Seven days in San Blas is the gold standard of Panama travel. You can experience it on a private catamaran charter (your own floating villa, full crew, fully customized) or on an island hut or bungalow stay (fixed location on a Guna island, more rustic, lower cost). This itinerary focuses on the private catamaran experience. With 365 islands to explore, ranging from tiny sand spits with a single palm tree to inhabited Guna villages, a week gives you time to venture deep into the archipelago, reach the remote Dutch Cays, and still enjoy lazy mornings swimming off the boat. Here’s the ideal day-by-day itinerary.
Before You Go, Day 0 (Panama City)
Arrive in Panama City the day before your charter begins. This buffer day eliminates any risk of flight delays disrupting your adventure. Use the evening to explore Casco Viejo (the UNESCO-listed historic quarter) and have dinner at one of the neighbourhood’s excellent restaurants. Your jeep transfer departs very early the next morning, get to bed early.
AMPA Tours will confirm your pickup time, meeting point, and driver details the evening before departure.
Day 1: Departure from Panama City & First Night Aboard
Wake up at 5:00–5:30am (high season: 4:30am). Your 4×4 jeep will collect you from your Panama City hotel and begin the 3–4 hour drive along the Llano–Cartí mountain road to the Caribbean coast. Arrive at Port Tupile Dibin around 9:00–10:00am where your captain and crew will be waiting. A short tender ride takes you to your catamaran.
Day 1 is spent settling in, exploring the first cluster of islands near Cartí, including the famous Dog Island (Perro Chico) with its iconic shipwreck, and getting your sea legs. Swim, snorkel, and enjoy your first sunset aboard the boat. Dinner is prepared fresh by your onboard chef. What’s included on every AMPA charter: all meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, snorkeling gear, Starlink satellite internet, and fresh lobster when it is lobster season.
Day 2: The Eastern Islands & Guna Villages
After breakfast, sail east toward the Coco Bandero Cays, a cluster of small, pristine islands with dense palms and exceptional snorkeling reefs. Stop at a Guna village to browse hand-crafted molas (traditional reverse-appliqué textiles) and learn about the indigenous culture that has protected these islands for centuries.
Afternoon: anchor off a deserted beach for an extended snorkel session. The Coco Bandero reef system is one of the healthiest in San Blas, teeming with nurse sharks, rays, sea turtles, and colourful reef fish. Sundowner cocktails on the bow as the sun drops into the jungle-covered mountains.
Day 3: Sailing Day to the Dutch Cays
Day 3 is your big sailing day, a 4–6 hour passage east to the Dutch Cays (Cayos Holandeses), the most remote and spectacular section of the San Blas archipelago. Hoist the sails, feel the trade winds in your hair, and watch dolphins bow-ride as you cross open water.
The Dutch Cays are a revelation: a tight cluster of pristine coral islands surrounded by crystal-clear water so transparent you can see the anchor chain on the bottom in 8 metres of water. Arrive mid-afternoon and spend the rest of the day swimming, paddleboarding, and exploring by dinghy.
Day 4: Dutch Cays Deep Exploration
Dedicate a full day to the Dutch Cays. Wake up to a stunning sunrise and enjoy breakfast in the cockpit as frigatebirds circle overhead. The day’s activities are completely at your pace, snorkel the outer reef in the morning, kayak between islands in the afternoon, nap in the hammock strung between the bows.
Highlights: the iconic Pelican Cay marine sanctuary (excellent coral gardens), the shallow turquoise lagoon of Cayo Limón, and night swimming under a sky full of stars with no light pollution whatsoever.
Day 5: The Star Fish Islands & Isla de Las Estrellas
Head south to one of San Blas’s most photographed destinations: Isla de Las Estrellas (Starfish Island), named for the remarkable density of starfish visible in its shallow, glassy lagoon. Ideal for photography and shallow-water snorkeling with children.
Continue to the Escribano Bank, an offshore reef system with spectacular wall diving and snorkeling. Your captain knows exactly where the nurse sharks gather in the afternoon, and if conditions allow, you may also spot eagle rays and hawksbill sea turtles here.
Day 6: Relaxed Sailing Back West
Begin the gentle sail back toward the western islands, closer to your departure port. Day 6 is deliberately relaxed: fewer planned stops, more time simply sailing, reading on deck, and enjoying the scenery. Your chef prepares a special dinner, fresh lobster is typically in season and available for purchase from Guna fishermen who paddle out to boats in traditional wooden canoes.
Choose a beautiful final anchorage, perhaps Isla Wailidup or the Cayos Los Grullos, for your last night at sea.
Day 7: Final Morning & Return to Panama City
Your final morning aboard. Wake early for one last swim before breakfast. Pack your bags (soft bags make this easy) while your captain sails or motors back to Port Tupile Dibin. The 4×4 jeep meets you at the dock for the return journey to Panama City, arriving in the early afternoon.
Use your remaining time in Panama City for shopping at Multiplaza mall, a last dinner in Casco Viejo, or a morning visit to the Panama Canal before your international flight.
What’s Included in a 7-Day AMPA Tours Charter
- Round-trip ground transfer from Panama City hotels
- 7 nights aboard your private catamaran
- Full professional crew (captain + chef)
- All meals, 3 per day plus snacks, fresh fruit, and drinks
- Snorkeling equipment and water toys
- Guna Yala entrance fees and boat taxes
- Dinghy for island excursions
Which Catamaran for a 7-Day Charter?
For a 7-day itinerary, we recommend one of our larger catamarans with air-conditioned cabins, particularly the Lagoon 42 for couples or groups up to 4, the ELBA 45 for groups up to 8, or the Salina 48 for larger groups up to 10. All include private cabins, hot showers, and full kitchen facilities.
Ready to Book Your 7-Day San Blas Adventure?
This itinerary can be tailored to your group’s interests, more snorkeling, more sailing, more village visits, or simply more time doing absolutely nothing on a deserted beach. AMPA Tours specialises in bespoke San Blas catamaran experiences designed around what you actually want from your holiday.