San Blas Islands Full-day Tour + Transport From Panama City

This is definitely a must in Panama! The islands are beautifully breathtaking! It is quite a journey to get there but it is well worth the wait!

Don’t underestimate the 2.5 hr drive….its a long one but well worth it! My only criticism is the transportation vehicle was too tight for the number of participants

Absolutely breathtaking! My San Blas Islands tour was one of the highlights of my trip to Panama. 🇵🇦🌴🌊 From the crystal-clear turquoise water and beautiful islands to experiencing the culture of the Guna people, this was so much more than just a beach excursion. Every stop felt like a postcard, and the scenery was absolutely unreal. Our tour experience was great from start to finish. The guides were friendly, helpful, and made sure we were comfortable throughout the day. I especially appreciated getting the opportunity to experience the islands while also learning more about the local culture and way of life. If you’re visiting Panama, put San Blas on your list! The early morning wake-up and long drive are absolutely worth it. 😍 10/10 experience. San Blas is definitely a must-see! 🇵🇦❤️🏝️ P.S. Come prepared to disconnect, slow down, and take it all in. There’s something special about being somewhere this beautiful without all the distractions. ✨

Read the instructions carefully and take nausea meds for the drive. Those roads are steep with sharp turns. Once you get pass the ride the experience is phenomenal, the guides are friendly and are aware of the surroundings.

The transportation arrangement is a nightmare! There’s was little communication and my wife and I got in the wrong car they did not speak any English at all. They all kept saying we going to the same place ! We met some amazing people that translated everything for us. The boat ride to the islands was very very bumpy! It was crowded as well. The islands were gorgeous ! Paradise on earth ! The transportation was 3 hours of one way trip ! The food I strongly advise to upgrade to lobsters! Chef kiss !! The water is so clear ! The boat rides are rough ! The host is very nice and communicate as best as he can with the time allotted for each island ! The devil island was only for 20 minutes. The third was overcrowded there was no place to keep your bags secure ! They officially do not have an itinerary and was winging it ! Some of the islanders are not nice and seem very stand offish ! My best advice to anyone is be prepared to be out all day! I do not allow the interactions of the islanders to ruin your experience of the island ! The bathrooms we so gross and is inhumane I went into this with high expectations and feel like this was a major let down around our anniversary trip! The ride on the way back and there was more people added to our ride back a bag was missing until we repeated asked the driver to look for it! The ride was overcrowded and uncomfortable for 3.5 hours! We stopped for a bathroom break and we were rushed back immediately ! The driver played the same 4 songs for 3 hours ! This excursion has so much potential they have to do a major facelift ! If your reading this please take all this in consideration before planning !

The experience was better than l expected great l l high recommend the community are beautiful the water is very clear the tour guide is very friendly

Javier was on time, reliable & a good communicator. It's a long day in the car but worth it. I would visit San Blas again!

Travel light, bring sunscreen, and anything u dont mind getting wet. No towel required. Please wear water shoes. Bring your own water. There will be time's were u wont be able to get water.

I would recommend them because the tour guides and island hosts were professional... It would have been a nice touch if they were warm and it didn't feel so transactional. I encourage that you come with a group so that you can enjoy the experience and personal connections. Also be prepared to nervous with the drive through the mountains, the driver drove fast so it felt like a roller coaster with no guard rails.

It was absolutely amazing I would definitely do this again the people the guides were so nice I will definitely be coming back

