San Blas island
The Original San Blas Adventures

The Legendary
Panama to Colombia

5 days / 4 nights
Island hopping across the entire San Blas Archipelago$595

Since 2011
90% Island Time
No Open Ocean
Entire Archipelago
Cultural Experience
Thousands of Travelers
Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2026 - Best of the Best

San Blas Adventures crosses the entire archipelago

Trip information map, San Blas route

Day by Day Itinerary

A big group of travelers in the turquoise water of a San Blas islandDay 1

Welcome to Paradise!

  • 5am jeep pick-up in Panama City to Cartí
  • First deserted island: swim & snorkel
  • Sunset cocktails & bonfire
Aerial view of travelers snorkeling over a shallow reefDay 2

Untouched San Blas Islands!

  • Deeper into the archipelago
  • Island run by a Kuna family
  • Snorkel, relax & social evening
Guna girl sewing a traditional mola in her communityDay 3

Where No One Else Goes!

  • The most remote San Blas islands
  • Native canoe ride & Kuna traditions
  • Night in the community
Traveler walking on a white sandbank next to palm treesDay 4

Crossing Continents

  • Exit stamp at Puerto Obaldía
  • Sapzurro bay & entry stamp in Capurganá
  • Group dinner by the sea
Bonfire on the beach under a starry sky in San BlasDay 5

Colombian Highlights!

  • Last group breakfast in Capurganá
  • Free day: beaches, markets & jungle
  • Onward boats to Cartagena or Medellín

What’s Included?

Accommodation

Beds + 1 hammock night

3 meals per day

Vegetarian, vegan & non-seafood options

Snorkel gear

Included on every trip

Local Kuna team

& bilingual trip leaders

Immigration assistance

And fees

Beach equipment

Volleyball and more

Not included: pre & post trip transport, drinks & snacks, gratuities, travel insurance, Kuna tax — and perfect weather!

A traveller and a Guna girl smiling together in an island community
Read & Trust Travellers!

“The highlight of my travels! Best trip ever!”

Absolute loved it. From the planning to the guides to the organization to the food and the activities. Would def recommend.

San Blas Adventures is such a unique experience. Over 4 full days of island hopping, you explore the remote San Blas Islands, snorkel in crystal-clear waters, and connect with the Indigenous culture. You’ll meet many other travelers & feel great knowing you’re supporting local communities. Honestly, one of the best experiences of my life!

A must-do for anyone who wants to cross between Colombia & Panama!

Rachel Weller October 2026
★★★★★

The food was as delicious as the paradise Caribbean islands and it was great to learn so much about the Kuna community. Huge shout out to the red heart on the mashed potato. My favourite part of the trip. And thank you ruby and molly for making the adventure feel so relaxed and fun <333333

Ella Sharp October 2026
★★★★★

I had the best time!! An amazing 5 days exploring and seeing the islands. Our guide ruby was amazing and the volunteers Kya and mollie were so much fun. Highly recommend!!

S. H. October 2026
★★★★★

After travelling to 50 countries, this trip was by far my highlight. The views, the vibes, the group and especially Noa have made this the best trip I have ever done. Would 100% do it again

Ellie Collins October 2026
★★★★★

The Panama to Colombiansail with San Blas Adventures was one of our highlights of our 4 month trip. The guides were absolutely incredible - Ruby, Kya and Molly ensured we all had the time of our lives. We ate the best food freshly prepared every day. Our group was awesome and very social, we played lots of card games, volleyball, swam and had lots of laughs. A highlight was also visiting the Kuna village and meeting the locals. Could not recommend this tour more! It’s worth every penny. Thanks so much Ruby, Kya, Molly and the Kuna guides.

Rachael Wright October 2026
★★★★★

One of the best experiences I had in the whole of central and south America.
It was well planned, with everything thought through prior to departure, and we wanted for nothing. We were well fed, watered and looked after. Seriously could not imagine having done it with anyone other than Ruby as a guide…a wealth of knowledge, well travelled and so good at keeping things organised without sapping the fun out of anything- dream team! ✨✨✨

Samo Ducár October 2026
★★★★★

I really recommend San Blas Adventures. It really depend what people you are going meet there. That is gonna lead the course of how much fun you are going to have. The islands are really beautiful and our guide Noa and her volunteers Marlenee and Laxmi were Really fun to be around. They literally made our trip the best one I ever had. They made it effortless to have fun. Keep on going.

Daniel Puetterich October 2026
★★★★★

Definitely recommend! Thank you Ruby for the great trip!

