San Blas Islands, Panama

We will be on Veendam stoping in San Blas Islands, Panama.

What is there to do here.

Thanks.

Although I haven't been there recently, there is little to do on the islands. The highlight is to go to the islands in a birch bark canoe and associate with the native people. they are more than willing to show you their basic lifestyle and how they live. There are opportunities for the purchase of molas

( colorful material pieces made into different things)

it can be an enjoyable outing.

You're lucky as there aren't many ships that stop at the San Blas Islands anymore. These are beautiful, BEAUTIFUL islands and the Kuna Indigenous are very interesting people. I'm sure you will love the stop and see a slice of life that few folks get to experience. The molas they make are fantastic! A "mola" is just a piece of cloth for the Kuna but what they do is rip (not cut) strips of colorful cloth and then fold over the edges and sew them into these amazing works of art that are called "Molas." Enjoy! Regards, Richard

You're lucky as there aren't many ships that stop at the San Blas Islands anymore. These are beautiful, BEAUTIFUL islands and the Kuna Indigenous are very interesting people. I'm sure you will love the stop and see a slice of life that few folks get to experience. The molas they make are fantastic! A "mola" is just a piece of cloth for the Kuna but what they do is rip (not cut) strips of colorful cloth and then fold over the edges and sew them into these amazing works of art that are called "Molas." Enjoy! Regards, Richard

I am looking forward to this stop, and it sounds great. We will be on Veendam.

Btw, I purchased your book and will be taking it along for our Panama Canal transit.

You're lucky as there aren't many ships that stop at the San Blas Islands anymore. These are beautiful, BEAUTIFUL islands and the Kuna Indigenous are very interesting people. I'm sure you will love the stop and see a slice of life that few folks get to experience. The molas they make are fantastic! A "mola" is just a piece of cloth for the Kuna but what they do is rip (not cut) strips of colorful cloth and then fold over the edges and sew them into these amazing works of art that are called "Molas." Enjoy! Regards, Richard

Totally agree with you! Gosh, it's been ages since we've had a port stop at the San Blas Islands! Wonder if it has changed at all?

You're lucky as there aren't many ships that stop at the San Blas Islands anymore. These are beautiful, BEAUTIFUL islands and the Kuna Indigenous are very interesting people. I'm sure you will love the stop and see a slice of life that few folks get to experience. The molas they make are fantastic! A "mola" is just a piece of cloth for the Kuna but what they do is rip (not cut) strips of colorful cloth and then fold over the edges and sew them into these amazing works of art that are called "Molas." Enjoy! Regards, Richard

We will be there Sunday! What type of prices for the Molas?

We are going but just fyi, the Cruise Director on Veendam said it will take an hour to get there and people will want to get back on the ship after 15 minutes....

Btw Richard, I have your book and am using it for our transit on Saturday. I wish you were on Veendam giving commentary.

Wondering if anyone can advise how far is the cruise port to a clean and nice beach... can we walk there or must hire a taxi.

Thanks very much.

Is your ship stopping in Panama by calling at one of the San Blas Islands? The reason I ask is because only a few smaller ships call on the Islands and the primary mode of transportation is a boat. I don't know of any of the inhabited islands that have any real vehicle transportation. If you are stopping at Panama City (Ft. Amador) or Colon, that is a another set of answers.

Back in the early 90's, I was a cruise operated by the Dolphin Cruise Line if anyone remembers them & we stopped at the San Blas Islands. The ones we were at had no electricity or running water. They had handmade dug-out canoes that we were on. Once on the island, the people there offered to show you their home, basically a tent of sorts. I remember seeing a car battery that was hooked up to a portable radio and inside their home was quite nice & the owner said that his home was the biggest one there.There was one very small air-strip that I would imagine how they got some of the supplies from & I remember a wrecked small plane at the end/beginning of that air-strip. That is the San Blas Islands that our cruise stopped at all those years ago.

We were there last year. The islands are tiny, but it is interesting to watch them appear floating right on the water early in the morning. The Veendam took us over to the largest island on tenders. Some locals were out in narrow home made canoes while one lady in our tender was constantly yelling: I don't understand how they can take us out there in rough water. :eek: Ok, the surface was not really smooth, but these are life boats.

The islanders sell lots of molas and they want a dollar for a portrait photo. I paid a little girl who was over the moon about that dollar. Students and teachers sat in the yard and enjoyed watching the passengers. :D

The older women wear traditional dress, pretty. Yes, you can walk around in 15minutes. We spent about 40 minutes, still a worthwhile stop imho.

There is no beach! No airstrip!

We were there last year. The islands are tiny, but it is interesting to watch them appear floating right on the water early in the morning. The Veendam took us over to the largest island on tenders. Some locals were out in narrow home made canoes while one lady in our tender was constantly yelling: I don't understand how they can take us out there in rough water. :eek: Ok, the surface was not really smooth, but these are life boats.

 

The islanders sell lots of molas and they want a dollar for a portrait photo. I paid a little girl who was over the moon about that dollar. Students and teachers sat in the yard and enjoyed watching the passengers. :D

The older women wear traditional dress, pretty. Yes, you can walk around in 15minutes. We spent about 40 minutes, still a worthwhile stop imho.

 

There is no beach! No airstrip!

When I was there, it was a tiny air-strip, looked like a small road with a wrecked plane at the end of it. I walked down to see the wreckage & all the instruments had been taken out of it. When I was walking back to where we needed to be to get back to the cruise ship, a small plane was getting ready to land. You are correct about the no beach but when I was there I saw what I have already said & that was back in the early 1990's.

Just for background information the San Blas Islands is an archipelago of about 300 islands that lie off of Panama's Caribbean north coast. About 40 of them are inhabited and there is one actual airstrip on El Porvenir. When I was there was the only way to get to the Islands was by air or boat and transportation among the Islands is of course by boat.

Just for background information the San Blas Islands is an archipelago of about 300 islands that lie off of Panama's Caribbean north coast. About 40 of them are inhabited and there is one actual airstrip on El Porvenir. When I was there was the only way to get to the Islands was by air or boat and transportation among the Islands is of course by boat.

Thank you for that information regarding the San Blas Islands. Was not aware that there are that many islands in that area. On the cruise itinerary it listed San Blas Island as our stop and we found it very interesting seeing how the people on the island lived.