How To Get To The San Blas Islands From Panama City
The San Blas islands lie only a few hours northeast of Panama City, but getting there is half the adventure.
There’s no public transport, no ferry to catch, and no commercial flights either. Access and tourism across the archipelago is tightly controlled by the indigenous Guna Yala, and it isn’t the sort of destination where you just turn up with no plans.
This means most travellers have to rely on licensed tour companies and transport, rather than making there way over independently .
Visitors to the San Blas islands fall into two main camps:
· those on a day trip or multi-day tour from Panama City
· backpackers travelling between Colombia and Panama
Whether you’re setting out from the capital or coming from Colombia, the journey in and out of the San Blas is going to involve an early start, several hours (or days) on the water, and a few hours driving down dusty roads in the back of a cramped 4x4.
Yet, as these protected islands are a favourite of many people’s Central America adventures and Panama holidays, the good news is that the journey is usually going to be worth it - and a travel experience you won’t forget in a hurry!
In this guide, we’re going to give you a clear, practical breakdown of the best options to travel from Panama City to the San Blas for your budget, route, and style, as well as several mistakes to avoid before finalising your travel plans.
The Essentials
· Protected, autonomous islands off Panama’s Caribbean coast
· Panama City is the main departure point
· No public transport to San Blas - you must use Guna-approved providers
· 3-4 hour jeep ride, then 1 hour boat
· Tour companies and accommodation hosts arrange transport for you
· Overnight stays > day trips (trust us)
· Need to choose between multi-day island-hopping trip or a single island base with daily excursions
· Multi-day sailing tours are increasingly popular
· San Blas is also a stop on the notorious Panama-Colombia boat voyage
· Not recommended to include on road trips
· Charter flights exist, but expensive
· Prepare for checkpoints & entry fees
· Plan ahead with our San Blas travel guide
Transport from Panama City
Panama City is the start point for standalone San Blas day trips, multi-day island experiences, and for any backpacker visiting the islands on the boat from Panama to Colombia.
Usually at Along Dusty Roads, we’d now dive straight into how to do this journey independently. Alas, as we mentioned, there’s no public bus or ferry available and the road that leads to the port is only suitable for 4x4s, and not advisable for most road trip rental cars.
So, unless you’ve got the budget to charter a private flight (more on that later), everyone has to rely on the same convoy of Guna-operated transport from the capital. This is always a battle-tested six-or-seven-seater 4x4 vehicle, and will be private or shared.
As far as we are aware, there’s still no mechanism to book this personally or directly; instead it’s arranged via your chosen tour company or accommodation host in San Blas. Neither the company or host operate or own the transport though - it’s all via the same third-party company - and they often stress this point and that they’re not responsible for how this portion of your trip goes!
Regardless of who arranges it, the San Blas transport will be with the same convoy of operators, and follows the same route and rhythm:
Early-morning pick-up from your Panama City accommodation - usually 5-6am.
Drive 1.5 to 2 hours along the main road, then a quick snack & toilet stop at this petrol station (Google Maps)
Drive along a bumpy, winding dusty road to the official checkpoint
Passport check and pay $20 USD entry fee
Continue along the dirt road to arrive at Puerto de Carti boat dock (Google Maps)
Wait for your assigned boat and guide (it can be a bit slow and disorganised on the dock).
Travel over to your first San Blas island and/or pre-booked accommodation
Depending on conditions and traffic, travel time from Panama City to Puerto de Carti should be around three hours, and the boat over to your first island can take up to an hour. So, in total, you’re looking at a total of four hours one-way to travel from Panama City to the San Blas islands - and you should expect to arrive on them around 10-11am
Unless you’re continuing on down to Colombia, you will follow exactly the same route back to the capital.
Know // The San Blas are a unique and rustic travel destination, not the Maldives or a five-star resort. Yet, a few people online seem to (wrongly) expect a certain level of comfort or service, and are shocked that they can get wet on boats, bumps exist on roads, and beds on the islands aren’t the most comfortable. If you arrive expecting luxury, you’re going to be disappointed and it’s very important to set your expectations accordingly.
Check out our essential San Blas travel guide for more on what the experience is actually like.
Day Trips vs. Multi-Day San Blas Tours
The nature and length of the journey in/out is a key reason why we don’t recommend viewing the San Blas as a day trip destination from Panama City: the balance is all out of whack.
