San Blas Island: Snorkel Adventure Amidst Idyllic Scenery with Lunch, Drinks & Guided Service
4.3
15 Ratings
Warsobtugua
Embark on a thrilling San Blas Island snorkel adventure with lunch, drinks, and guided service. Explore idyllic scenery, swim in crystal clear waters, and discover the underwater world.
Duration: 14 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • San Blas Islands - San Blas is one of the last pristine island archipelagos in this world with the indigenous Guna Yala population that to this day still lives in a very simple and happy way. We are the highest-rated San Blas Day Tour in Panama.

We have you covered! All you have to worry about is having fun…

If choosing our optional transportation service (USD 55 p.p. from within Panama City or USD 65 p.p from Playa Bonita), we pick you up from your lodging between 5:00am and 5:45am (shared 4X4 transportation accommodating up to 6 guests) - arriving in Port of San Blas by 9:00am.

• 9:30am - 1pm: Isla Perro: Enjoy one of the nicest beaches in San Blas. We also serve you a fresh lunch with a choice of fish or chicken & a beverage.
• 2:00pm: Visit the famous Isla Arena blanca or the famous Natural Pool, standing waist deep on fine sand in the middle of the ocean and relaxing in the balmy waters.
3:00pm: Isla Diablo or Isla Yansailadup
3:30pm : Return to port
Arrive in Panama City by 7pm

  • Please note that itinerary and all times are approximated and may change due to weather and ocean conditions.
What's Included
  • Lunch
  • One beverage: Bottle of water, soda or beer
  • Snorkel Equipment (snorkel and mask)
  • Shared boat/lancha transportation all day
  • All Island Taxes (entrance to each island)
What's Not Included
  • Guna Entrance Fee paid to border patrol ($22 for Internationals, $7 for Panamanian residents)
Additional Information

We are the top-ranked San Blas Day Tour provider in Panama, delivering one of our highly sought-after San Blas expeditions that promises a sneak peek into paradise. Our excursion takes you to some of the most picturesque islands in San Blas. Unlike other tours that steer you towards packed beaches, our destinations are in exclusive spots. Immerse yourself in unspoiled, crystal-blue waters, spot star fish and vibrant marine life from the surface or snorkel at nearby reefs or a sunken ship for a closer encounter with the sea kingdom.

We can’t wait to introduce you to the stunning charm of San Blas paradise!

We guarantee you an uncompromised experience:

• Prompt pick-up (Available with our optional round-trip conveyance)
• Roomy, comfortable vehicles (Optional amenity at additional cost)
• Comprehensive insurance for vehicles, boats and guests
• All our boats are equipped with large sunshade awnings
• Freshly-prepared lunch and a beverage.
• Facemask & Snorkeling gear
• Guides proficient in English and Spanish.

