GENERAL INFORMATION
This is a 5 days one way trip. You get to spend and enjoy 3 full days through the San Blas islands and 2 days are dedicated to sailing through the open sea. The duration of the tour and islands you visit entirely depends on weather and sea conditions as the departure or arrival site of your trip.
When you depart from Cartagena, Colombia the boats usually leave in the afternoon or evening of the first day and the tour would finish in the morning of the sixth day, keep in mind that there might be a couple of boats that could finish the tour in the afternoon of the fifth day.
On the other hand, when you depart from Panama, and if the boat departs from El Porvenir, then the trip would start early in the morning of the first day and it would finish the fifth day or maybe, in some cases, on the sixth day depending on the sea condition. Also when you leave from Panama they might leave from Puerto Lindo or Portobello, if this is the case then they would leave in the afternoon or evening of the first day and the tour would finish in Cartagena on the sixth day, but once more, this could vary depending on the sea and sailing conditions.
When you depart from Cartagena, Colombia the boats usually leave in the afternoon or evening of the first day and the tour would finish in the morning of the sixth day, keep in mind that there might be a couple of boats that could finish the tour in the afternoon of the fifth day.
On the other hand, when you depart from Panama, and if the boat departs from El Porvenir, then the trip would start early in the morning of the first day and it would finish the fifth day or maybe, in some cases, on the sixth day depending on the sea condition. Also when you leave from Panama they might leave from Puerto Lindo or Portobello, if this is the case then they would leave in the afternoon or evening of the first day and the tour would finish in Cartagena on the sixth day, but once more, this could vary depending on the sea and sailing conditions.
RESERVATIONS & PAYMENTS
All prices for each boat have been set by the captains themselves, meaning the prices will be always the same no matter where you book this tour (Either with us or directly with the captain).
The price for the trip goes from $450 to $650 (Depending on the price set by the captain. They mostly charge $550 per person, but as mentioned this price can change depending on the captain and even the season. If you need further details and information regarding the prices, please contact us and we will gladly assist you.
You can book this tour making a $50 downpayment per person, you can do this directly coming to our office (Right now we are only taking reservations online) or through our website and do the whole booking process with a credit or debit card.
Please keep in mind that by booking with us, you’re not paying extra or more for this trip, but you do get a faster and more convenient service to ensure you have a great experience.
We have direct contact to all boat captains and owners in order to confirm your spots in the boat as soon as possible.
We won’t give you confirmation of your trip unless the captain has done it already, and only then we will ask you to make a downpayment once we have %100 clearance from the captain.
The price for the trip goes from $450 to $650 (Depending on the price set by the captain. They mostly charge $550 per person, but as mentioned this price can change depending on the captain and even the season. If you need further details and information regarding the prices, please contact us and we will gladly assist you.
You can book this tour making a $50 downpayment per person, you can do this directly coming to our office (Right now we are only taking reservations online) or through our website and do the whole booking process with a credit or debit card.
Please keep in mind that by booking with us, you’re not paying extra or more for this trip, but you do get a faster and more convenient service to ensure you have a great experience.
We have direct contact to all boat captains and owners in order to confirm your spots in the boat as soon as possible.
We won’t give you confirmation of your trip unless the captain has done it already, and only then we will ask you to make a downpayment once we have %100 clearance from the captain.
INCLUDED
- Food, drinking water, coffee and tea.
- Accommodation on the boat’
- Snorkelling gear
- Some of the boats have fishing equipment available, please it is important to know that scuba diving and spearfishing is prohibited in Guna Yala.
- All boats are fully equipped with all proper gear for safety and navigation such as life vest jackets, emergency raft, VHF radio, SAT line and GPS location map.
- Complete paperwork and standard immigration fees.
NOT INCLUDED
- Entrance fee to Guna Yala $20 per person
- Transportation or from or to the arrival and departure port
- Alcoholic drinks, snacks or mixers
- Entry visa/fees
ENTRANCE FEE TO GUNA YALA
The Kuna Yala congress charges an entrance tax of $23 per person, this has to be paid by anyone who accesses Guna Yala by boat,car or plane.
