San Blas Islands Hotels in Panama

For your second vacation to Panama, the San Blas Islands should not be missed. There are many San Blas Island hotels, lodging, hostels and accommodation you can book for your tropical island getaway. Located on Panama’s north east coast (Comarco de Kuna Yala), the beautiful San Blas Islands, controlled by the indigenous Kuna Indians since the 1950s, an undiscovered tourist mecca, are slowly becoming a highly desired tourist destination. There are a total of 378 islands in what is known as the San Blas Islands. The Kuna Indians live on 49 of these beautiful islands. The Islands are 20 - 40 minutes away by airplane from Panama City. The San Blas islands are a completely different experience from the hotels and resorts in Panama.

Although you won’t find much in the way of luxury San Blas accommodations, what is available would be classified as basic but you can find some wonderful lodges with cabanas over the water on some pretty magnificent beaches, equipped with private verandas and hammocks. If you choose to visit the San Blas Islands, you are in search of sun, relaxation, the outdoors and a tropical beach environment. The beaches here are like something out of Paradise. You can also visit the villages of tropical outdoors and you can meet the Kuna people to experience their culture and way of living. My best recommendation is to book your San Blas Island trip through a travel agency who is familiar with booking vacations in the San Blas Islands.

The Kuna Indians run the San Blas Islands, with their own language, customs and traditions. The economy of the islands is based on tourism, coconut sales and fishing. However, it is not yet a very commercially developed tourism industry. The islands are surrounded by reefs which offer wonderful snorkelling and diving experiences. A wonderful souvenir to buy here would be the mola, made by the Kuna women, made of multi-colored fabric, decorated with images of geometric designs, fish, birds and animals of the jungle. Best time to visit here is between April to June. Just like in Paradise, you will find white sand, unspoiled deserted beaches, coconut trees, mangroves and the jungle.

If you really must stay in a luxury accommodation, you could always find a hotel in Colon Province which is not far from the San Blas Islands. If you stay on the mainland, you could find hotels in El Porvenir and travel to the islands from there. Which islands should you visit? Try Kagantupu, Coco Blanco or Achutupu Island. If you wish to totally escape, aim your travel plans to the eastern part of Comarca de Kuna Yala, a less visited part of the San Blas Islands. How to get to the San Blas Islands? Take a Kuna merchant ship from Colon, or fly from Panama City – it’s only a 20 minute flight.

There are hostel accommodations available on the San Blas Islands (such as Nalunega and Wichubwala) which I will discuss later in this article, but on the Kuanidup Island you will find the Cabañas Kuanidup. A little more expensive than the hostels, the cabanas are somewhat primitive, you share showers and bathrooms with the other hotel guests. The cabanas are small, the beds are foam mattresses, but comfortable. There is no electricity and at night, you use kerosene lamps. The Cabañas Kuanidup, are situated on a small beach. Meals are included in the price you pay.

Kuna Niskua Lodge

The Kuna Niskua is owned by a Kuna Indian who has the advantage of knowning all the San Blas Islands. This is not a luxury San Blas accommodation, not easy to find on the Islands and is not located on a beach. There is solar powered electricity, the rooms are clean, and each room has its own bathroom. For meals, you will be able to eat lots of fresh seafood. The rates at the Kuna Niskua Lodge are affordable and include the price for local tours.

Dophin Lodge

The Dolphin Lodge can be classified as an eco-tourist lodging and one of the nicest San Blas Islands hotels. This is an all inclusive accommodation in San Blas. Travelling to the lodge is by way of flying into Mamitupo and then taking a boat. The tropical beach is superb. There is a restaurant here with an excellent menu for dining, plenty of fresh delicious seafood and a small bar to stop in for a drink. You get a private bathroom here and 24 hour electricity in the bigger suites. Some of the cabanas are on the beach and you can relax in the back on a hammock. The standard rooms get electricity for most of the day. You may end up having a cold shower sometimes. Besides relaxing on the beach, visiting other nearby beaches, swimming, hiking, snorkelling and kayaking, there is volleyball and the staff at the Dolphin Lodge can arrange a tour for you of the local village of the Kuna people.