Despite this, it remains a very popular option, and you’ll see a plethora of day trips available online and in the capital. The following all have fantastic ratings, and provide much the same experience, just with slight variations in the islands they visit:
· Full-day trip with lunch | Nugnudub or Isla Chichime, Isla Diablo, Isla Perro Chico and Natural Pool
· Full-day trip with lunch | Isla Perro, Natural Pool, Isla Chichime, & Isla Diablo
· Full-day trip with lunch | Misdub, Natural Pool, Isla Perro Grande, & Isla Perro Chico
· Full-day trip with lunch | Natural Pool, Isla Yansa & Isla Misdu
Before booking any day trip though, it’s essential to understand:
It will be a very long day, starting at 5am and ending around 7pm
You’ll spend around six hours in the 4x4 - arguably longer than you’ll spend on the actual islands!
The islands and stops will also be the focus of most other day trips, therefore more crowded
A day trip means no peaceful night on a tiny island, no slow morning on the sand
It’s going to be a more rushed experience overall
Instead, if your heart is set on visiting the San Blas whilst in Panama, then we suggest it’s a much better idea to commit at least two days / one night on the islands.
This will give you a slower, more meaningful experience, as well as unhurried hours to swim, explore, rest, and actually enjoy the San Blas rather than just tick them off. The rustic huts, the cold beers under the stars, the volleyball, and the waking up on a tiny island paradise with only a handful of others are what it’s all about.
A two day / one night tour costs around $200 USD per person - this one is highly-rated.
All the multi-day island-hopping tour offerings and routes are fairly standard, with the main differences coming down to group size, comfort level, values, and how many islands you’ll actually visit. All meals, accommodation, transport, and activities are included, so you don’t need to organise anything independently once you’re picked up in Panama City.
After much research, we settled on this three-day / two-night San Blas island-hopping tour, and found the length of the trip to be perfect.
It was a really big splurge for us at $300 each though, so may not work for all budgets and itineraries.
To help you get started on find the right one, we’ve shared a selection of some other highly-rated small group options, all of which include free cancellation (useful if you’ve not 100% settled on your Panama itinerary.
· 2D / 1N in Remote San Blas | Stay on Miryadup Island, with boat tour to Cambombia Island
· 3D / 2N San Blas Tour | Isla Pelicano, Natural Pool, Ina Island, Isla Aroma, Isla Nugnudub, and Isla Perro Chico
· 3D / 2N San Blas Tour | Based on Isla Yansailadup with excursions to the beautiful Cayos Holandeses and Cayos Limones
· 3D / 2N in San Blas | Based on Isla Yansailadup with visits to Isla Misdup and the Natural Pool
· 4D / 3N Island Hopping Adventure | Isla Pelicano, Isla Aroma, Isla Misdub, Isla Chichime, Yanidub, Isla Perro Chico.
The above is also available on Viator.
Travel Tip // Plan your Panama City itinerary around the San Blas, rather than the other way round. If you’re doing a 2D/1N or 3D/2N standalone San Blas adventure, the logistics mean you’ll almost certainly have to spend a night in Panama City before and after: for some of you, that’ll be plenty. It also means you need to have your accommodation for the final night sorted out before you leave for the San Blas!
For something affordable and convenient in Casco Viejo, we recommend Casa Magnolia - a hostel / hotel, it’s got dorms, privates, good common areas, and also offers free luggage storage whilst you’re on the islands.
Some backpackers may prefer Viajero though.
Can You Arrange Your Own San Blas Trip & Accommodation?
Yes and no.
There’s limited amount of accommodation that you can book directly in the San Blas, but you’ll still rely on the host/owner to arrange your transport to the islands from Panama City; unless flying, this transport will be exactly as described above and is usually charged in addition to the price of accommodation.
So, if you’re looking at any accommodation options online, it’s really important to factor this in as not all listings emphasise this point or the additional cost, which works out at around $60 per person round-trip in the shared vehicle then around $35-50 per person for a round-trip boat transfer.
If you’re a slow traveller who would prefer to avoid a group tour, then doing it this way may still appeal as a better way to experience the San Blas. It will allow you to spend exactly as long as you actually want / need and enjoy much more downtime too.
However, due to how tourism works on the archipelago, note that you will still be dependent on your host for meals and coordinating any boat trips or excursions from your island base, so there’s a big caveat to how much independence it offers relative to a tour.