Finn O'Donoghue October 2026
★★★★★

Best experience I have had after 3 months travelling, a must do! The guides ruby, Molly and Kya I can’t speak highly enough about. Great food, great people, fantastic activities, not one dull moment

Matt October 2026
★★★★★

Couldn’t have asked for a better 5 days on the San Blas islands ! Good people, pretty places and great vibes. Our tour guide Ruby was super knowledgeable, did a great job of translating for us to help communicate with the captain/ crew and other locals and cooked up amazing food the whole week ! Would definitely recommend this trip for anyone thinking about doing it !

Josh Smith July 2026
★★★★★

Honestly, one of the most memorable and unique experiences of my life. The San Blas Islands are so, so beautiful, and the trip is organised in a way that lets you experience far more than a string of pretty beaches.

One of my favourite parts was spending time with the Kuna community: playing with the children, meeting local people, and hearing about the Kuna Revolution from a Kuna person themselves. Between the islands, we snorkelled, played beach volleyball, and got involved in all sorts of games that kept the whole trip feeling fun and relaxed.

The food was incredible too. Fresh lobster with huge, delicious salads was a real highlight!

I’d definitely recommend San Blas Adventures over one of the sailing trips, unless you’re especially keen on the sailing itself. From what we heard from other groups, we had much more time on the islands and nobody was sick!

A huge shout-out to our Kuna guides, who were great fun, kept us safe as we travelled between the islands, and cooked some beautiful dishes. And another huge shout-out to Jade, who was utterly fantastic. She brought so much energy to the group, kept everything organised, translated Spanish for us, made sure everyone was having a brilliant time, and somehow also cooked us some incredible meals.

Go into it ready for a proper adventure. Unexpected things will happen. We got caught in a storm and couldn’t reach the final island. You’ll sleep in hammocks, possibly have a bucket shower, and almost certainly get soaked on the boat at some point. But these are some of the moments I’ll remember most!

My only minor complaint was the payment process. Having to withdraw and carry such a large amount of cash felt awkward, and getting hold of the exact amount was a bit of a faff. Still, it was a small inconvenience in an otherwise unforgettable trip. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

James Polazzon July 2026
★★★★★

Had an amazing time travelling by speedboat from Panama to Colombia! Our guide Jade was awesome and I had such a great time visiting some of the most beautiful islands in the world and connecting with local indigenous communities and learning about their culture too!

Ellie Green July 2026
★★★★★

Couldn’t recommend this tour more! It was an amazing experience from start to finish. Jade was enthusiastic and kept us well informed throughout, and I was especially grateful that my dietary requirements were so well catered to.
Visiting the Kuna communities, beautiful islands and meeting such a lovely group of people made this a truly special and unforgettable trip.

Emma Curtis July 2026
★★★★★

Tim and Orla were great guides. They made the trip fun and informative. The food was really good and I would recommend highly.

Sander Koning July 2026
★★★★★

Had a blast, thanks to our guide Jade!🍀

Elizabeth Tanner July 2026
★★★★★

We went from Panama to Columbia with San Blas Adventures. We were able to experience several beautiful and different islands, great food, and get an insight into the Kuna culture. Our guide Jade was great and made each day really fun for us. Highly recommend this experience!

Marek Bak July 2026
★★★★★

Such an incredible trip!! Our guide Jade was outstanding, she kept everything running smoothly and the meals she cooked were delicious. We were all very sad to be leaving the San Blas by the end of the week!

Travelers dancing on the beach at sunset

5 Day / 4 Night
Island Hopping

Adventure of a lifetime

Create your own story!

Book Now
Who's it for?

For solo travelers, couples, friends, groups, family & private group. For anyone seeking an adventure of a lifetime!

Travel With Purpose

Your Trip Supports Local Families & Community Projects

Your adventure directly supports local communities, schools and conservation projects in the San Blas region.

Guna women in traditional dress in a San Blas island community
  • School Renovations
  • Food for Children
  • Youth Sports
  • Community Projects
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Frequent Questions

Is there an open-ocean crossing?

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Some travelers can experience seasickness, especially during long offshore sailing sections. San Blas Adventures focuses on shorter daily boat rides between islands, which many travelers find more comfortable than long open ocean sailing. If you are sensitive to motion sickness, we recommend taking seasickness medication before departure.

How much time do we spend on the boat?

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The route usually includes around 2 hours of boat ride per day on average. Instead of spending 30–50 hours offshore, travelers move progressively between islands, beaches, reefs, and remote communities. The experience focuses more on island exploration and less on long navigation days.

What is included in the price?