Sapibenega Kuna Lodge

As with all San Blas accommodation most are basic and could be described as rustic. This is the experience you will expect when visiting the San Blas Islands. The San Blas Islands offer a eco tourism experience where you will be close to nature and the sea. Close to what I could call luxurious San Blas accommodation would have to be the Sapibenega Kuna Lodge which offers 24 hour availabity of electricity, private bathrooms with a shower and hardwood floors, composting toilets, hot water, some lovely cabanas over the water, and some on the beach, with queen and double beds. The Sapibenega Kuna Lodge has a restaurant, delightful for romantic dinners. Other “modern conveniences" include satellite phone, ceiling fan and your balcony is equipped with hammocks. The sunsets are glorious.

To get to this luxury hotel in San Blas, you would fly from Panama City, to Playon Chico which takes about 40 minutes and then a guide from Sapibenega Kuna Lodge will bring you by motor canoe to the lodge which takes about 8 minutes.

Coral Lodge

The Coral Lodge is also a luxury hotel in San Blas. In another completely isolated, unspoiled location, this eco tourist resort is on a white sand beach, with villas sitting over the water. The suites have Jacuzzis, a living room, a private verandah with hammocks. There are two restaurants and a bar called the Cayuco Café Bar. The Casona Bohio restaurant is for romantic dinners of Latin, Caribbean and Mediterranan cuisine. The beaches here are pristine and the coral reefs provide excellent snorkelling opportunities. Your hotel price is all inclusive and includes your room, meals, non alcoholic drinks, kayaking and snorkelling gear. This is definitely luxurious San Blas accommodation where you can truly escape and enjoy one of the most beautiful tropical places in the world.

These hotels in San Blas Islands are reached by taking a flight from Panama City to whichever island you choose and then arranging with your lodge/hotel for transportation by boat. Vacationing in the San Blas Islands is definitely an escape to Paradise.

Hotels in Panama at Carnival Time

If you haven’t already booked your hotel in Panama for the Panama Carnival, you may already be too late. Hotels in Panama book up very quickly around Carnival Time. Another option for you would be to try and make a reservation at one of the hostels in Panama City, such as Villa Michelle is owned by Ivonne or La Casa de Carmen, two hostels I have already written about on this site. Staying at a hostel or with a family in Panama will give you something that you probably won’t get as much of by staying at a resort or hotel, and that is an authentic Panamanian experience. The added bonus is the friendly people you will meet. Then again you might already be visiting Panama and staying at one of the all inclusive resorts in Panama during the week of the Carnival. You are in luck, just ask at your hotel’s information desk or ask the concierge how you can go about attending the Panama Carnival.

The Panama Carnival, both the parade and most of the festivities take place on the Vía Espana, in Panama City on the Friday before Ash Wednesday (in February) every year. This year, the exact date this year would be February 25, 2009. A new Carnival Queen is elected chosen for the Carnival, of course replacing the Queen from the year before. The parade and other events precede four days of revelling and partying which is a lot of celebration, fun and enjoyment. Go for it! And don’t plan for an early bedtime; you’ll be up late, drinking, dancing and celebrating with all the people of Panama.

What would a parade be without a Queen? A queen is chosen and will star in the Panama parade. Whatever hotel in Panama City you choose to stay in will probably also be holding events and food and other such revellary. The atmosphere is one of celebration and so you should celebrate too! Water trucks spray the people, water balloons get tossed, music is playing and everyone is having fun.

While in Panama for the Carnival, if you have time, you should also visit some of the beaches on Panama Bay on the Pacific Ocean or, if you have time, try to visit some of the beaches on the Caribbean side of Panama. And, one thing you must not miss if this is your first visit to Panama is a tour of the Panama Canal. Many hotels offer day or overnight trips to the Panama Canal. There are Panama Canal hotels in the area for you to choose from such as: the Melia Panama Canal situated at Gatun Lake or the Country Inn & Suites Amador next to the Panama Canal entrance, where your suite’s balcony has either a view of the famous Canal and the Bridge of the Americas to the Pacific Ocean or a view of the gardens. You are still close enough to Panama City to drive in to visit the Carnival.

