Nirvana!

Yep, I loved the San Blas Islands of Panama so much, I was actually considering going back this year – less than a year after. And that is something I rarely do. All because I passed on the opportunity to at least spend a night, preferably several days, at this Shangri-la. I chose a day trip only 🙁

My visit to the Guna Yala, as it’s also know as, started with the tour company picking me up at my Panama City accommodation at 5 in the morning. After getting several more onboard the SUV, it took a while, making it a packed car, we were ready to take on the lush peaks of the San Blas mountain range. Loved driving up and down the steep hills on the winding, narrow dirt roads. I did read before leaving that I might get car sick, I was a bit worried, but it was all unjustified. Remember your passport, as you are entering Guna territory – will have to show it at the “border post”.

Getting there:

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After a 3 hour drive we reached the mainland dock, from where we were departing for the islands. At the dock gates I was asked to pay some tax, which I found a bit strange, as I had been told it was included in the tour price. When I got back to the hotel I checked, and it turned out it was included, so I got a refund, in the end… I had to insist on them dropping the money off at the hotel that evening. They wanted to wait until the next morning, when I was flying out, not being able to promise me they would be there before I left the hotel. Also they suggested to deduct the amount from a possible airport transfer booking. In other words, this company doesn’t get my stamp of approval! Anyway, after being let into the dock area, car parked, we were placed on chairs waiting for our next leg of the journey. Not much info given, so you just sit there in a vacuum, watching others leave, wondering when it’s your turn. Here I need to interject that I don’t speak Spanish, and neither do the Gunas, well, a bit more than me 🙂 Consequently my kind were dependent on the very few organisers who spoke some English.

At the mainland dock:

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After I don’t know how long, it was finally our turn. Placed in a low-on-the-water motorboat, we were off. Among us a Spanish and little bit English speaking guide, two German girls, who stayed at the same hotel as me, and a group of boys and a girl, all with Latin American ties, who became my lifeline – they made sure I was always on top of things, offering me to hang with them, help myself to anything in their cooler, and that I wasn’t left behind 🙂 Vamos, we’re leaving! Happy to report no choppy waters, so no need to worry about getting seasick. Can focus only on the several hundred small, and smaller, islands and isles dotting the ocean, on our way to the first paradise of the day.

On the boat to the islands:

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Our first and longest stop was on Perro Chico Island. A lot bigger that some of the other islands, but still only a few meters wide and long. A sunken shipwreck to snorkel, a restaurant serving tasty fresh fish (or chicken, if you prefer) for lunch, and beaches more or less circumventing the island, keep you as busy, or relaxed, as you like. This is also the island where the German girls were spending the night. When I met them later at the hotel, they told me the place had calmed down after the daytrippers left, I didn’t find it too crazy during the day though, and that it had been an amazing experience. A bit sticky in bed, as there were no showers to get the day’s impurities off, but best of all, no bugs.

Perro Chico Island:

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Next up was the starfish at the Natural Pool. A shallow spot in the middle of the ocean. Unfortunately there weren’t many starfish to spot, and none of the very colourful ones. It was cool still though! You were allowed to pick them up, as long as you made sure to kept them under water. I guess I have never thought about what touching a starfish would feel like, but I was surprised by the hard shell on top, and the fact that it sucked itself to my hands – freaked me out 😀 Maybe I deserved it for picking it up 🙂

Starfish @ the Natural Pool:

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After 20 minutes or so, we were off again. To my favourite island of the two we visited. Smaller than the first. Very much more serene. Here we could check out the local handicraft on sale, but mainly just chill in the hammocks suspended above the ocean surface. Definitely not the biggest beach, but who cares when I can sway away with a book 🙂

Our second island stop – don’t know the name 🙁 :

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Upon our return to the mainland, back at the dock, it became a little confusing. The driver who had dropped me off, was nowhere to be found. A little stressed out, I spotted the guide who had been with us at the islands, and asked him where my driver was. He told me I was going back with another guy. Thank God! There were two girls who had been left stranded by their tour company 🙁 Rushed into the restroom to change out of my wet bikini, and off we were. Turned out the things I had left in the first car had gone with away as well. Not quite remembering what I had left in the bag, I had to ask the company rep at the hotel to call the driver to have him check the bag, which he figured he didn’t have to deliver back, as it was just snacks and drinks in it… If you disregard the not so good tour operator though, San Blas made sure I had the time of my life!

The tour I booked through my hotel, so unfortunately don’t know the name of the tour company. It seemed like this was their go-to company for everything tour and transportation wise, with a company rep at the hotel all day. With the issues mentioned above, I would recommend going with them, but this way at least I had help from the hotel in dealing with the problems. Otherwise I’m afraid I wouldn’t have gotten anything resolved.