It was great! Beautiful, delicious food

Worse tour I’ve ever been on. Transportation: you will be squeezed into an SUV like it or not. Ours had a cracked windshield, missing side panels, the AC didn’t work half the time and the driver as rude as hell. On the way back squeezed 6 of us and some poor soul had to ride for hours in the middle seat. Didn’t care about comfort. Absolutely a horrible experience to be stuck in the back third row seat for a total of 5 hours with a rude person. He clearly was pissed that he had to transport tourist around. Tour: poorly organized, I don’t care what system they have, it’s bad. Wait around until you gets assigned a boat. Then you visit 3 islands, all look the same, offer the same, no idea why not just drop you off at one and let you enjoy the day. One of them you get 30 minutes, you get off the boat only to hop back on. I hate to say it but the natives aren’t friendly. They don’t want you there, they just want your money. The Islands - calm waters, pretty but nothing to write home about. The facilities weren’t clean, bathrooms were dirty, they had trash around certain areas. Not impressed. Lunch was acceptable, but service was horrible Not even a smile, they don’t want you there, it’s really that simple. Overall a nightmare is how I would describe this tour. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone and I absolutely wouldn’t return.

Tiny, idyllic Caribbean islands covered in palm trees. Soft sandy beaches and colourful coral reefs. Excellent food. Absolute paradise!

Okay, this is a long day but be prepared to visit paradise and an archipelago that genuinely 'rivals' the Maldives but is more remote and better for it. The early start is needed, it is an amazing and heart-stopping drive through the San Blas 'hills/rainforest' and be prepared for a delay at the check point. The islands are sensational, our trip was very well organised - again, be patient! This trip is worth every penny.

This excursion was one of the highlights of our trip to Panama. While the drive to the Islands from the city is a bit lengthy, it's totally worth it! The islands and surrounding waters are beautiful. Don't forget your sunscreen, bug spray, and quarters for the bathroom!

Our driver there and back was superb, the guide in San Blas was attentive to the large group keeping us moving on time. The first island was rocky and not pleasant to get in or out of the water. The second island was our favorite. Unfortunately we were not offered the snorkel equipment on the last island and did not have a chance to do that, but still enjoyed the beauty of the island. We were extremely dissatisfied with the access in and out of the boat. My husband scraped his chin and needed assist to make the climb out to the dock while the boat was lurching. This was not a safe practice and needs attention.

Good: beautiful islands. Clear water. Great people on tour. Somewhat well organized. Bad: this is NOT a snorkel tour as advertised, just boat driver with bag of old leaky snorkel setts and some masks. But great small coral reefs to snorkel and saw some fish! I tried two snorkel sets, both leaked no matter how much tightened connections. Also too rushed to see four islands. Should be two islands max so time to relax and enjoy. One island we saw for 15 min and another barely an hour. Overall good tour but be prepared for really is.

The scenery was beautiful! Postcard worthy! There was a bit of concern for getting in and out of the transport boats due to our ages and strength. Recommend with cautions.

Be prepared with water shoes, sunblock etc. It was a little tough to get in and out of the boat at different islands.

We did have a fun, adventurous day. We did wish they had given us more specific information. 1. What to wear: swim wear all day except on the 3 hour drive to and from the boat). 2. That we would be exiting the boat at times immediately into the water. 3. We did not know to take water shoes (a lot of rocks close to the beach which would have been easier to navigate with something on our feet in the water)

First the ride to the beach is dangerous the cars are old and it is a very horrifying road, our driver did not speak English so we could not ask questions. The ride with the boat was also very bumpy and i would not recommend if you have back problems, worst part of our excursion was all boats went to the island but our boat went with a female driver to an island all by ourselves just our boat ,when we asked where all the other people were and the activities all of a sudden she soke no English so all 8 of us just waited at beach for the return with no extras only one plate of cold food. On our ride home we noticed the driver was constantly falling asleep and the girl tour guide stopped at an island on the water where the indigoes people live to pick up a small child, we tried to ask but no answer, never ever again and we did not get our money back we did complain but were told no way . I have pictures to confirm.

I loved this experienxe. The caribbean sea is beautiful! Great activity for solo travelers. It is not close to Panama City, but definitely worth the experience

It was a great experience, the islands were beautiful, not too crowded and perfect to enjoy the paradise. It's a little far from the city center but its totally worth it.

Islands were beautiful. Helpful, kind staff, good lunch, on time, well organized. Worth the price!! Highly recommend!

