Everything You Need To Know About Sailing The San Blas Islands, Panama

Introducing by far the most beautiful islands I have ever been to: San Blas Islands. The San Blas Islands are a collection of nearly 365 islands, located in Panama, and home to the Kuna people who inhabit them. These islands are a paradise I did not even know existed until earlier this year. Knowing I needed to get to Panama from Colombia and learning that there was no road between the two countries, I was left with two options: either catch a flight or travel by boat. Although it was the more expensive option, I chose to travel by boat as I have never done something like this before. I booked my trip through the company Blue Sailing and I would highly recommend this trip to anyone who is making this border crossing. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know about the trip!

Preparing For The Trip

If you are thinking about sailing between Colombia and Panama, you should book this one to two months in advance as this is a popular option among travelers. This is especially true if you want a specific boat for specific dates. When booking, you will need to put a deposit down to secure your spot and the rest will be paid on the day of your departure.

Choosing Your Boat

Blue Sailing has a variety of boats to choose from, all of which are different in size and build. The boat that I chose is called Wildcard which held twenty passengers plus the crew. Wildcard is a 58 foot Monohull Sailboat and it is known to be quite the party boat. The crew was absolutely amazing and just about all twenty of us passengers were solo travelers, so I would say I really lucked out with the best sail mates.

Price and Inclusions

For this epic 6 day, 5 night sail, the total amount comes to $695 and yes, it was worth every penny that I paid. This includes an open water crossing, three days of island hopping, three meals a day prepared by the chef on board, and your accommodation on board. However, you will want to bring any snacks, soft drinks, or alcohol with you, as well as extra cash to have for the islands.

Itinerary Breakdown

Day 1: On the morning of your departure, there will be a pre-departure meeting where you will hand in your passports, pay the remaining fees, secure your dietary needs, and meet the other passengers on the boat. You’ll have a few hours in between before coming back to the boat for your departure. Before boarding the boat, you will have time to go to the supermarket for anything extra you want to bring. The police will also come to do a quick bag search before boarding. Then once you are on the boat, you will get assigned your bed and then say goodbye to Colombia!

Day 2: Once leaving Colombia, you will start the longest part of your trip: the open water sail. This leg of the trip can take up to anywhere between 25-50 hours. We spent 36 hours sailing the open water. Majority of the day was spent soaking up the sun, reading, or sleeping. Be sure to bring something to entertain yourself with for this.

Day 3: Welcome to Panama! You will stop at one of the many islands in San Blas where you will spend the entirety of your day. We soaked up the sun, swam in the clear blue water, strolled around the island, went snorkeling, and played soccer with some of the locals. It was the perfect first day off of the boat. When the sun goes down, you will head back to the boat for the rest of the night. Our crew planned a karaoke night for us on this night!

Day 4: After breakfast, you will sail to the next island that is about an hour away. On this particular island, there was a bar, hammocks to lounge in, a volleyball court, and even little huts in the water. This was my favorite day of the entire trip-strolling around the island, hanging out in the water, beach games, a beach barbecue, a beautiful sunset, and then dancing around a bonfire all night.

Day 5: Once again, you will wake up and sail to the last island of your trip. We had this entire island to ourselves with the exception of one man who lives there. He also happens to be our chef’s dad. This particular island is so unique because of how narrow it is-you could stand in the middle and see the blue water from both sides. We had a relaxing day just soaking up every last bit of island life and as the sun went down, we had a dance party to celebrate the end of our trip.

Day 6: After sailing 8 more hours throughout the night, you will arrive to the dock in Puerto Lindo, Panama. Here you will get your passports back and say your goodbyes!

Additional Notes

• You can take the same route that I did which starts in Cartagena, Colombia or you can do the route that starts in Panama. In my opinion, getting the open water sail done on the first two days is much better because then you are rewarded with the beauty of the San Blas Islands on the final days of the trip.

• You should pack a smaller bag with only the things you need and then the crew will store the rest of your belongings on the boat. All you need are the essentials: bathing suits, sunscreen, a towel, etc.

• Everyone taking this trip should bring sea sickness medication with them, even if you do not normally get motion sickness. The open water sail can be rough and it is best to be prepared.

• It is super important to be flexible when considering this trip. Everything is weather dependent since you will be on the water for 6 days.

• On the final day of the trip, Blue Sailing arranges shuttle buses for you to take into Panama City. The cost of this was an additional $25 that you pay to the driver when arriving to your hotel/hostel.

• And lastly, do not expect luxury when considering taking this trip. The beds are small, there is no proper shower, but I promise it is an epic experience that you do not want to miss out on!

This was by far one of the most unique travel experiences that I ever had and I could not have asked for a better group of people to do it with. If you find yourself wanting to take the trip, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any other questions you may have. For more information, you can also visit the website bluesailing.net.