A few highly-rated huts to consider are:
San Blas | Travel Better Tips
· Backpacks > suitcases
· It’s essential to pack light for overnights or multi-days. This isn’t just to make the journey lighter, but essential for space in the jeep and on the boats
· You need to arrange secure luggage storage in Panama City. Some tour providers offer this, but lots of Airbnbs and other accommodations do not. If in doubt, we suggest staying at Casa Magnolia as it provides luggage storage
· Some tour providers require payment in cash, and you’ll need to withdraw large amounts of USD the day or two before the tour
· Pick-up will be from 5am or 5.30am, but you may be waiting until 6am for the car to pick up from your accommodation
· It’s recommended to buy and bring drinking water from Panama City - the best option is the gallon bottles you’ll find in most supermarkets
· Make sure to read all the information your tour provider sends over - especially if you’re on the down boats to Colombia.
· The road from the Texaco petrol station is very, very windy and you're constantly going up peaks and troughs with frequent bends and bumps. Quite a few people feel car sick on the journey in and out, so prepare accordingly - a guy in our group got very unwell and took seasickness tabs on the way back
· There’s very little legroom in the jeeps, and it can be quite a cramped squish if at max capacity
· Note that you won’t necessarily be sharing the jeep with people going on the same San Blas tour or Colombia border crossing
· It’s going to be a bumpy ride on the boat, especially if you’re at the front! Those on the side seats may also get drenched.
· A drybag is a very good idea for this adventure (as well as Panama generally) - we use this one by Ultra Dry
Read our main San Blas travel guide for lots more advice and context for your own adventure.
A San Blas Sailing Trip
This is an increasingly popular alternative to the standard island-hopping tours, and offer a very different way to experience the islands.
However, getting to your boat still involves the same early-morning 4×4 transfer from Panama City to San Blas and a short water-taxi ride, along with the usual Guna Yala entry fees!
Sailing trip charters are almost always fully crewed - usually a captain and a cook or first mate - which means you don’t need any sailing experience, and most of the everyday logistics are handled for you. As there are no marinas, shops, or repair facilities in the archipelago, the vessels are well-maintained and self-sufficient, which is also why the cost is higher than a standard hut-based tour.
Most sailing trips range from two to five nights, focusing on a handful of islands and reefs rather than trying to pack in lots of stops.
Accommodation is on board the yacht or catamaran, with meals prepared and plenty of shaded space to relax while moving between islands. Many boats carry snorkel gear, paddle boards, kayaks, and a small dinghy to shuttle passengers to islands or snorkelling spots.
Prices vary from decent to decadent, depending on group size and the comfort level of the boat, but generally include all accommodation, meals, and onboard activities.
So, is it right for you? Beyond the appeal of hanging out on a fancy boat in the azure for several days, travellers primarily choose a yacht-based trip over a hut-based island-hopping tour because it removes the constant packing, unpacking, and transferring between islands. On a yacht, your accommodation, meals, and transport are all in one place, letting you spend much more more time swimming, exploring, or just relaxing. The cabins are compact and the pace is slower, but for couples, families and large groups looking for a fun, more self-contained experience in paradise, it likely offers a wonderful way to enjoy the islands.
It would also very much tick those ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ vacation vibes if that’s what you’re searching for in Central America!
The only caveat? These likely offer less cultural exposure, impact, awareness than joining the exclusively Guna-led tours and island stays.
For some reason, the place to find and book a bunch of San Blas sailing trips seems to be on Airbnb. We’ve shared a selection below, which all have excellent reviews from other travellers, and that can be booked for whatever duration you would like.
· Private all-inclusive boat for two
· San Blas: Sail, sleep and wake up on paradise (up to 8 people) | Offers four double cabins that can be rented out to individual couples of a larger group. Quite a fancy option.
· Sailing with Play to Live San Blas | Not the fanciest of accommodation, but a good option if you don’t want to share with others outside of your group
· Modern Sail Yacht San Blas | Offers private double cabins with option to rent entire boat. Note that food & drinks not included - need to buy a package.
· Martin’s San Blas Sailboat | A comfortable sailboat that offers private rooms to mixed groups.
There are also all inclusive sailboat adventures available on various booking platforms that can be bought as a package like this 2D/2N option, and this 3-day sailing trip in a shared catamaran.
Can You Fly To San Blas?
Surprisingly, there are flights to San Blas from Panama City.
These serve four islands - El Porvenir, Corazon de Jesus, Playon Chico, and Puerto Obaldia - that have tiny airstrips or landing places.
A combination of helicopters or light aircraft, they depart from Albrook Airport and take about 45 minutes. However, these are private charter-flights only, costing from $800-$2,000 depending on the aircraft, so well beyond the realistic expectations of most travellers!