If your boat is leaving from El Porvenir or Carti, this tax will be charged at the checkpoint on the road once you enter Guna Yala territory which is right before you reach the dock.
IMPORTANT: You must collect your receipt once you pay this tax.
When your boat leaves from Puerto Lindo or Portobello, the captain of your boat will collect this payment for the entrance fee and will pay at the local immigration office while the immigration process is being completed.
That’s the only tax to be paid to enter Guna Yala and THERE IS NO $100 TAX FOR PANAMA.
If your boat is leaving from El Porvenir or Carti, this tax will be charged at the checkpoint on the road once you enter Guna Yala territory which is right before you reach the dock.
IMPORTANT: You must collect your receipt once you pay this tax.
When your boat leaves from Puerto Lindo or Portobello, the captain of your boat will collect this payment for the entrance fee and will pay at the local immigration office while the immigration process is being completed.
That’s the only tax to be paid to enter Guna Yala and THERE IS NO $100 TAX FOR PANAMA.
DEPARTURE POINTS
FROM PANAMA
It is important to keep in mind that the transportation to your boat is not included in the price.
DEPARTING FROM CARTI OR EL PORVENIR
For the boats departing from Carti or El Porvenir, you will need to take a Jeep ride from Panama City at 5:30 am, this shuttle costs $30 per person. Once you enter Guna Yala territory, each passenger has to pay $20 entrance tax to the Guna people. There is also a $2 fee at the dock per person, then finally you will have to take a boat taxi to your sailboat which will cost around $10/15. We can arrange this transfer for you.
DEPARTING FROM PUERTO LINDO OR PORTOBELO
Boats leaving from the mainland (Puerto Lindo, Portobello) are more accessible since there are 2 ways for you to get to your boat:
You can take a Bus from Panama City (From Albrook Bus Terminal) to Colon, this bus ride would costs around $8, but if this is the case we would strongly advise you to go a day before your departure and stay overnight either in Puerto Lindo or Portobello (Depending on your departure spot) since there is not a connection early enough for you to take on the day of departure for you to take your boat on time.
Another way is to book a shuttle for $25 per person, this shuttle will pick you up from your accommodation in Panama City the day of your departure and will deliver you exactly where the boat is, this transportation can be booked and organized by us.
DEPARTING FROM CARTI OR EL PORVENIR
For the boats departing from Carti or El Porvenir, you will need to take a Jeep ride from Panama City at 5:30 am, this shuttle costs $30 per person. Once you enter Guna Yala territory, each passenger has to pay $20 entrance tax to the Guna people. There is also a $2 fee at the dock per person, then finally you will have to take a boat taxi to your sailboat which will cost around $10/15. We can arrange this transfer for you.
DEPARTING FROM PUERTO LINDO OR PORTOBELO
Boats leaving from the mainland (Puerto Lindo, Portobello) are more accessible since there are 2 ways for you to get to your boat:
You can take a Bus from Panama City (From Albrook Bus Terminal) to Colon, this bus ride would costs around $8, but if this is the case we would strongly advise you to go a day before your departure and stay overnight either in Puerto Lindo or Portobello (Depending on your departure spot) since there is not a connection early enough for you to take on the day of departure for you to take your boat on time.
Another way is to book a shuttle for $25 per person, this shuttle will pick you up from your accommodation in Panama City the day of your departure and will deliver you exactly where the boat is, this transportation can be booked and organized by us.
FROM COLOMBIA
The departure site will always be in Cartagena, a taxi from downtown or Center of the city would cost around 6 to 8 thousand Colombian Pesos.
REMEMBER
We would like you to always keep in mind as a potential passenger that when doing this tour on a sailboat, you need to be very flexible. As you must know the weather and ocean conditions are quite unpredictable therefore the captains will always have the right to change the date of departure if necessary due to external reasons which can’t be controlled. If you are travelling with a tight schedule and little time to spare, please let us know and we will do everything possible to inform you about your best options, always being completely honest to you.
As mentioned in other sections of our website, travelling to San Blas is not a luxury tour or even a guided tour, the main and sole task of the captain of your boat will be to take you safely from your point of departure to your destination (Panama or Colombia), but along with all crew members will also give you the tools for you to have the best experience possible.