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking.
  • Departure time is between 5:00am and 5:45am from your Panama City lodging. If staying at Playa Bonita area, your departure time is between 5:00am and 5:15am.
  • You are welcome to bring a cooler with your own drinks, potable water, snacks and beverages (fruit juice or alcohol). The driver will stop at a supermarket on the way to San Blas in order for you to purchase additional items.
  • PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BRING YOUR ORIGINAL PASSPORT. WITHOUT IT, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE KUNA TERRITORY AND THE SAN BLAS ISLANDS.
  • Please be advised that San Blas is in the Guna territory, which is an autonomous, Indian zone. The services are very basic. The Gunas will be providing all touristic services, such as meal preparations, car and boat transportations, lodging, and tour guiding. We are proud to be working with this friendly tribe and with each booking we give back to the community, supporting their customs and their traditional way of life. We kindly ask you to respect this beautiful culture and their simple way of life, leaving your expectations behind and learning about their innocent culture.
  • We recommend that you bring your personal hygiene items, such as towels, sunscreen, hats, mosquito repellent.
  • In San Blas Islands there are no ATMs, please bring cash. You can buy additional drinks, snacks, souvenirs etc.
  • “Tigo” is the cell phone company that has the best reception in San Blas.
  • Infants need to sit on laps
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
  • PLEASE BE PREPARED FOR A 2.5 to 3 HOUR CAR JOURNEY EACH WAY OVER CURVY ROADS! THERE IS ALSO A 25-30 MINUTE BOAT RIDE TO YOUR FIRST ISLAND WHICH CAN GET QUITE BUMPY AND WET. We feel that the islands are worth the long drive, but some travelers have complained about the drive and the fast boat ride from and to the port. While we strive to provide our guests the best service and an unforgettable experience in San Blas, we are not responsible for road and ocean conditions, and we would like you to be aware of this fact :)
  • IMPORTANT SAN BLAS DISCLAIMER - PLEASE READ! While San Blas is a beautiful island archipelago with stunning beaches and clear waters, it also has its downsides, for which we would like to make you aware off. In San Blas only the Kuna population is allowed to work in the territory. The services and infrastructure are not what most of us are used to. Kunas are not very service oriented and can often seem shy or reserved. A stay in San Blas can be compared to a camping vacation that offers minimal comfort, services and amenities. We strongly advise those who have 5 star expectations to think twice before embarking on this adventure. We do have alternative tours in Panama with more high-end services. We really care about our reputation and we want our guests to enjoy their vacation with us. We attempt to be as transparent as possible in order to set guest expectations from the start. We do not own any of the islands and we pride ourselves in providing excellent service during your booking process and attempting to assist you during your San Blas vacation. However, please remember that we cannot guarantee the same excellent service during your stay in San Blas. Please read all the below information well! San Blas is very rustic without the amenities and standards you might be used to from home. Compared to places such as Tahiti and Maldives that are managed by international hotel chains, San Blas has remained autonomous without the influence of outsiders. When visiting San Blas, it should be viewed as a cultural experience where guests visit the paradise islands of the Kunas and respect their traditions and their primitive ways of living. No air condition - None of the islands offer A/C No Wifi - You can buy a prepaid SIM card (Tigo or Digicel), which may or may not have signal. No luxury facilities - Bathrooms may be dirty, sinks may get clogged What seems like trash and clutter around the local huts, are items and tools that Kunas re-use for their daily lives. Please respect the fact that different cultures have different education, perspectives and ways of living and do not expect the cleanliness you may be used to from your home country. All services will all be handled by the indigenous Kuna. While Tao Travel 365 strives to provide the best service possible and train the Kuna in customer management, some of the below services are often out of our control. Car transportation - the ride to San Blas takes 2.5 to 3 hours, with 1.5 hours over slow, curvy roads. For those with motion sickness, please prepare accordingly. The transportation is in a shared 4x4 SUV, with one seat up front, three seats in the middle row and 2 seats in the back row. Seats are assigned randomly. Those who require additional space in the car must purchase an extra seat. Pick up from your lodging is scheduled between 5:00am and 5:30am, but can sometimes be as late as 5:45am depending on the timeliness of other guests that we pick up. Out of respect for all others in the car we ask everyone to wait in the lobby of their building at 5:00am. If you are not at the designated meeting point, the driver will make an effort to locate you, but he cannot delay the transportation