OUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What do you need help with?
GENERAL INFO
What is San Blas Frontera?
San Blas Frontera is a local tour operator, offering authentic day trips and overnight stays to the San Blas islands in Panama as well as 3-day boat rides to and from Colombia through the San Blas islands. We run our own island cabins and speed boats, have over ten years of experience in tourism in San Blas and are continuously aiming at offering a highly professional service to our clients.
How are you different from other tour operators?
What is a visit to the San Blas islands like?
Who are your typical clients?
Are the San Blas islands suitable for children?
Can I bring my dog along?
MY VISIT TO THE SAN BLAS ISLANDS
PACKAGES, BOOKING & PAYMENT
What is included in the package?
For more information, please visit our detailed pages on overnight stays and day trips to the San Blas islands.
Our packages do not include the car ride from Panama City and back but we are happy to arrange this for you. Additionally, you will have to pay entrance fees to the Comarca Kuna Yala (SanBlas) – (5 USD for Panamanians and permanent residents, 20 USD for foreigners; collected by the Congreso of the Comarca) as well as the port fee (2 USD per person).
What is not included in the packages?
Please also check with the above question and the detailed tour page on what is included.
How can I book my stay with San Blas Frontera?
What payment options do you offer?
Do you offer discounts for children?
Discounts are not applicable for car rides.
Can I decide to stay longer once I am on the island?
Can I add tours to visit other islands once I am on the island?
Can I make commitments right after the planned end of the tour, such as a flight?
PREPARATION
What should I pack to visit the San Blas islands?
Why do I need a passport when visiting San Blas?
How much cash should I bring to the San Blas islands?
How much luggage can I bring?
How should I pack for San Blas?
Should I bring food?
Can you cater to allergies or special diets?
What should I wear when visiting San Blas?
Can we drive in our own car to the San Blas islands?
MY STAY
Which islands can we visit?
What can we do on the islands?
If you booked a tour, you will be gone visiting other islands or a Kuna village for a few hours a day, nevertheless leaving you sufficient time to also enjoy the island you are staying on.
What is the accommodation like?
The cabanas are furnished with beds with mattresses, pillows and blankets as well as basic furniture for your personal belongings. Light is only provided for certain hours in the evening. There is no air-condition or fridge/freezer available.
Are there sanitary facilities on the islands?
What is the food like?
Do you provide snorkeling equipment?
When do we return to Panama City?
Is there internet?
MY BOAT ACROSS THE PANAMA-COLOMBIA BORDER
PACKAGES, BOOKING & PAYMENT
IMPORTANT - please read
In such cases, we will not be responsible for additional costs until the departure or if you decide on alternative transportation.
On which days do the boats leave?
Our trips from Colombia to Panama currently starts every Friday morning, arriving in Panama City on Sunday evening.
What is included in the package?
We can arrange the car ride between Panama City and San Blas for you. Please note that you will have to pay entrance fees to the Comarca of San Blas (5 USD for Panamanians and permanent residents, 20 USD for foreigners; collected by the Congreso of the Comarca) as well as a port fee in Carti (2 USD per person). These payments are mandatory.
What is not included in the package?
Our packages do not include the car ride between Panama City and Carti (we can arrange this for you) as well as the entrance fees to the Comarca Kuna Yala and the port usage fee. Additionally, not included are water, soft drinks or alcoholic drinks, and snacks.
Please also check with the above question and the detailed tour page on what is included.
How can I book the boat ride with San Blas Frontera?
Please make your booking request via the booking formular.
What payment options do you offer?
Can I make commitments right after the planned end of the tour, such as a flight?
PREPARATION
What do I need to pack?
Make sure to pack the following items: passport, cash, sun protection, rain/water protection for you and your personal items (passport, camera, …), snacks, plenty of water and, if for your stay on the island towels, swimming gear, snorkeling equipment, flash light, water
What should I wear during the boat ride?
What about cash?
Please make sure to bring sufficient cash (USD) with you as in San Blas payments are only accepted in cash (no credit cards) and there are no ATMs. Additionally, you have to pay us in cash (USD only) at the beginning of our trip.
BOAT RIDE
Where does the boat from Panama to Colombia start and end?
For the boat going from Panama to Colombia, we will meet at the port of Carti in San Blas. If you arrange a driver with us, you will be picked up at your hotel or hostel in Panama City. From Carti you will switch into the boat and from there travel along the entire archipelago de San Blas until Sapzurro in Colombia with stays on different islands along the way.
Where does the boat from Colombia to Panama start and end?
For the boat going from Colombia to Panama, the tour starts in Sapzurro at the port. From there, you will travel by boat into Panama along the entire archipelago de San Blas until the port of Carti in San Blas, Panama, with various stops on different islands along the way. Our tour ends here – the only way to get back to Panama City is by hiring a car. If you wish, we can arrange a driver for you who will drive you across the mountains to Panama City on the Pacific Coast and drop you off at your hotel or hostel.
What's the boat like?
We use the nowadays in San Blas typically used boats. These fiberglass boats with outboard motors are perfect for making the tour along the coast. They typically offer seating for approx. 10-20 persons, depending on their size, are equipped with a roof for protection from sun and rain and wooden benches.
Couldn’t find what you are looking for? Please contact us or call/WhatsApp us on +507 6807 2764

Contact us
(+507) 6151-7379
(+507) 6807-2764
info@sanblasfrontera.com
About Us
As a purely local and indigenous business, we offer authentic day trips and overnight stays in our traditional Kuna cabins on the San Blas islands in Panama and multiple-day boat trips across the Panamanian-Colombian border (boats from Panama to Colombia and boats from Colombia to Panama) as the better alternative to sailing the San Blas islands.