San Blas: A Backpacker's Paradise

San Blas is, hands down, the #1 best place I've visited abroad.  An archipelago of 378 islands (49 inhabited) off the Caribbean coast of Panama, San Blas is also home to a second indigenous group, the Kuna Yala.  Though it's a bit difficult to reach, whatever troubles are encountered on the road are more than compensated for by the simple beauty, serenity, and relaxation offered on these islands.  

The San Blas islands are notoriously difficult to reach.  While those with enough money can easily fly in on a small plane, the rest of us must take a transport or drive (the road requires 4WD) from Panama City on the Pacific Coast to the Kuna port on the Caribbean side.  Simple enough, right?  

Wrong!  

The road connecting the Pacific and Atlantic coasts traverses mountains and valleys and is treacherous mostly due to the heavy rains and topsoil erosion.  In some extreme cases, as shown in the picture above, the land supporting the road is simply washed away.  The Kuna tribes usually organize roadside work crews to repair damage, but sometimes it becomes necessary to close the pass for weeks or months at a time.  

View from the roadside

After a 3-hour drive from the city, visitors must take a launch at the Kuna port to the island of their choosing.  Those who visit during the 9-month rainy season, as we did, risk chances of heavy rains during their stay.  Below are some photos of a particularly adventurous ride home from our island...

 Francisco and I always chose Isla Franklin/Isla Tony as our destination.  This particular island, named for its joint owners who are brothers, is divided into separate properties.  As the story goes, their father bequeathed the island to the two sons, who never resolved their differences and split their inheritance accordingly - with a metal fence that runs the length of the island (some 70 yards or less).  

Once on the island, most tourists don't don any apparel other than their bathing suits for the duration of their stay.  We ate in bathing suits, swam in bathing suits, slept in bathing suits.  As the accommodations are little more than rudimentary palm huts with sand floors, most of us didn't even bother to shower until our final day.  Below is an example of our sleeping quarters - those that didn't want to share a room could spend the night stargazing in a handmade hammock.  

One of Isla Franklin's best qualities is the cost.  It's quite affordable to spend a weekend in paradise - below is an estimated expense list.

Gas (or transport) - $40
Parking (if no transport) - $7
Taxes (depends on nationality - cheaper for Panamanians) - $10 - 20
2-way Launch - $40
Hut (1 night, includes 3 meals) - $9-30
Total - $106 - 137

These prices are flexible depending on your relationship with the Kuna Yala.  They sometimes offer discounts to frequent visitors and are flexible with regard to payment - some Kuna have been known to offer rides to tourists in exchange for beer and other goods. 

In addition to a generally relaxing atmosphere, the islands also boast wonderfully preserved coral reefs for the snorkeling crowd.  One island in particular, Isla Perro, is a popular destination for those interested in exploring shipwrecks.  See the photos below from a recent adventure...

View above water...

View underwater - this was a hole on the ship's surface

Finally, San Blas offers the cheapest crab ($10) and lobster ($20) dinners around.  The first time I asked Franklin if they had any lobster in stock, he told me that at the moment no, but that I should wait until night to see what they caught!  As it turned out, it was a good day for catching critters:

That night, the Kuna summoned us to dinner in the same style as every meal - with a conch shell.

Additional photos from previous trips can be seen below.  Please note that all pictures in this post are from my personal collection.  None have been borrowed, downloaded, or edited. 

We had to watch out for the jellyfish!