by more than 10 minutes. No refunds are awarded to guests who don’t show up on time. Boat transportation - depending on weather and ocean conditions, the 20-40 minute boat ride might be bumpy and wet with ocean spray. Island kitchen - meal are prepared fresh in the local kitchen and usually consist of fried or grilled fish with salad and patacones (fried plantains). Most Kunas DO NOT speak English. Trash is a worldwide problem and unfortunately San Blas has not been spared from the ever increasing issue. During certain tides and ocean and wind conditions plastic trash from throughout the Caribbean ocean accumulates on the beaches of San Blas. While the local Kuna are working hard to collect the constant flood of plastic trash washing up on their beaches, guests will nevertheless find evidence of plastic spread out on the island. Furthermore, Kunas tend to collect certain “trash” and re-use it for their purposes. During the wet months (April - December) or during windless days, all of San Blas experiences sandflies, which are little blood-sucking flies that leave itchy marks. Please ensure to bring insect repellent and prepare to return to Panama City with a few itchy memories. Weather: Panama is located in the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which means that the weather is very unpredictable and is impossible to forecast with accuracy. The weather forecast will usually show rain and thunderstorms for most days of the year, when in reality there are oftentimes beautiful, sunny days in San Blas. Please do not rely on the weather forecast in Panama. Due to the tropical conditions in San Blas rain can occur at any time and we do not offer refunds for rainy days. Travel Emergencies: The San Blas islands are located in a very remote region of Panama. We ask all guests to be responsible for their own well being and to be aware that medical assistance can often not be provided right away. The closest medical facility in San Blas is very basic and can only provide assistance for minor issues. Guests with injuries such as broken bones that require more specialized treatment need to be transported to Panama City. Guests are responsible for all charges arising from a medical emergency, such as boat and car transportation and medical care. We suggest all guests to carry a Travel Insurance to cover emergency expenses. We kindly ask our guests to lower their expectation when visiting San Blas and to focus on the beautiful remote paradise that San Blas has remained despite the effects that modern society has caused to them. The Kunas are very gentle and kind people, but can also be somewhat shy at times. When approaching them with a smile and an open heart you will be guaranteed an innocent, happy smile in return. Arriving with the right mindset and expectation usually guarantees an unforgettable experience, where guests are able to focus on the beauties of the islands, beaches, ocean and the people, rather than on the limitations that we mentioned above.
  • The use of drones is prohibited in San Blas. Heavy fines are imposed on those who disobey the law.
  • AGAIN!!! Please be prepared for a 2.5 hour car journey each way (1 hour on a highway and about 1.5 hours through the mountains over curvy roads! Please do not leave bad reviews because of the road. We try to warn you ahead of time ;)
  • The road to San Blas is very curvy. If you are sensitive to motion sickness, please prepare accordingly by bringing appropriate medication.
Location
Carti Parking and Boat Terminal
The tour starts in the port of Carti. Contact our office for exact driving directions and instructions. Plan to arrive no later than 8:30am. Only 4x4 vehicles are allowed entry into San Blas territory. All other cars and SUVs will not be allowed to enter the territory and you will lose your tour.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(15 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Edgardoz606
Dec 9, 2023
paradise islands - The excursion is just one, although different options appear on Tripadvisor, there are 3 paradise islands. You must bring your own snorkel if you want to practice, few are provided by the excursion managed by the native community
Review provided by Tripadvisor
961marlim
Sep 18, 2023
Wonderful - Wonderful tour, everything was very organized, both by car and boat. It was really worth it, I want to go back again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gabor_l
Apr 9, 2023
Tour was nice...but I... - Tour was nice...but I would be glad if I get a botle of water...and the toalet is free in the harbor... for 180 USD price
Review provided by Viator
F7365tnmartinl
Jan 25, 2022
Amazing tour with a great company! - Amazing experience! We decided to book with Tao Travel 365 as they have the best reputation in Panama for providing great service. And we are glad that we did. We had a last minute change of plans as my friend did not feel well and Tao Travel made it possible to re-schedule. We contacted them after hours and within seconds someone was online to help us. We ended up taking the San Blas tour a few days later and had an amazing day from start to finish. Adrian, the driver was so sweet, telling us about his Kuna grand mother and her traditions and Panama history. The weather in San Blas was perfect, bathing in the warm ocean. The only regret we have is that we did not book a longer stay in San Blas. We will definitely be back soon :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anae_g