Overall experience is good. Love the 4 island hopping, since each island is small, so 4 island is perfect The suv we ride in was kind of old, drive took a little longer. And a bit uncomfortable. But the food and people are extremely nice. A little disorganized but its normal here

The Islands themselves are beautiful. Once we arrived after a 3.5 hour car ride, our "guide" of a large group was good. However, I had two important questions prior to our trip: 1) was there a place to change in and out of our swimming suites, and 2) was there a secure place to keep our belongings, like our passports, wallets, phones, etc. while we were in the water. No response! Our drive to and from getting on the location to get on the boat was a NIGHTMARE! We were informed repeatedly that we would be picked up at 5:10 a.m. and the driver would wait no more than 10 minutes. The driver arrived at 4:46. He said he wouldn't wait!! (According to the hotel staff). The driver never greeted us, the car was not equipped with enough working seatbelts, (the driver didn't wear one) and drove extremely fast, passing on yellow lines, multiple cars at a time, honking at cars, flashing his lights at them etc. Same on the way back, plus he turned his radio on full blast so we couldn't hear each other talk. It was dark out at that time and we were frightened by his driving being so unresponsible in heavy traffic. We travel internationally frequently and have never experienced a driver like this before. If rated separately, the islands themselves was a solid 4.5. The driver should never be used again! I have given the 3 rating as I assume that perhaps other drivers are better, and maybe the tour company does have English speaking drivers, and people can get their questions answered.

Cool day! We got some rain in the am, but it was lovely. You can get alittle better deal if you ask cab drivers in Panama City, but it’s still really cool. One guy told me he’d charge 110$/person. Good snorkeling! My only issues with this tour is they said this included the 22$/person charge to enter the region and then later charged me. Be prepared for this additional charge. Also, everybody does the same excursion on the 1 day tour, so just go w the cheapest one.

This felt more like organized transportation with lunch versus an actual tour. We were 6 people in a private tour with hotel pickup in Panama City to San Blas with lunch for just over $1100. The driver arrived about 10 min late to get us from our hotel at 5:25; the adult that needed to sit in a middle seat was uncomfortable for the total of 7 hours of driving. For such a long trip, a bigger/more comfortable vehicle would have been better. The driver’s English was limited and answered some questions but didn’t say too much. He didn’t offer anyone to alter the temperature or music (he sang g along a lot) provide water. Bring your own water and snacks or buy at the stop. He transferred us to a different company for the boat section. They were nice but also didn’t provide much information and just drove us to the three spots and asked what time we wanted lunch. This was a long day and lot of driving. I’m glad we went but this didn’t feel like a great value given how much of the day people were uncomfortable. The islands are gorgeous but have pretty primitive infrastructure. It got 3 stars due to the price, meh service and car ride.

Our day trip to San Blas was amazing! The day is long but so worth the beautiful beaches and placid Caribbean sea that you get to spend time in! Highly recommend! Our driver Javier picked us up on time and drove very well- even on the curvy roads in the San Blas territory! He also showed us wild life found on our way ( Toucans, Owls, Monkeys etc) The Guna guide Richard and the boat crew was also great…they made the travel between the islands seamless. We had enough time on the 3 islands and natural pool! There was good snorkeling too!! All and all a day well spent!

Trip was good but the time it takes to get there is a hindrance. Also we were charged more than my friend who stayed overnight while we just did the day. Also the beach was nice but there was no fish to snorkel. The included lunch was very good.

Too many times in & out of the boat to switch islands & remembering how long at each island. Sometimes switching boats.