If money isn't a concern, then this obviously would be the quickest and most direct way to reach the San Blas from Panama City - and research tells us that it's a more popular option for those who are then venturing out on a San Blas sailing trip.
All flights leave in the morning and the views over the archipelago would undoubtedly be incredible, but we can't help but think that missing out on some aspects of the jeep & boat slow travel experience would remove some of what makes this memorable.
A few providers to consider are Aeroalbrook and BlueSkiesPanama - if you do ever take a flight, let us know in the comments about the experience and practicalities!
Driving to San Blas
If you’ve read our other Panama travel guides, then you’ll know we were actually out here for a month and had a rental car for most of that time.
So, why didn’t we simply drive to Carti dock and pay for a boat over?
The main reason was logistics: we saved Panama City and the San Blas for the end of our trip, and simply didn’t need a car to enjoy either.
The second reason was that we’d read various accounts on how bad the El Llano-Carti road is and that Guna authorities only accept 4x4 vehicles (with SUVs often not permitted).
We didn’t have a 4x4 and we didn’t want to take the risk of 1. getting our rental car stuck on a remote road in Guna Yala and 2. not being permitted entry.
Third? It seemed silly to pay for a rental car only to leave it sitting at the dock car park for three days!
And fourth - for convenience, we actually wanted to take an island-hopping tour around the San Blas rather than have to arrange everything independently.
However, there are road trippers who have successfully driven independently to Carti in order to meet their tour or sailing guide, or to arrange their own boat over to accommodation on an island. If you’ve got a 4x4 and know how to use it, then by all means give it a shot - and do share details on the experience and any additional costs in the comments below!
The Panama to Colombia Boat (Via the San Blas)
A rite of passage on the Latin America backpacker circuit, this is the journey that uses the San Blas as the natural link between Central and South America.
This route was partly created out of convenience due to the inhospitable Darien Gap making overland border crossings between Panama and Colombia incredibly dangerous and (almost) impossible. For decades, the border crossing boats between the countries were also the only affordable alternative to expensive flights.
However, as they also included several days on the San Blas islands, it grew into one of the most talked about experiences on the traveller circuit!
If you’re already moving between the two countries on a big backpacking adventure and want the San Blas woven into your trip, then it’s likely already going to be in your plans.
However, don’t choose it expecting comfort or speed. The Panama to Colombia speedboat (and vice-versa) is bumpy, weather-dependent, and involves long stretches on the open water. Half of the people who take it can’t wait for it to end and tales of seasickness are common. If the weather isn’t great, then it can become an endurance activity and a boat ride from hell, rather than the Instagram version of paradise.
So consider it an adventurous multi-day sea crossing with island stops, rather than a shortcut!
There are two main options (both of which can be done in the other direction too):
The speedboat from Panama to Colombia | As above, this starts with the transport from Panama City to Cartí dock, where you’re then split into the border crossing group. The excursions lasts four days and you visit + stay on islands along the way. Typical costs are $450 per person.
You’ll arrive in Capuraganá in the north of Colombia. It’s a good little beach town, but you’re still looking at a full additional day of travel before reaching Medellín, Cartagena, or pretty much anywhere else.
Operators include: San Blas Adventures, San Blas Frontera, and San Blas Dreams
The sailboat from Panama to Colombia | The longer and more expensive option. Excursions last five to six days, with two of them spent in the open sea at the end to reach Colombia. Typical costs are $650 per person. Departs from various places - not just Panama City / Carti - and you arrive in Cartagena.
Operators include: WildCard and Blue Sailing
A few points to note: the sailboat tends to offer a smoother journey and is a more of a vibe, but also means spending several nights sleeping on the boat. The speedboat offers more time on islands, less time on the water. Some boats and companies emphasise it being more of a ‘party’ or ‘social’ experience. The tour company takes care of the border crossing and immigrations process and logistics, but you’ll have to have documents prepared and organised.
Lastly, the upfront cost of boat boat options often doesn’t include everything you’ll spend over the course of the excursion either, so do factor that in.
Know // If you’re travelling from Panama to Colombia, but the thought a several days at sea doesn’t appeal, then you can obviously consider flying instead; just be aware that the cost can sometimes take people a little by surprise (although it’s getting cheaper every year). You can still fit in the San Blas too, and our suggestion would be to focus on a dedicated 2-3 day island-hopping tour from Panama City, and have your flight booked for the day after you get back!
