Choose a catamaran if you want your own boat, crew and route for two nights or more; catamarans start at $450 per person per night for 2 guests (sailboats from $250). Choose an island cabin for a simpler, cheaper stay: from $200 per person for one night, transport and three meals included.

	Private charter	Island cabin stay
Price from (per person, 2 guests)	Sailboat $250 a night, catamaran $450 a night, catamaran with A/C $725 a night	$200 for 1 night, lower per night on longer stays
Minimum stay	2 nights (most boats ask 5 over New Year, Carnival and Easter)	1 night
Transport from Panama City	Extra: shared $140 per person round trip, or private 4×4 from $580 round trip for 2	Included (round-trip 4×4 and boat)
Guna Yala tax	Extra: $22 per tourist, $7 per Panamanian resident, cash	Extra: $22 per tourist, $7 per Panamanian resident, cash
Meals	Three a day, cooked on board	Three a day, from the island kitchen
Drinks	With and without alcohol, in moderation	Not included, from $2 on the island, cash
Air conditioning	Only on the luxury catamarans	No
Internet	Starlink on most boats, confirmed per boat	Usually none
Getting around	Your captain moves the boat between islands	You stay on one island, with a boat excursion on some stays
Privacy	Only your group on board	You share the island with other guests

What a private charter includes

On a private charter the boat is yours for the whole trip. Every catamaran comes with a captain and a cook; on some sailboats the captain also does the cooking. The price covers:

• Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Snacks
• Drinks with and without alcohol, in moderation
• Snorkel masks and fins
• All fuel

Most boats also have Starlink satellite internet. We confirm it for the boat you pick, and coverage can vary at the most remote islands.

Two things are paid separately. Transport from Panama City is $140 per person round trip on the shared 4×4 and water taxi, or from $580 round trip for 2 people with a private 4×4. The Guna Yala tax is $22 per tourist, or $7 per Panamanian resident with proof of residency, paid in cash at the Nusagandi checkpoint.

Three tiers of boat

Prices below are per person per night for 2 guests.

• Sailboats, from $250. Monohulls from 35 to 49 feet, none with air conditioning.
• Catamarans, from $450. 37 to 57 feet, with more deck space and more stability than a sailboat, and no air conditioning.
• Luxury catamarans with A/C, from $725. 40 to 62 feet. The $725 boat is a Leopard 40, where 2 of its 3 cabins have A/C.

A charter is priced per boat for your group size, so the cost per person drops as more people share it. A Lagoon 37, for example, is $900 a night for 2 guests and $1,400 a night for 6. That is $450 per person at 2 and about $233 per person at 6.

The minimum is two nights, and we suggest at least five. Over New Year (December 20 to January 10), Carnival and Easter, charters carry a 20% surcharge and most boats ask for a 5-night minimum.

Catamaran or sailboat?

San Blas sits mostly behind a barrier reef, so the water is calmer than open ocean sailing, and most passages between island groups take 30 to 90 minutes. Catamarans are more stable than monohulls, which is why many families choose them. If you get seasick easily, take medication before you leave.

What an island cabin stay is really like

An island stay puts you on one small island for the night. The price includes the round-trip 4×4 from Panama City, the boat to the island, and three meals a day. Here is what we sell, per person, for 2 people sharing:

Island and room	1 night	2 nights	Extra night
Franklin, sand-floor cabin, shared bathrooms	$200	$255	$55
Franklin, wood-floor cabin, shared bathrooms	$215	$285	$75
Pelicano, dorm bed, shared bathroom	$200	$290	$95
Pelicano, private room, shared bathroom	$215	$320	$110
Pelicano, cabin with private bathroom	$230	$345	$120
Wailidup, over-water cabin, private bathroom	$210	$290	$110
Cayos Holandeses, remote over-water bungalow	$625	$950	$350

The rustic side, plainly

San Blas is Guna Yala, an autonomous territory governed by the Guna people, and on an island you are their guest. Most island stays are simple wooden or cane cabins, not hotel rooms. Here is what to expect:

• Many cabins share a bathroom block. On Franklin every cabin does. Wailidup’s over-water cabins and Pelicano’s private-bath cabins have their own bathroom.
• Power is limited. Franklin runs electricity from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. On Pelicano and Wailidup you charge devices at the restaurant in the evening. Cayos Holandeses is the exception, with 24-hour electricity.
• Most islands have no internet and no phone signal. Franklin has Starlink for $3 per person per day, from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
• Drinks are not included, not even water. Beer, water and sodas cost from $2, cash only, and there are no ATMs in San Blas.
• Bring insect repellent.

