Top things to do in The Republic of Panama
San Blas
As shown in the video there are several ways to experience
San Blas. 1) Rustic hostel like bungalows/camping
2) As part of an adventure tour with a charter cruise of the islands and 3) As
part of sailing adventure on a boat to Colombia.
For all of these options your best bet is to stop by Luna’s
Castle and/or Hostel Mamallena, even if you are not a backpacker. The reason being is, whichever San Blas
island you chose, or whatever boat to Colombia you pick, your experience will
depend on who is going to share your island or boat. These two hostels in Panama City are the top
places for booking so even if you are not staying there you will want to drop
by. Hostel Mamallena has its own tour
agency, Panama Travel Unlimited and is a
reputable company. I lifted the
following from their website and it has the most accurate information about San
Blas as you can find:
The San Blas islands, or Kuna Yala, comprise of 365(one for
everyday of the year they say) islands located along the Caribbean coats of
Panama. Granted semi independence in 1925, the Kuna Yala is run by an
elected Congresso. Some 40 islands are inhabited and run by a chief who
is a representative to the Congresso. The Kunas have managed to fiercely
retain their culture for over 500 years, despite repression by first the
colonial Spanish and then Panamanian governments. Life in the islands is
still very traditional, many live as their families have done for generations.
The Kunas guard their San Blas islands by only allowing Kunas to own
property within their areas. Foreign, or Panamanian , owned businesses
are not allowed. Only some communities have running water and cooking is
still often done over open fires. Most people still sleep in hammocks in
communal areas inside their huts. The women still wear brightly coloured
clothing, wide skirts and multi-coloured beaded bracelets wrapped the whole
length of their lower legs and arms. It`s not uncommon to see Kuna women
dressed like this in all parts of Panama.
Camping
Franklin’s: Well known over the last few years by the
hostel and backpacking crowd in Panama, Franklins has become one of the
places we send backpackers to the most and rarely get complaints. They have a
number of cabins and a beach on their half off the island. The island is
small but split into 2, although it is hard to distinguish any divide and it
seems to be no problem to wander around the islands fringes in the shallow
surf. They charge $26.00 per person per night for dorms with 3-5 sharing or
$60 for private rooms for two, this includes three simple meals a day, snacks
and water you have to either bring it or buy over there. You can organize
tours to other islands from $3-$10 per person, just ask Franklin. The boat to
and from the island is $10 each way. The island is generally one of the
cleanest. There is some very good snorkelling in and around the shore. With
plenty of Star fish, Sting rays and more….
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Robinson’s: One of the original places in San Blas
for backpackers and the hostel crowd, although the location is different to
the old Robinsons as they moved to a larger island near the original. This
island is larger than Franklins but still relatively small. There are three
to four groups of Cabanas and about six Kuna families living on the island.
They charge $20.00 per person per night for dorms, or $50 for private cabins
for two, including three meals a day, snacks and water you have to either
bring it or buy over there, there is a tour to the local Community included
in your stay, and others can be organised for a cost. The boat to and from
the island is $10 each way. This island was, and still is, popular with
backpackers but Robinson seems to have very bad phone reception so don’t be
surprised if we have trouble trying to contact him.
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Ina’s: Ina is the Nephew of Robinson, although at times
you wouldn’t think it….., it boasts the usual shacks with sand floors. It is
located just up the beach from Robinsons. Some cabins are shared, some are
private. They cost $22pp for dorms and $50 for private rooms for 2 people,
including the usual three meals a day, snacks and water you have to either
bring it or buy over there. Ina can arrange many tours to Islands like
Dog or Estrella so just ask him and arrange a price when you are there. The
boat to and from the island is $10 each way. This island is more built up
than Franklins but is much bigger and has decent beaches. At the moment Ina
is one of our top picks as the reviews coming back about the family and the
food have been very positive, but things in San Blas are never consistent and
this could change at any time.
Eulogio’s Place: One of the original homestays on one of
the main Carti Islands. They’ve recently built an upstairs part to their
house which has good airflow, but is still very basic. This is the best way
to experience Kuna culture if that is what you prefer instead of lazing on a
beach, but do not expect to be there alone, it’s like a hostel. He charges
$30 per person per night, and includes the usual three basic meals per day.
The main town has a number of small stores where you can buy snacks, drinks
and so on. Food is basic and toilets are placed over the sea. Includes daily tours
to the local beach islands where you can spend the day swimming, snorkelling
and lazing on the beach. Some of these islands have nothing but a local
family, a couple of cabins and palm trees. In the afternoon you’ll return to
Carti for the night. Eulogio and his brother Germain are great guys but just
watch that they don’t try to overcharge you! They are pretty well known for
it
Eulogio also arranges accommodations on the stunning Hook
Island for $45 per person per night in simple private cabins for two with
decent toilets and bucket showers. Hook Island is one of the more untouched
islands, very clean and great snorkelling, you will often see fisherman
pulling in a catch on the reef around the island. It is less developed and
very quiet compared to the other islands and recommended for couples mainly.
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Charter Boats and Boats to Colombia
Recently the Kuna Indians banned foreigners without permits
from operating in the San Blas islands.
Ship captains change and information is updated continuously. For that reason you should contact Panama
Travel Unlimited and it wouldn’t hurt to drop by or email Luna’s Castle to ask
the names of boat captains… then google the hell out of them. Then ask, at both locations, if they have
booked people. Sometimes captains wait
for a full boat and the passengers that are waiting are hanging out at one of
these hostels in Panama City. Drop by
and try to meet them to see if you can spend five days on a small boat with
them.
The Lost and Found
My favorite hostel and top hostel from The Lonely Planet and
Tripadvisor. Not so much a hostel as a
location in itself where you can do a lot of the tours you can do in Boquete
but at a fraction of the price. Their
coffee tour is much more authentic and less touristy than ones you will find in
Boquete. It can be used as a base in
lieu of Boquete to explore the Caldera hot springs and the Gualaca river
canyons and for much cheaper. It is
nicely situated as well, breaking up the long trip from Panama City to
Bocas. There is also nothing like the
free treasure hunt that makes hiking and animal watching an adventure even for
those who don’t like hiking. Have a look
at their top ten video on their website. (It’s stung together with mostly
footage from me.)
Coiba
Often referred to as “Panama’s Galapagos”, Parque Nacional
Coiba was established by the Panamanian government in 1991 which protected both
Isla Coiba and its surrounding waters as a national park. The legislation also
allowed for the penal colony on Isla Coiba to continue operating since its
presence was considered a deterrent from development. The penal colony has
since closed and the park was expanded in 2004. July of 2005, Coiba was
declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Biological Research Station has been
constructed and the park now charges an entrance fee to visitors to help fund
park protection and maintenance. ANAM, the Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente or
National Authority of the Environment, helps monitor and protect the area.
Bocas
Bocas is hardly off the beaten path so I have
few secrets to share. There’s no end to
information on Bocas if you google it. It
is filled with backpacker hot spots and cheap hostels and there are a lot of
things to do in Bocas. The spots you see
in the video are Mondu Taitu hostel and Aqua Lounge, both in the top five
places to party. A great spot to learn
to surf without being self conscious of gawkers is Chica Surf Adventures. But there’s a catch.. women only.
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