on our experience, that one day is enough. If you are a compassionate giver, take school supplies, give generous tips to the people providing service, and offer a contribution to Elias to help with their water project and school. They will offer beautiful hand-made molas which are great souvenirs of your time there. We bought three which we’re having made into throw pillows.
I’ve seen people frame them, fashion them into handbags, or make beach bags from them. The Kuna women use this technique to make their colorful dresses. Jen and I have been supporters of the school there. When Elias presented us with the beautiful mola, which his wife made, we knew this very special gift would be framed.
The experience gave me a renewed respect for conservation. The people in these native communities get by with such a small fraction of the resources which we are accustomed to having. I felt bad having an unneeded light on, not finishing my plate, or taking an unnecessary shower. Thoughts of having to do without soap, shampoo, or deodorant horrifies me.
The cost of our adventure was all-inclusive. It covered accommodations and all of our meals. We bought some extra beverages on the islands where we visited, purchased those beautiful molas, and tipped our guides. There were otherwise no hidden costs. It would be wise, if you visit, to carry along a gallon of drinking water. Elias provided us with a bottle when we arrived. The others visiting brought along their own.
References from our visit to San Blas:
Elias Perez Kuna-Yala Expeditions
Two weeks following our adventure in San Blas, we took a whale watching excursion with our friends, Mike and Diane. The whale watching season runs from June to November. There are multiple excursions available. We opted for a catamaran hosted by Sea Las Perlas.
In the Panamanian Pacific waters, it’s possible to observe numerous families of humpback whales, who cross the warm waters of Panama’s coasts during their annual migratory journey from Antarctica. During their migration, the entire Panamanian coastline and especially the famous archipelago of Las Perlas (The Pearl Islands), have become the tourist destinations most frequented by travelers who want to witness this extraordinary spectacle of nature.
Our adventure started the day before with our drive to the Amador Causeway, where we checked into the Beachhouse Hotel. It’s a boutique bed and breakfast situated only five minutes from the Isla Flamenco Port where our excursion would begin. This was important as we were required to check in at 6:45 a.m. for the 7:30 a.m. departure.
We settled into our rooms and wandered the causeway for a while before taking an Uber to dinner in Panama City. We enjoyed a delightful meal at Casa Alejandro, which is right off Avenida Balboa in downtown.
I woke early to capture some great pictures of the sunrise over Panama City from our balcony.
After enjoying the beautiful sunrise, we checked out of our hotel rooms, packed the car, and drove to the dock. Check-in for our excursion was easy and we joined about 35 others on the boat. It was comfortable and there was a guide who was bi-lingual. He gave us a great description of what we could expect. We chose seats inside, which was air conditioned. There was also seating outside at the rear of the boat. Restroom facilities were available aboard the craft.
There has been extreme interest in the magnificent new cruise port being built on the east side of the Amador Causeway at the south end of the Panama Canal. Norwegian Cruise Line is already sailing from the new port, with many other cruise companies preparing to welcome people aboard from this strategic new location. This will position Panama to be one of the premier locations to catch or disembark a cruise. This is a huge feather in the cap of the Minister of Tourism, who had the vision to support this project. I captured the picture below as we left port.
There’s never a guarantee that you’ll see whales, but our experienced captain and guide didn’t fail us. About halfway into our journey to Isla Bolaños we happened upon a school of dolphins who gave us quite a show. They surrounded the boat as if we were there to entertain them. Little did they know that we were the ones being entertained.
As we continued on, we began seeing whale after whale. I suspect that we saw well over a dozen before reaching the island. The mama whales were very protective of their young and getting great pictures was nearly impossible. This is a unique experience in life that can’t be missed. The captain was always preserving safety and keeping a respectful attitude towards nature. Despite all of that, we were at times much closer to the largest mammals in the world than it appears in my photos.
I never mentioned earlier that the weather was near perfect when we left Panama City. It, however, began to change as we neared the Pearl Islands. It’s rainy season here and we’ve grown to expect anything. We made landfall on Isla Bolaños at the Sonny Island Resort around 11:00 a.m. It was there where we enjoyed lunch while it rained. The rain continued, making it difficult to enjoy the beaches of the beautiful little island resort. It did subside periodically, and we explored long enough to get some great pictures. This resort is off the grid and a favorite of people who want to disconnect for a day or more. There were cabanas and tents available for overnight guests. Power was supplied by a huge field of solar panels positioned in the middle of the compound. Restrooms and showers were available. This island happens to be the first on Joey Bonura’s 14 islands you must see while visiting Panama.
With rain coming down in sheets, we got soaked on the small boat which returned us to the catamaran. We didn’t hold out much hope for seeing more whales on the return trip but were pleasantly surprised. We not only saw more whales, but we also had sufficient time to dry out before arriving back at the dock around 5:00 p.m.
In August, we explored two of the 14 islands Joey Bonura says you must see in Panama. In the opening paragraph, I alluded to the fact that I could almost own his list. It looks like we’re halfway through it. In addition to San Blas and Isla Bolaños, which I covered here, Jen and I have explored several of the others Joey talked about. I blogged about them in previous posts. If you’re interested in our experience and haven’t read the previous posts, I have linked them below.
My blog posts are coming along more infrequently than in the past. I blame this in part to how busy we’ve become in retirement and, in part, to my weekly newsletter. I also blame it on the fact that I’ve been working on the manuscript for a mystery fiction book. The book is not yet named, although the rough draft is complete. Some days it’s difficult to put my butt in the chair and write. We’ll keep adventuring and share our experiences as long as there’s interest. Please sign up to receive the newsletter if you haven’t already. I publish it every Monday morning. Both the blog and the newsletter are free, and we never share your information. If you haven’t signed up to get the blog posts, the sign up is on the right margin. I seem to be blogging about 10 times per year.
Jen and I are going to Columbia in a few weeks. You can expect to see a fresh blog post when we return from there.
Blessings From Paradise,
Greg and Jen
#welovepanama
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Wonderful. Thank you for sharing!