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What's included:

  • 5 days – 4 Nights
  • Boat travel from Carti to Capurgana (depending on trip direction)
  • Meals, from lunch on the first day to breakfast on the last day
  • Accommodation
  • A bilingual Tour Guide
  • A local Guna guide
  • Islands Fees
  • Panama Immigration fees
  • Snorkelling equipment
  • Beach equipment
  • An unforgettable experience!

What's not included:

  • Perfect weather and sea conditions – no guarantees
  • Accommodation before and after the trip
  • All transport before and after the trip
  • Alcohol, drinks, water
  • Snacks between the meals
  • Fins (snorkel and mask are included)
  • Towels
  • Kuna Yala entrance fee ($20)

Where does the trip start and finish?

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The Colombia → Panama route starts from Capurganá or Sapzurro in Colombia and ends in Panama. The Panama → Colombia route starts in Panama and finishes near Capurganá after crossing through the San Blas Islands. Both routes focus on island hopping and avoiding long offshore crossings.

What is the accommodation like?

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Each night you will have the luxury of sleeping on a new island! Since each day will be on a new island, you'll get to experience sleeping in a mixture of cabana beach islands and Kuna village islands. Some are on their own private island, within a traditional village or on a secluded beach.

Hammocks/beds: accommodations are provided by the Kuna people and generally consist of dorm style rooms with hammocks. Some islands have some beds available.

Couples: where possible we give couples a room of their own, and the opportunity to sleep together, however sometimes due to availability you may have to be in a shared room with other guests.

Bugs: the islands we stay on are mostly bug free but it's always a good idea to bring some repellent anyway. In the rainy season there may be sandflies on some of the islands. We recommend some kind of oil, like baby oil or coconut oil, as the best defence against sandflies and no-seeums (chitras).

There will be no sleeping on board as we are a speedboat. We recommend that you bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper. Keep in mind: this is an adventure!! Amenities are rustic with a charm.

Is it good for solo travelers?

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Yes. San Blas Adventures is extremely popular among solo travelers and backpackers. Many travelers join alone and quickly make friends during the trip thanks to the social atmosphere, island activities, snorkeling, and shared adventure experience.

What about immigration?

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Please make sure you have the entrance stamp to Panama in your passport before heading to Cartí.

Stamping out of Panama: we do this on the last day of the trip and all costs are covered by us. This can be a lengthy process depending on group size etc. We will do our best to speed it up, but please have patience! You will need 3 copies of your passport.

Stamping into Colombia: you will do this in the immigration office on the main street of Capurgana on the last day of the trip. It is totally free and easy.

Passport: you will need your passport on you on the first morning of the trip in the jeep to show as you enter San Blas, and on the last day of the trip to stamp out of Panama.

Yellow fever vaccine: Colombia recommends the yellow fever vaccine to enter the country but it's not mandatory. If you have a yellow fever vaccine card, please make sure to bring it with you.

Important: please make sure you meet all the immigration requirements to enter Panama and/or Colombia before traveling! We strongly recommend checking directly with the corresponding immigration authorities or embassies according to your nationality. San Blas Adventures is not responsible for any issues related to entry requirements, visas, permits, vaccinations, onward tickets, or any other immigration requirements necessary for the trip.

What should I bring?

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It's very important you follow these suggestions to prepare and protect your belongings during the trip.

Separate your things. Put what you will use for the trip in your small bag. This is the bag you will keep with you for the trip. Your big bag with everything you don't need for the trip will be stored and may be carried separately. You will not have access to it for the entire trip until the end. Think carefully about what you need to bring.

For your electronics and important documents you MUST seal them in sealed plastic bags then tape them up so they are 100% WATERPROOF. In the unlikely event of water entering your bag we cannot be held responsible for damage to electronic equipment or personal items.

Do this the night before. That way when we get to the boat we can store the bags and supplies straight away and vamos as soon as possible.

Passport: we suggest storing it in a sealed plastic bag (ziplock) and carry it in your hand bag or small bag.

Some ideas for packing:

  • Change of Clothes
  • Swim suit
  • Towel
  • Torch
  • Camera (fully charged)
  • Warm clothes or a sheet to sleep in. Can be chilly in a hammock.
  • A warm jumper/sweater/light jacket.
  • Some dollars to buy drinks, coconuts, kuna art, etc.
  • Sun Block/after sun.
  • Water
  • Snacks
  • 3 copies of your passport
  • Toilet paper
  • Cigarettes
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Good spirit – and some good spirits!!

Note: remember that you will be traveling on a boat with a good probability of getting water splash in the boat. We strongly recommend you get a travel-insurance policy which covers you for loss or damage to your personal belongings, as we cannot be responsible for them.

More questions

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