What you get in return is the sea a few steps from your bed, fresh seafood and chicken at your three daily meals, and little to do beyond swimming, snorkeling and resting. Some stays include a boat excursion: one to nearby islands and reefs on Franklin, and a half-day trip to two nearby islands and a sand bank on Wailidup. Pelicano has paddleboards at no extra cost, and an optional full-day trip to the Cayos Holandeses for $100 per person.

Minimums and solo travellers

Private cabins have a two-person minimum per cabin. A solo guest in a private cabin pays a single supplement. A dorm bed on Pelicano has no supplement. Cayos Holandeses is not sold to solo travellers.

The minimum applies to every cabin, not only the booking. Three friends who want two cabins are billed as four people.

Wailidup: read this before you book

Wailidup has the over-water cabins people come to San Blas for, and three problems we would rather tell you about now:

• From June to October the island gets sand flies when the breeze drops. A breeze clears them, but nobody can promise wind.
• It can be at capacity in busy weeks, with far more people than the photos suggest.
• Upkeep has slipped over the past year, with rubbish visible in places. This does not change with the season.

It is at its best from November to May. For June to October dates we will suggest another island.

The road is the same either way

Whichever you choose, the trip starts with a 5:00 to 5:30 AM pickup in Panama City and about 2.5 to 3 hours in a 4×4. The last stretch is steep, winding and unpaved, and it is the hardest part of the trip. Then a shared water taxi takes 20 to 60 minutes to reach your boat or island.

Island stays already include road transport. On a charter you choose shared or private. The water taxi is shared either way. Private does not change the early start, but it does make the drive easier, and on a charter of several nights our honest view is that it is worth it.

On a charter, most captains sail the same day once you are aboard, weather permitting. On the way back, both charter and island guests are usually in Panama City around midday.

Three nights for two people: what it costs

Per person, with shared transport on the charters and the $22 tourist tax added to everything:

Option	3 nights	Transport	Guna Yala tax	Total per person
Franklin, sand-floor cabin	$310	Included	$22	$332
Wailidup, over-water cabin	$370	Included	$22	$392
Sailboat from $250 a night	$750	$140	$22	$912
Catamaran from $450 a night	$1,350	$140	$22	$1,512
Catamaran with A/C from $725 a night	$2,175	$140	$22	$2,337

Island drinks are extra. Charter drinks are included. For your own group size, nights and dates, try our San Blas trip cost calculator.

Which one fits you

A catamaran fits if

• You have two nights or more, and ideally five.
• You want only your own group around you.
• You want to see several islands, not one.
• You are travelling with family or a larger group and want a stable boat.
• You would rather have meals and drinks taken care of on board.

An island cabin fits if

• You have one or two nights.
• Budget matters more than privacy.
• You are happy with a simple cabin, shared bathrooms and limited power.
• You are travelling alone and a dorm bed suits you.

Weighing up a boat against an island for your dates? Tell us on WhatsApp and we will compare them for you.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Is a catamaran more expensive than an island cabin?

Yes, per night. An island cabin starts at $200 per person for one night with transport and meals. A catamaran starts at $450 per person per night for 2 guests, with a 2-night minimum, and transport and the Guna Yala tax are extra.

Do San Blas catamarans have air conditioning?

Only the luxury tier. Catamarans with A/C start at $725 per person per night for 2 guests. Catamarans from $450 have no A/C.

Are drinks included?

On a charter, yes: drinks with and without alcohol, in moderation. On island stays, no. Drinks, even water, are bought on the island in cash, from $2.

Can I book an island cabin alone?

Yes. Private cabins have a two-person minimum, so a solo guest pays a single supplement. A dorm bed on Pelicano is $200 for one night with no supplement. Cayos Holandeses is not sold to solo travellers.

When is Wailidup worth booking?

November to May. From June to October sand flies come out when the breeze drops. In any month the island can be at capacity in busy weeks, and upkeep has slipped. For June to October dates we will suggest another island.

Is it hard to get to the boat or the island?

The road is the hardest part of either trip: about 2.5 to 3 hours by 4x4 from Panama City, with a steep, winding last stretch, then a shared boat ride of 20 to 60 minutes.