Whatever resort or hotel in Panama City you chose to stay in at this time of celebration during Carnival time, don’t miss the fun!

All Inclusive Resorts and Hotels in Panama Combo Deals

For the first time visitor to Panama, you may be interested in learning about the all inclusive resorts and hotels in Panama combo deals. This may be one of the best ways to begin your first visit to Panama. Some travel companies such as Sunwing offer one and two week all inclusive holidays not just at one resort in, but combine it with another hotel resort in Panama. You benefit by being able to experience a resort in Panama and then a change in location and hotel in Panama.

Not only does Sunwing offer this very interesting combination of hotels in Panama, but they also offer a “fly now, pay later scheme known as FlysunwingPaylater. You don’t have to pay for six months or the alternative is you can pay in equal instalments of a minimum of $26 per month. What could be better than that, what with the weather and the snow, and still another six to eight weeks of rotten winter weather to come?

What is exactly Sunwing offering? They offer combinations of various all inclusive resort and hotels in Panama which give your either a beach resort in Panama , a Panama Canal option or an ecotourism experience at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. All you have to decide is what type of vacation in Panama you actually want to have.

Intercontinental Playa Bonita, Gamboa Rainforest Resort or the Crowne Plaza Hotel Panama City and/or the Play Blanca Resort:

Your first option is a five night stay at the Intercontinental Playa Bonita with a couple of nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. The second option offered by Sunwing is five nights at the Playa Blanca Resort and two nights at the Playa Bonita Resort. This would be a great way to “sample” two resorts at the same time, on the same holiday and decide what resort you like best. The third option available for you is five nights at the Playa Bonita Resort and two nights at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Panama City. This option would allow you to relax at the resort, sun, sand, beach etc., and then experience the excitement of the city of Panama which offers great restaurants, night clubs, casinos, great shopping, and culture in the 16th century old part of the city, Casco Viejo. Decisions, decisions… This will be a difficult one.

The Intercontinental Playa Bonita resort is a 5 star resort on the Pacific side of Panama, located on a peaceful private oceanfront. It is just 20 minutes west of Panama, 15 minutes to the Panama Canal’s Visitors Centre in Miraflores locks and a half hour to the Summit Golf Course. It’s a great location for those wanting to sample more than just a beach resort vacation. In addition, this beach resort in Panama offers excellent spa services. At this resort in Panama, you will get a beach resort atmosphere, close to downtown Panama, close to the historical district of Panama and close to that engineering marvel, the Panama Canal.

Surrounded by the Punta Bruja Nature Reserve, with a spectacular view of the Pacific, the Playa Bonita Resort offers vacationers a secluded private beach from which to watch the sunrise over the Pacific, explore nature, experience great service, enjoy a relaxing resort atmosphere and the chance to get to know the country.

From the resort, you can watch the ships entering the Panama Canal. If you are going to explore the surrounding forests, don’t forget insect repellent. The Playa Bonita Resort is large and there are five free form swimming pools.

The Crown Plaza Hotel Panama City is located on the Av. Manuel Espinosa Batista in El Cangrejo district. It has 150 air conditioned rooms and suites, coffee makers, Internet, Fax, dining room, kitchenette in the suites, computers, internet access, and cable TV. It has a restaurant called La Galeria which serves excellent cuisine. The bar "Memories" – is a sports bar which serves beer, wine, cocktails and liquors. You’ll find a nightclub, a fitness center, meeting rooms, laundry and a concierge at this luxury hotel in Panama City.

Sunwing is offering any one of these all inclusive package combinations in prices ranging from $1,485 to $2,355 for a one week stay. These amounts are in Canadian dollars.

