Islas San Blas

Isla Perro

We had been reading a lot about how magical the stay on any of the 360ish islands of San Blas is, so decided to go and check it out. We had a look on the internet at prices and it did not look cheap. So we started asking around what options we have for an one night stay

We first got the contact of a guy called Javier Fonseca, we got in contact with him over WhatsApp and he gave us his website www.sanblastourspanama.com
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What he offered (adjusted to the prices of the website) was:

• in cabinas: 190$/person including: transport from hotel in Panama City (and back) + meals + tours + entry fees to the islands + the stay itself on one for the islands + snorkeling equipment (the cabin itself is 135$) 
• in tent: 86$ (without transport). I case you need to rent the tent he was offering 25$ per tent for 2 including mattress

He was willing to let the price down till 175$ per person in the cabinas.  All the costs are without the Guna Yala´s natural reserve entrance fee

We then managed to get in contact with one of the local people (Kuna) offering accommodation on Isla Perro, here the details:

• Name + WhatsApp: Augencio, ph# 0050765112058
• Augencio organized the transportation with Gabriel ph# 0050766509839 
• Transport cost: 50$/pers in a 4x4 pick up from hotel at 5:30ish AM, return in Panama City where you need to be
• Boat from the port to the island + the tours 35$/pers
• fee to stay on the island 10$/pers
• rent tent with mattress 15$ for a 4 pers tent
• Total: 100$/pers

On Top of this you have to pay

• 20$ per person to get into the Guna Yala territory if you are a foreigner and 5$ per person if you are Panamanian or a resident in Panama.  
• 2$ fee in the port

We decided to go with Augencio, never met him, but we met his father who was driving the boat that got us from the port to Isla Perro. A very simple and kind man.   ​​

Boat and the father of Augencio pushing the boat

The stay was as described by everybody on the internet, magical. The Islands are not yet very popular thus there won't be too many tourists around. The water is incredibly clear and while walking around the island you realize that basically it is you the palm treas and the sea. Before you go and especially decide to spend the night you need to take into account that there is no electricity at 7ish PM is already dark. The local family that was on the island has a solar panel so you can have dinner also after dark. There is no real bathroom. they have a toilet and a 'shower' but you need to take into account that they are not connected to water but you need to use water from a barrel. But even so, it is absolutely worth it to go and experience such a place as there are not so many natural and pristine places left in the world. 

Sunset - 6ish PM

Sea Stars

Sunrise 5ish AM

We decided to buy for dinner some lobsters :) we got 2 for 40$ but they were so big we did not really managed to finish them in 3. You can get the small ones for 5$. 

Lobsters

You can do some snorkeling activities, maybe best to insist at the boat boat driver as they prefer to just bring you to a natural swimming pool in the sea but there is not much going on there. 

At the end, our driver Gabriel picked us up and back to Panama City. 
One more note, the road or the last part of the road to the port is like a roller-coaster, if you have car sick make sure you tell this to the driver maybe you can stay in front.  

To sum it all up: amazing

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