Aug 1, 2022
Great! - Overall this was a great experience! The trip from the hotel to the pier was long and bumpy, which they let you know prior to picking you up from the hotel. On the way up we stopped at a market and a landing with a view to take pictures. Once we got to the pier we’re introduced to our tour guide and you get a chance to use the bathroom (under a $1 like in Paris). From there we island hop! The guide tells you how long we stay at each island/the pool, and they also take pictures along the way. They do serve lunch (not especially seasoned) and provide snorkel equipment. The ride back seems faster than the way there, but expect to find yourself in traffic. This was a great experience and I’m glad the people of the San Blas islands shared this with us.
Review provided by Viator
Muhammad_f
May 29, 2022
Like a dream...but is this the right thing to do? - I have given this tour 4 stars, because I felt like it was well organized, accurate and a lot of fun. The guides and drivers were great and being amongst the islands feels like you are in a completely different world... BUT, I think there are much deeper issues with what is going on with San Blas and these tours. The litter and general condition of these paradise islands is, at times, horrendous. Strolling up to a picture perfect tropical island and seeing bottles, crisp packets and face masks everywhere made me very uncomfortable, and I felt like I was part of the problem frankly. I don't think we have figured out how to experience these islands in any kind of responsible way, and it felt exploitative to the Guna people. Of course, they must benefit from the tourism, but something seems very wrong with this.
Review provided by Viator
Eric_j
Mar 29, 2022
Beautiful beaches but an arduous journey - I have mixed feelings about this tour, which is why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. On the plus side, I want to say that the staff on the tour were great and did everything they could to make the trip enjoyable. In addition, the San Blas Islands are gorgeous; I've never seen such turquoise water, and it was very enjoyable to hang out on the beach in the water or in a hammock by the beach. The lunch was also very good. The main negative is that you have to spend a lot of time traveling to get to the fun. We were picked up at 5:15am and did not get to a beach until 10am. Overall, we spent about 14 hours on this excursion, of which about 6 hours was beach time. Overall, I am happy that we went on the tour because the islands are so beautiful and would recommend to a friend that they take the tour if they are okay with the travel-to-fun ratio but I would not do this tour again. If I wanted to visit the San Blas Islands again, I would look into catamaran tours that visit the islands.
Review provided by Viator
Jen_m
Feb 22, 2022
Mostly good tour of San blas - Overall I liked this tour. It’s a really long day, so be forewarned of that. I booked the English tour, and even though it wasn’t a huge deal, my driver to the pier didn’t speak one word of English. Because of a very big delay getting there (I didn’t get on the boat until 10 am, which was meant to be 8:30) he wasn’t able to update me on what was happening. Luckily some girls in my car spoke Spanish and could translate. Once we got to the pier, it was absolutely chaotic. I got put into a group, but there was not much communication as to what was going on. Overall the islands are absolutely stunning. The included lunch was decent. We visited all the places we said on the itinerary which was nice since we were delayed. I just wish there had been better communication in general. I had to ask the main boat-wrangler (not really a guide so to speak) on which island we had arrived to at every place we visited. Overall a nice way to be able to see the islands. Just be aware it’s a long days journey, I was picked up at 4:50 am and dropped off at 8 pm.
Review provided by Viator
Jane_b
Jan 10, 2024
More seating & shade please! - Islands were beautiful, as was the ride through the mountains. But the islands were jam-packed with day trippers, and there wasn’t nearly enough seating or places with shade for the crush of people who were there. I’m too old to just flop down on the sand and sit in direct sun for 2 hours. Hopefully they will grow their tourism facilities to provide more seating, hammocks, tables and shade. Separately not everyone had access to snorkel equipment so I missed out on the shipwreck and starfish nursery.
Review provided by Viator
Lauraselden5
Sep 25, 2022
Relaxing and tiring - The road to get there is definitely rough! Be prepared and definitely take your Dramamine if needed! The description states that snorkeling is included but the only people who had snorkel gear were the tour guides. That was quite disappointing! The islands were beautiful!! The water was crystal clear. The people were nice. We enjoyed watching a pretty intense volleyball game at one of the islands. Grab a hammock if you can and relax!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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May 2024
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