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Day Tour in San Blas Islands All Included Visiting 4 Islands
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Traveler rating
841
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79
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Reviewed August 24, 2024

The place is a paradise, but Diablo, the island we visited, is a dump. It is full of plastic bags, cans, and all types of garbage you can imagine. The sea water is not much cleaner. As you swim or walk through it, carriage bags will stick to your legs, and you might step on a can, bottle, or something else—very exciting.
The hut is another rubbish dump. When we entered, it was clear that no one cleaned it before. There was a protective plastic sticker you can find when you buy briefs on the "wall", not hidden. Also, a hair clip was on the "table".
The protective "plastic mesh" to keep birds (I suppose) out was broken, the roof was broken, and the door of the"private hut" had big gaps in it that didn't make it feel very private.
The bathroom... I can say that I tested myself at holding "it" in... I would never sit on that toilet, and I did not. It was dirty as no one had ever cleaned it. The tap was loose, and only a thread of water came out of it. The shower, the usual dirtiness to keep the level, the usual thread of water coming through it and the floor was broken; good to say hello to the stalking crab that was watching me having a shower with seawater. Seawater because they take the water from the sea, which is really good (not) when you want to remove salt from your body after swimming in that dirty sea. Funny enough, the water from the shower goes back to the sea through a plastic pipe that goes from every hut into the sea. I prefer not to think what they do with the sewage.
Around the hut there was a good collection of cans, bottles, bags... the usual trash I mentioned before.
The food: The same options are available for lunch and dinner: chicken fingers, fish fingers, prawns, fried fish, or lobster for extra money. I doubt the chicken, fish fingers, fish, and prawns were fresh, but you can tell quickly.
Three or four hours after getting there, we decided to leave as soon as possible. We told the "boss of the island," who was very busy counting the money. Once he finished, he said it was impossible. The soonest would be the following day. Well, it meant only 18 hours of "kidnap."
The night: The heat in the hut was unbearable—it was like an oven. The sheets were disgusting, so we laid our towels on the bed. We used the mosquito net provided, which had one dead mosquito trapped in it. It stank horribly, and although we tried not to touch it with our limbs, it was impossible. We tried to get some draft opening the doors and "windows", but that net was not allowing any air in. We ended up putting it away; we preferred to get stung by mosquitoes than sleep in that hot bubble. Luckily, we got fewer bites than we expected.
Finally, we slept for a few hours. We woke up like we had spent the night in a sauna but slept.
After all that sweat, we wanted to shower with that refreshing salted water, but only one of us could do it. No water came out for the second shower. I thought I might have dried out the Caribbean Sea, but I didn't.
We missed breakfast on purpose. We did not trust those eggs and pancakes after looking at the kitchen the previous night and seeing the cook rinsing her mouth with water and spitting through the kitchen window that morning.
I am sure I am forgetting some stuff. I hope to forget every single minute of the experience.
I have to say the car trip was great, and the boat ride was fun. The rest was an absolute waste of money ($182), and there was no refund. We went with Sky Tour Adventures, but I suspect it does not make any difference, as the island is the same crap no matter what.
We feel like we have been scammed. It feels like a stage where they pretend to live a certain way but make money. It is sad how they look after the island, but I hope, at some point, they will get a payback.

Date of experience: August 2024
Thank Jaimeon
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed May 29, 2024

We found that the San Blas Islands of Guna Yala offer an unparalleled experience of natural beauty. The pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters create postcard-perfect memories that are truly priceless.

One of the most captivating aspects of Guna Yala is its vibrant communities and rich cultural heritage. The colorful traditions and way of life of the Guna people could add a unique value to the experience.
However, while the beauty of the islands is undeniable, there were moments where we felt disconnected from the local culture. Despite our eagerness to learn and understand, we found it challenging to fully engage with the community. At times, interactions felt rustic, and there were instances where we encountered unfriendliness.

Nevertheless, we remain firm in our belief that the San Blas Islands are absolutely worth visiting. To truly appreciate the depth of this destination, we recommend going with a knowledgeable guide who can bridge the gap between visitors and the local community.

Date of experience: May 2024
Thank brad h
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed April 11, 2024

It is truly paradise. Stopped at 3 islands and a sand bar, very scenic, crystal blue water, kayaking, bars and fun in the sun

Date of experience: April 2024
Thank Sylvia R
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed April 9, 2024

The San Blas are stunning but the tour operators (the most expensive one with most reviews) got drunk and went round at the end pressuring people into giving them good reviews (why hey have so many.) All the islands are so close and pretty much the same (basic and filled with trash) and all the tourists get divided up amongst the same boat drivers anyway. After coming back and looking up other tour operators and options. This $159 tour I took + $22 park entry fee, is more expensive than a flight up to Boca Del Toro where you can stay in accommodation a hundred times nicer than San Blas and have the stunning water at your door rather than a 7 hour rollercoasters drive. Or Bolaños or the pearl Islands have WAY better accommodations and less torturous distance to travel.

Date of experience: April 2024
Thank spam972
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed April 9, 2024

One of the 10 official paradises on Earth, 365 islands in the Caribbean Sea. Day tour is enough, though staying a couple of nights might be a option; only Kuna Indians may have business in the area, foreigners are not allowed to possess land or carry out any kind of business (except yacht owners who bring tourists).

Date of experience: December 2023
Thank Eugene B
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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