Tips for your trip to Guna Yala / San Blas

By Juliette Darmon

Before going to San Blas some precautions have to be taken.

The different Caribbean islands and beaches are wonderful but you have to be ready for a rustic experience!

An organized tour with a company is almost compulsory and going with a guide is really recommended.

winnies from Guna Yala

Dog Island, Achutupu

our local guide

A guide will exactly know where to go and which island is to see for the kind of experience you are looking for.  As San Blas is a big archipelago of 365 islands, not all the islands are recommended to visit. Some islands are more used to host people than other ones.

To sleep three options are possible, according to your expectations:

• Sailing the Archipelago: amazing experience on board, many stops to different islands, many activities like snorkeling, discovery of the Kuna/Guna communities, local lunch, authentic coco directly picked from coconut trees in front of your eyes, diner on boat and an excellent night! If you are looking for both comfort and adventure, then this is your option!

To take: enough cash (without counting the nights’ boat: $100 max each for two nights/ three days, better to take more than less just in case. Also useful for some Kuna/Guna handcrafted products to buy on the islands), a mosquito spray, toilet paper just in case, shower gel and shampoo, sun cream, towel and camera/ gopro of course!

• Cabins or lodges on islands: More rustic than the boat, a cabin on these islands is most of the time built on wood or bamboos, and you should take a mosquito net with you to protect from mosquitos and insects of the island.

TIPS: you are on the spot and immersed in Kuna/Guna culture but be ready to live a rustic experience.   Do not be sensitive to smells.

Be sure in which island you will go before in order to be prepared for the experience you are going to live: Some are more touristic (like Perro Chico) than others which are deserts (like Chichime).

To take: enough cash ($100 max each for two nights/ three days, better to take more than less just in case. Also useful for some Kuna handcrafted products to buy on the island), a mosquito net, mosquito spray, toilet paper, shower gel and shampoo, sunglasses and high protection sun cream (the sun is really hard in the tropics), hat, towel, snacks and water, raincoat and camera/ gopro of course! Better to wear long clothes during the night.

• Camping: Do not try if you are not experienced because you would not be ready for this kind of adventure.  Not recommended for solo travelers.

More than rustic, you will camp in the middle of the island, and be ready to live like indigenous in some islands.    Do not be sensitive to smells.

Be sure in which island you will go before in order to be prepared for the experience you are going to live. Some are more touristic (like Perro Chico) than others which are really deserts (like Chichime).

To take: enough cash ($150/ $180 max each for two nights/ three days, better to take more than less just in case. Also useful for some Kuna handcrafted products to buy on the islands), a mosquito net, mosquito spray, toilet paper, shower gel and shampoo, sunglasses and high protection sun cream (the sun is really hard in the tropics), hat, towel, snacks and water, raincoat, tends and special roof for rain, inflatable mattress, blanket, flashlight and camera/ gopro of course! Better to wear long clothes during the night.

Booking with a tour operator is also really advised concerning the prices. Kuna/Guna communities are not always reliable and trusted people, as they can tell you a price at the beginning and asking you the triple at the end.

That’s why we really recommend you to do not adventure yourself alone in San Blas, most of all if you are not experienced and prepared for this kind of experience because you could be not ready for it.

Book a tour with us and we will take care of you!  contact us at info@ecocircuitos.com

 

Tourism, Education and Conservation in Panama: STRI

Panama has to be considered as one of the leading destinations for students interested in tropical biology and rainforest preservation. As a land bridge between the two continents, Panama is a meeting place of over 970 species of birds from North and South America. Its tremendous biodiversity and the accessibility of its tropical forests make Panama a paradise for nature and ecological studies. Panama itself is a flower garden with more than 1500 species of trees and more than 10,000 species of plants. With two oceans washing its shores, Panama is rich in marine life.

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institution (STRI) in Panama, is a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution based outside of the United States, is dedicated to understanding biological diversity.

What began in 1923 as small field station on Barro Colorado Island, in the Panama Canal Zone, has developed into one of the leading research institutions of the world. STRI’s facilities provide a unique opportunity for long-term ecological studies in the tropics, and are used extensively by some 900 visiting scientists from academic and research institutions in the United States and around the world every year. The work of our resident scientists has allowed us to better understand tropical habitats and has trained hundreds of tropical biologists.

STRI is the perfect partner for Academic and Educational Tours in the Tropics:

Panama’s remarkable biodiversity and the accessibility of its tropical forests make it a paradise for nature and ecological studies. Our trip will expose participants to the natural wonders of lowland tropical forest, cloud forest and coral reef ecosystems. Culturally, students will have the opportunity to interact with and learn about our local communities and to experience city life in the developing world.

Panama EcoArt Program

handcraft making vessels in azuero

winnies from Guna Yala

Local Guna Art

diablos rojos art

Discover what truly makes Panama so special, its people, land, history and culture. The Panamanian culture is translated through its art. The mola that carefully handcrafted by is Guna (Kuna indians) is a reflection of how unique this culture truly is. During this program you will travel, learn and experience the true Panama, learning in person from the people who call this land bridge their home. You will journey to six of Panama’s provinces to learn from local artisans, while they work on their masterpieces that will be used in local celebrations or could be flown halfway around the globe. This program includes visits to Guna Yala – San Blas Archipelago (molas), Chagres National Park to visit the Embera people (Cocobolo and Tagua –vegetable ivory carvings), Cocle (sombrero pintado – woven hat) and Herrera (ceramics and diablo sucio masks).  This is a complete and fun itinerary that is ideal for those who love Latin American art.  Contact us for a detailed itinerary.