Adventure travel day trips in Mexico and 2021 offers
4 min readAdventure travel sailing charters in San Blas and 2021 packages! The Guna Yala (also known as Kuna Indians) are the indigenous people of the San Blas Islands. Originally occupying the border of Panama and Colombia, (when Panama was part of Colombia), the Kuna Indians began settling in the San Blas Archipelago around 1800. No tourists were allowed to the region until the 1940s, as the Kuna Indians operated an autonomous state separate from Panama. The Kuna have kept many of their cultural traditions intact, which are still thriving today. They originally wore few clothes and decorated their bodies with bright, colorful designs, but after Europeans arrived, the Kuna began making and wearing intricately woven molas, which are still present today. Travelers are now allowed to visit, and each island family works with local operators and each other to ensure guests have the best experience on a visit to the islands.
The people in your group will make it what it is. That’s a fact that you can’t change.But the chances are that most of the people you will meet on these types of trips are open minded, interesting and willing to get to know you. So don’t worry about that too much and just look forward to meeting them. Below you can see the image of our group – representing 7 nationalities: English, German, Chilean, Dutch, Canadian, French and the US.
Your San Blas adventure starts early in the morning. A friendly driver will meet you at your Panama City lodging between 5:15am and 5:45am and safely transport you and up to five other guests to the Port of Carti. Relax and start enjoying during the 2.5-3 hour journey through the spectacular jungle highlands. Oftentimes we encounter wildlife, such as monkeys and sloths on the road and will gladly stop the car to give you opportunities to admire these beautiful animals and to take photos. Our drivers will also stop at a grocery store in case you want to purchase any items, such as snacks, water or fruit. When arriving at the port your “lancha” boat and San Blas trip tour guide will be waiting for you, ready to commence the San Blas tour. The 30-minute boat ride to the first island may be a little bumpy and, depending on ocean conditions, there may be some ocean spray. All of our boats have ample space and feature sun protection that will make this journey more comfortable. Read extra info at Darien Jungle Expedition.
Bocas del Toro is Panama’s main beach destination on the Caribbean. This collection of low-lying tropical islands, not far from the border with Costa Rica, is known for its outstanding soft-sand beaches lapped by crystal-clear, azure-colored waters. The atmosphere here is beyond relaxed, with many young travelers coming to the area and, in some cases, staying for months or years. Things to do in Bocas del Toro include surfing, swimming, diving, or just lazing on the beach. Activities are generally cheap. Although you can find luxury resorts with infinity pools, this is a budget-friendly destination, frequented by mainly singles or couples. The main town, also called Bocas del Toro or simply Bocas Town, is located on Isla Colon. The town itself is not known for beaches, but you can find lovely stretches of sand on other parts of the island or by taking a boat to nearby islands. Some of the most popular are Bluff Beach, Starfish Beach, and Red Frog Beach.
Few attractions include Isla Taboga is Panama’s favorite escape out of the city to bathe in its sandy beaches, ride Jet Ski’s, speed boats and fishing charters. First settled by the Spanish in 1515, Isla Taboga has a charming village with the second-oldest church in the western hemisphere, a few narrow streets with a few restaurants and great views to Panama City from the top of the Island.
San Blas adventure travel tours are a hot thing right now. Fly. There are two ways to fly. You can do an Air Panama flight from the smaller Albrook airport in the city (not Tocumen International) to El Porvenir or Playan Chico. These are 20-seaters and are around $100 one-way. This isn’t bad and you’ll then take a taxi to the port and then a boat out to wherever you’re staying. I flew Air Panama several times and they are great. The other option is a privately charted flight. These go from Albrook as well out to tiny landing strips on the islands so you can go straight to your sailboat. We’re talking $3,000 for an 8-seater. You can talk with the sailboat company that you book with to see if there are better prices. A flight was chartered in when we left, so we got a deal of $75 per person to go back to Panama City because it was going back empty. Jackpot!
But are these islands actually worth going to in the first place? Well, picture this: the place you’ll stay on will genuinely look like a Robinson Crusoe hideaway. The sand will be white and fine, the sea will be bathwater warm, coconut palms will provide welcome shade, the snorkelling will be excellent, and there probably won’t be more than fifteen of you there. The Kuna will feed you and take you to other islands, but otherwise they will just let you be. It is, genuinely, a little piece of paradise. Discover extra info on www.taotravel365.com.