There are no hotels in San Blas: you sleep in Guna cabins built on the sand or over the water, on islands where the community lives. There are five options, from a tent on the beach to a cabin with its own bathroom over the sea, and all of them include the transfer from Panama City, the boat, meals and the island tours.
The price is per person, per night. Separately you pay the comarca entry fee once: $22 for foreigners and $7 for residents, in cash and straight to the Guna community.
The first night costs more than the following ones because it includes the transfer from Panama, the boat and the day's tours. From the second night on, only accommodation and meals are added.
| Accommodation | 1st night | Extra night | Bathroom | Who for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camping Under the Stars | $150 | $85 | compartido | Backpackers and anyone unafraid of sand |
| Island Hostel · Shared Dorm | $165 | $85 | compartido | Travelling alone and not wanting to be alone |
| Classic Private Cabin Most chosen | $185 | $85 | compartido | Couples and anyone wanting privacy without overspending |
| Deluxe Private Cabin | $198 | $85 | privado | Anyone who wants comfort and no negotiating over the bathroom |
| Overwater Cabin | $260 | $100 | privado | Honeymoons and celebrations |
Your own tent on the beach. The cheapest option and the closest to the ground: you fall asleep with the sea ten metres away. You need to bring the gear.
A bed in a cabin shared with other travellers, with a communal bathroom. A roof, a mosquito net and company without paying for privacy.
Your cabin, to yourself. The bathroom is shared with neighbouring cabins, which is why it costs less than the Deluxe. It is the middle ground almost everyone picks.
The same as the Classic but with the bathroom inside. On an island without unlimited running water, having the bathroom two steps away and not sharing it matters more than it sounds.
Built on stilts, with the water under the floor. You go down a ladder and you are swimming. It is the most expensive and the one people remember.
You choose the cabin, the date and how many nights. Hold your spot with half, and pay the rest on arrival. Free cancellation up to 72 hours before.
San Blas is not a resort destination, and anyone arriving expecting one is in for a disappointment. The islands are small, they belong to the Guna community, and they run on what is there: electricity from a generator on a schedule, rationed fresh water, and almost no phone signal.
In exchange you wake up on a white-sand island with the sea ten steps away, eat fish that came in that afternoon, and at night see a sky without a single streetlight anywhere. The people who come back, come back for that, not for the air conditioning.
All the options include the same things except the cabin: 4x4 transfer from your hotel in Panama City, boat between islands, all the day's meals, the island tours and the Guna guide. There are no hidden costs beyond the comarca fee.
One night already changes the trip: the two worst hours of a day trip disappear — getting there and leaving — and you keep the sunset and the sunrise.
Two nights is what we recommend if the trip allows: a full second day gets you out to the more distant cays, the ones hardly anyone sees. Three nights is the maximum we handle on a single booking.
Not in the usual sense. There are no chains and no buildings: the accommodation is Guna community cabins, made of cane and palm, on small islands. What you choose is not a hotel but the type of cabin and whether the bathroom is private or shared.
The first night runs from $150 per person camping to $260 in the overwater cabin, and that price already includes the transfer from Panama, the boat, meals and the day's tours. Each additional night costs considerably less, because it does not include the transfer again.
Electricity comes from a generator and runs for a few hours, usually at dusk. Water is rainwater or brought from the mainland, it is rationed and it is cold. Charge your phone and power bank before leaving Panama.
Guna cooking with what the sea gives: fresh fish, lobster or octopus depending on the day, coconut rice, patacones and fruit. All three meals are included. If you are vegetarian or have an allergy, say so when booking and it is arranged with the island.
Yes, especially at dawn and dusk. Every bed has a mosquito net. Bring repellent: there is not always anywhere on the island to buy it.
You choose the type of cabin, not the specific island: the assignment depends on availability confirmed with the community, and we tell you before you pay the balance. If you have an island in mind, write to us and we will see whether it is possible.
At least five days, because cabins are confirmed with the community and there is no instant booking system on the island. For December, January and Easter, the sooner the better: they fill up.
No. There are no ATMs or card machines in San Blas. The booking is paid in advance through the website, and the cash you bring is for the comarca fee, molas and drinks.
Yes, one: the Overwater Cabin, built out over the sea with steps going straight down into the water. It is the only one of the five options that is not on land. Its price and the other four are in the table above.
Those are the two islands we get asked about most, so here is the honest answer: you cannot book a specific island. Your island is confirmed close to the date, subject to availability, among several partner islands, all with beachfront cabins and a Guna community. If your trip depends on sleeping on one particular island, tell us before booking and we will say plainly whether it is possible for that date.
Yes. Camping is the cheapest way to stay the night: your own tent on the island, shared bathroom and the same meals as everyone else. It is in the table above with its price. It is not wild camping: you sleep on an island with a Guna host, because the territory is theirs and camping on your own is not allowed.