This was an AMAZING DAY & we loved the tour. Most importantly, DON’T be dissuaded by reviews that complain about the drive from the city to the port. Is it long - yes, but you get to see a lot of the countryside/rainforest and it’s an opportunity to talk with your driver Juan was so awesome - we connected the day prior via WhatsApp (make sure to give them your number when you confirm) and really made the day great, also, don’t be dissuaded by the windy road … yes, it’s like a roller coaster at times, but the drivers do this every day & it was fascinating! There is a stop at a gas station before the windy part for restrooms & snacks. The history & info about the Guna people and the Guna Yala was really interesting. The transition to our boat and Guna guide for the day was smooth. The islands were amazing … we stopped on 3 and also at the “Natural Pool” which is a shallow area where people could snorkel, enjoy the super clear water! Time at each island was really well thought out … 1 to 1.5 hrs at each and the meal (fried fish or chicken or I think a veg option) was good. This was an amazing day … just do it!

The driver only spoke Spanish. There was pretty much no communication or explanations about the area, people, or the geography. This was not a tour but a ride. I was supposed to see the sunken ship but I was not taken to that island. The speed boat drivers were excellent but they also did not give you any history or information. You spent more time going from place to place instead of any explanations. The native people were very friendly. The driver also kept the music very loud and going the entire trip in both directions until finally after asking he turned it down and then off. The people in my car were all spkit into different groups and therefore you have no idea if they had your tour instead. The food was as expected. Nothing impressive and it did not seem authentic to the people of San Blas.

Nice experience! The water is beautiful and we were able to see the different islands. Even though the trip is long and the roads are very curvy, it is worth it and our driver Javier did a good job.

Had the absolute best time. The ride was a little tight, but was expecting that, per the overview. Thankfully ended up in a friendly group. Everything seemed pretty organized with the amount of people and different tours. We had ample time at each island and the sandbar. Our guide made sure we had snorkels and searched for us when it was time to go. We were dropped off at the pickup location and we arrived back in Panama City in shorter time then expected.

It was a perfect! From pick up at the hotel to getting to all the islands, it was so smooth! When we arrived at the island I thought for sure it was going to be chaotic because there are SO many tourists/people who book this but they are so organized. The islands are beautiful and everyone is so friendly!

Great experience, beautiful place to visit. Our driver to and from San Blas was great. Our boat guide was very good too. Just wish I knew he had the mask and snorkels as I would have used them on various islands. As I had to ask for them just before the last island visit. The food was good, wife had the chicken and I had the fish. The portion of chicken is a lot. Also get a fruit plate and choice of drinks.

Be prepared to be out all day, its an experience. Overall I enjoyed myself but my friends made it enjoyable. The ride to the ferry is long bumpy and up many hills, and the ferry itself is very choppy. The beaches were beautiful and amazing and the staff was very friendly. Lunch was very fresh and hot and waiting when we arrived, again overall it was a great experience just long total about 15 hours

It is a nice place to visit. Nothing that we didn’t expect. The inconvenience was at the pickup time, we waited an hour in our hotel because they confused the address and supposedly went to a different hotel to pick up us. One hour that we could sleep. They need to better coordinate timing. It is not correct to offer a pick up window of 45 minutes and arrive one our from the starting time.

Perfect trip. Well organized. Driver and guide were really friendly guys. Trip started very punctual! Perfect communication.

Great adventure. Beautiful islands, sand, palm trees, and crystal clear water. The snorkeling was very good, with big beautiful fan corals and schools of vivid blue fish at the first island out at the reef edge. Magical. No bugs while we were there. The roads and facilities were rustic as advertised. The traffic was crazy, so we were glad we did not drive ourselves. The lunch was bigger and better than expected, very filling. One thing that would make it better would be to provide swim fins to those who want them to go deeper, and the tidal currents were pretty strong to swim against at times without them. But overall the tour was a high point of our trip!

I enjoyed this tour so much, my husband and I captured some beautiful photos for our 5 year Anniversary! The beaches we gorgeous 😍 It is definitely a must do tour. Only thing is the drive to island gets a little bumper but very worth it!!

