This autonomy affords the indigenous people, the Guna Yala (or Kuna Yala), freedom to govern and lead themselves. They control tourism of the area, keeping numbers low and aiming to preserve the beauty of the white sand and blue seas. The Guna recently made international press for winning a lawsuit against Nike because the corporate giant labelled their shoe the 'Puerto Rico' and used the Guna's Mola pattern, thereby 'pirating a protected traditional design.'
But the autonomy of the region also leaves the international waters that the 378 islands sit on a bit of a paradise for smugglers and drug traffickers. Stories abound of boats carrying pirated goods that dropped/lost stolen ware in their haste to make a quick exit. Climate change is another real threat to the islands and their inhabitants. Sea level rises will ensure these islands no longer exist within my lifetime.
With that sobering thought in mind, we took to researching our options. With little time left, an overnight excursion was not an option. I would suggest this one though--two or three days of reclining on beautiful islands in a hammock and spending the days swimming sounds like my perfect trip. Think palm trees and rustic beach perfection and you get the picture. Or I could just show you some pictures.
If you're up for a laugh, go read the reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor. They'll warn you about a vomit-inducing drive up winding roads, rude, uncommunicative drivers, loud music in the car and to not forget your passport. The last point is a notable fact but we found the rest of the 'advice' a bit of urban legend, at least with Viator. This didn't stop me from being grateful I'd popped a dramamine for the ride just in case.
Our Guna driver picked us up bright and early and proceeded to make a series of stops at other B&Bs to fill the mini-van to capacity. We wound our way through the jungle on a series of freshly paved and potholed roads and arrived at the 'port' two hours later. A group of Guna men checked passports, accepted cash in US dollars for our trip and then organised the tourists into boats.
As day trippers, we made three stops: one for swimming and snorkelling at a barely habitated island;
another for lunch of fish/chicken and swimming at a second, slightly more inhabited island;
The second island also happens to be where the local accommodation is. By local and accommodation I mean beach shacks with hammocks and without air conditioning. This is not five star hotel luxury, it's so much better.
and finally, a stop on a sandbar for one last plunge into the clear, starfishy sea.
After several hours on island paradise that went far too quickly, we readied ourselves to do the journey in reverse. Other than some hairy driving through traffic, which seems to be the Panamanian way, the return was uneventful. If you're considering whether or not a trip to the San Blas Islands is worth the hype, we'd both definitely say it was. It's not every day you get to Just Be (capital letters) in a beautiful place with no agenda. And if you get the chance to spend a few days Just Being in the sunshine, jump at the opportunity.
These smiles don't lie.