Usually cooking is something which is done by everyone, and also keeping the boat clean is important, in some cases a passenger can be asked but never forced to help out with the night watch, help will always be appreciated while sailing.
As mentioned in other sections of our website, travelling to San Blas is not a luxury tour or even a guided tour, the main and sole task of the captain of your boat will be to take you safely from your point of departure to your destination (Panama or Colombia), but along with all crew members will also give you the tools for you to have the best experience possible.
Usually cooking is something which is done by everyone, and also keeping the boat clean is important, in some cases a passenger can be asked but never forced to help out with the night watch, help will always be appreciated while sailing.
WINDY SEASON
From November to April is the windy season around this part of the Caribbean. During this season the wind can be very strong which makes the sea conditions to be rough, because of this some boats change their usual routes and prefer to sail close to the coast. On the other hand, some other times of the year the wind might not even be sufficient and boats will then rely on their motors to go through, the preference will be always sailing using the wind, but it depends on the weather conditions. The most important thing during this trip will be the safety and comfort of all passengers, meaning that choices by the captain are made based on that.
CANCELLATIONS
Usually all of the boats depart and arrive on time, as mentioned before they can only be delayed by bad weather conditions, mechanical issues, immigration problems or even sickness of crew members, if any of these is the case, you can count that we will be informing you as soon as we are informed about it.
In the case of your trip being delayed, it shouldn’t be for more than 2 days, for this reason we ask and recommend you to be flexible when it comes to sailing through San Blas. If this is the case we will inform you about your new departure and arrival date, and you will still have the full length of the trip. There won’t be any compensation or refund of your deposit if the delay is for less than 24 hours, but if the delay is for more than 24 hours then you can choose to cancel and receive back your prepaid deposit of $50.
Please keep in mind that the prepaid deposit is non-refundable, if you need to cancel your reservation please let us know as soon as you can, since we could transfer your deposit to a different date or boat departing later, this can only be done if you let us know about such change four weeks prior to your original reservation.
In the case of your trip being delayed, it shouldn’t be for more than 2 days, for this reason we ask and recommend you to be flexible when it comes to sailing through San Blas. If this is the case we will inform you about your new departure and arrival date, and you will still have the full length of the trip. There won’t be any compensation or refund of your deposit if the delay is for less than 24 hours, but if the delay is for more than 24 hours then you can choose to cancel and receive back your prepaid deposit of $50.
Please keep in mind that the prepaid deposit is non-refundable, if you need to cancel your reservation please let us know as soon as you can, since we could transfer your deposit to a different date or boat departing later, this can only be done if you let us know about such change four weeks prior to your original reservation.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Please take into consideration that the captain will always have the right to change the route taken to arrive at the destination in order to guarantee your safety and comfort during this trip.
Also know, that we DO NOT own the boats we work with, we are a separate agency that plays as a bridge between you and the captains of each boat, once you board their boats, it’s up to your captain to carry on the comfort and level of service that we proudly promote.
We cannot take responsibility either for weather conditions, government issues, strikes, or any other random event which may occur that could affect your trip, we will do our best to provide the best service and work around these problems.
Also we won’t be responsible for lost or damaged items, we strongly recommend that all passengers have travellers insurance before the trip.
It is not a secret to anyone that this kind of adventurous travels some risk might be involved, therefore by booking and paying for this tour you are accepting that such risks are on your own, and San Blas Dreams will not be held accountable.
Also know, that we DO NOT own the boats we work with, we are a separate agency that plays as a bridge between you and the captains of each boat, once you board their boats, it’s up to your captain to carry on the comfort and level of service that we proudly promote.
We cannot take responsibility either for weather conditions, government issues, strikes, or any other random event which may occur that could affect your trip, we will do our best to provide the best service and work around these problems.
Also we won’t be responsible for lost or damaged items, we strongly recommend that all passengers have travellers insurance before the trip.
It is not a secret to anyone that this kind of adventurous travels some risk might be involved, therefore by booking and paying for this tour you are accepting that such risks are on your own, and San Blas Dreams will not be held accountable.