The ride to the San Blas is a bit rough as was the boat ride to island. Our kids were complaining until we got to the beaches. The beaches were beautiful the lunch was great. By the end of the day the kids did not want to leave. However, they were wore out enough to sleep on the way back.

what an amazing experience! there were only a few things that prevented me from giving all 5 stars. Our tour guides were awesome. the beaches were unlike anything I have ever seen! the only two things that were a turn off were the bumpy roads! my goodness it was a mess. our tour guide was a pro at maneuvering the potholes but sheesh, it added 2 hours back and fro. the second was the fact that there was no covid precaution taken. I wanted to go snorkeling but the mask has lipstick marks on it and other debris. the vests did not look cleaned between people either. I would suggest you bring your cleaning wipes to ensure your level of safety and comfort is met.

Overall the trip was great. The experience was worth the money. Would recommend spending at least one day here. Just for your knowledge: we got picked up at our hotel at 5:00am and then went to pick up more passengers. Our driver Rey was super nice. When we headed towards the island the drive is long so we stopped midway at a gas station. Not much of a selection so I would suggest to take snacks. This is were the winding road begins. So many potholes and bumps! I’m not prone to motion sickness, but did get dizzy at a point. The road does take a while to get through. Once you get to the meeting point and get to the boats that will take you to the island. Be prepared to get wet! The ride is bumpy, but it will be worth it after hitting up the sandbars and different little islands.

We had a great day and it was beautiful. However, there were way too many people on the island so it didn’t feel remote at all. The ride there was long and soooo bumpy, but that’s just the poor rodes. Overall I’m glad we went, it was just expensive for the experience.

It was a really good tour! Worth the investment. Things to consider: - Yes, the road to get to the Port is full of holes (something the government has to improve) and may be a bumpy ride, but is not that bad if you go with someone that knows the road. - As indicated, mobile reception is fluctuating and only works with some agencies. - Depending on the season you go, you may encounter with several rains. We just went and it rained just once, for about 10 min. - There are bathrooms but they aren't as clean as one would wish. - There are no garbage cans so please take your trash to the restaurants so the natives can help you with it. - There aren't showers where you can clean from the salty water. Just in case you were wondering. - The trip demands you to move a lot, not having a lot of time to really sit and relax for hours. So go light, don't carry too much stuff with you. - There are some palm trees and some wood benches to sit. - It also demands good physical conditions to get in and out of the boat in every island/pool. - Take cash with you, at least 50 bucks in small amounts, in case of emergencies. You wont need to use it all unless you wanna buy stuff. The positives: - The agency organized the tour really good. - The people involved were really attentive and kind. They knew their stuff. - San Blas Islands (Perro chico and Diablo) are really beautiful, they have the basics to have a good time. - We had a great time in the natural pools. - You get really good pictures form the trip and meet new people, from all over the world. Things to improve: - We had a setback in our arrival, cause being Holy Thursday there were more cars than usual so we waited around 1 hour 30 min until reaching the stop to pay the territory fees. the ride to the Port lasted 5 hours in total (From the Novotel hotel to the port). - The Tour says Snorkeling included but our guides never told us when we were going to snorkeling nor offered the equipment to use it in the natural pools. Maybe because of the setback, i dont know. - Some boats had a ladder to help people get in the boat, i think this would have being great if our boat had it. In my personal experience, i would have liked to stay more time in each island, so next time ill visit just two or stay in one the whole day. Overall, its a excellent trip if you want to go to the beach and disconnect from your day to day schedule. Enjoy!

Pedro uses a car for 4 people and puts 7 people in the vehicle. The ride is 3 hours on curves and it’s painful and it is dangerous. It is unacceptable to travel for such a long distance and put 3 adults in the children sit in the back. Additionally, he was rude while driving and also chose an okay island to spend the majority of the time. Pedro this is dangerous, stop putting 7 people in a car of 4! The actual islands and the people are definitely a 5 stars… the two stars are for Pedro and his poor management

Our driver (Adrian) and boat guides brought the area to life beyond another sunny day in paradise. The Mountain roads were their own spectate adventure!