Playa Blanca Resort | Gamboa Rainforest Resort:

If you are not interested in visiting Panama city but would rather experience a rainforest setting, you could opt for this package which combines the Playa Blanca Resort for five nights and then a two night stay at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. If you want to stay longer than a week in Panama, Sunwing has all inclusive two week vacations which combine ten nights at the Playa Blanca resort and four nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort.

The Gamboa Rainforest Resort is a luxury 5 star resort in Panama situated in the center of Soberania National Park, a Panamanian rain forest alone the Panama Canal. It is
a half hour away from Panama City on the Pacific Coast side of Panama on the shores of Gatun Lake and the Chagres River, water source for the Panama Canal.

Here you will find adventurous and educational experiences. Exploring a rainforest is often a difficult task. The Gamboa Rainforest Resort has made it easier for guests to explore because the Gamboa Rainforest Resort is in the center of the rainforest, right at your doorstep. There are tours by expert guides and you can explore on your own. This 5 star luxury resort in Panama has large modern hotel rooms with all the modern conveniences of a five star hotel resort in Panama City.

There are spa services available, from massages, to skin care, facials, manicures and pedicures. What else can you experience? There is fresh water fishing with expert guides at Chagres River and Gatun Lake. For the avid golfer, there is the Summit Golf Course. There is wonderful freeform natural water pool, a fitness center, tennis courts which are lighted at night for those who want to play tennis at night, kayaks which are free for guests to use, jogging and cycling trails. And of course, there is the rainforest you can explore at your leisure.

Playa Blanca Beach is on the exterior of Panama City about an hour and 15 minutes away. The beach is beautiful for long walks, white sand, azure blue waters and coral reefs to explore. It is a very tranquil location for those wanting to escape for their vacation in Panama. Rated as a 5 star hotel and resort in Panama, the Playa Blanca Hotel and Resort where travellers will discover exactly what they want from this type of luxury hotel. You can just relax here and soak up the sun or you can keep yourself very busy with all the activities at the hotel and there are many. This is an ideal vacation spot for all those seeking a romantic getaway or a family vacation. You can get an all-inclusive price at this resort and the prices are very reasonable for this 5 star luxury resort in Panama.

Playa Blanca Resort | Crowne Plaza Hotel Panama City:

Again, Sunwing is offering a combination of resort and city vacation accommodation for either one or two week packages, depending on the amount of time you want to spend in Panama on your vacation. The prices for these all inclusive vacations range from $905 to $1,465 Canadian dollars.

Playa Blanca Resort | Holiday Inn Panama Canal:

Another option to consider for all inclusive packages to Panama, you could try Sunwing’s Playa Blanca Resort and Holiday Inn Panama Canal. This is a resort and Panama Canal combination, also available in one or two week stays. You could opt for the seven day package which gives you five nights at the Playa Blanca Resort and two nights at the Holiday Inn Panama Canal. The Holiday Inn Panama Canal is located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal and the Miraflores Locks. It is 35 minutes from the international airport in Panama and only 15 minutes distance from Panama City.

The second option for a seven day all inclusive vacation would be to stay three nights at the Holiday Inn Panama Canal and four nights at the Playa Blanca Resort. What you decide all depends on what you want for your vacation in Panama.

The two week option gives you seven nights at the Playa Blanca Resort and seven nights at the Holiday Inn Panama Canal.

This package is really great for those who want to visit the Panama Canal, visit Panama City and also enjoy the sun and sand at the Playa Blanca Resort.

The cost for this all inclusive vacation costs is $1,005 to $1,575 Canadian dollars for the Playa Blanca Resort and Holiday Inn Panama Canal, depending on how long you stay and when you want to book your vacation . Check out sunwing.ca – the company’s website for exact prices and more details.

With these all inclusive deals to Panama, you will get a little bit of this and a little bit of that, sample the resorts, Panama City and see the wonderful Panama Canal. You shouldn’t visit Panama without seeing the Panama Canal. These package deals for all inclusive resorts and hotels in Panama are most interesting and beneficial for tourists looking to experience a little more of the country on their first holiday in Panama.