[eedcvfrr]

In the Golfo de San Blas you will find one of the most untouched coral reefs by mankind. The reef holds its beauty for decades now since people do not pollute the waters around it. Unfortunately the Kuna Indians who control the area around the San Blas Islands will not allow people to scuba dive in their waters. You could ask yourself why not? This will greatly boost their tourist income and will give us the opportunities to experience the beauty of an untouched reef. But the Kuna Indians live from the sea and hunt on it. They hunt the reefs and sandbanks by using simple snorkeling gear and do not over fish their own waters because they only take what is needed to stay alive. They are scared that scuba dives will kill the great schools of fish and leave the Kuna without food to survive. They will preserve the coral reef for future generations this way.

[JohnDoe]

Fear not, scuba diving might be a hell of an adventure and can bring you to deeper levels than snorkeling but since most of the reefs in San Blas are pretty shallow and just beneath the sea surface you’re still able to experience the beauty of the coral reef by gearing up in simple snorkeling gear. The rich sea life and the crystal clear water will give you plenty enough time to drift away from the world above water. One of the easy places to get in touch with this sea life is the shipwreck near Isla Perro. This place is perfect for people not used to snorkeling or scuba diving but also gives people that have done it before a nice challenge to spot all the sea life around the ship. Don’t forget to bring your underwater camera because spotting a wild turtle, shark or octopus isn’t a rare sight in the waters around the San Blas Islands. more

[Bany]

here

[kat]

[links]

[The Eternal Coin]

Most Kuna people can’t speak any foreign languages next to Kuna. They take Spanish classes to communicate with tourist and Panamanians. Some Kuna’s can speak English but most of them learned this on the mainland.

[jeffersons]

The Kuna’s is trying to sell fish and Molas to tourist in their wooden canoes. They know how to peddle the strong currents! [links]

[ArrowJ]

San Blas is one of the pristine places of Panama and these pictures will tell you why. The pictures have been taken on random locations in the San Blas archipelago and show the great diversity of culture, nature, wildlife and sea life that can be found around the Islands.

[lanpeck5]

Another small pearl of an Island in the archipelago. If you look closely you can see the reef breaking the waves of he Caribbean Sea on the left. This reef protects the Islands against Mother Nature. here

[shelbsok67]

While sailing we passed one of the many uninhabited Island of San Blas. Most of the Islands are to small to settle on for the Kuna’s so they only use the islands as refuge for rough seas or to collect coconuts. [links]

[morgans]

Another amazing picture of a tropical bounty island in Guna Yala. [links]

[Ricochet]

Sound confusing? We’ve actually got similar set-ups all over the USA. When you visit Monument Valley in the Southwest USA, for instance, you are actually visiting a Navajo Nation National Park, which just so happens to overlap on land that we also consider to be Arizona and Utah.

[aglenday]

But by day 3, we’d relaxed and eased into the zen of having nothing to do in particular. We were enjoying the sound of the waves, long walks on the beach, and the daily excursions to swim and snorkel on nearby islands. And we ended up wishing we’d stayed for a little longer!

[William129]

For a far more detailed breakdown, read this guide to help you decide which option is right for you. [links]

[nazgul]

On the western end of the Kuna Yala, reefs stretch some 200 miles. Waters are clear to a greater depth than elsewhere in the region and the coral reef attracts many stunning species, making it a paradise for snorkelers on Panama tours. One of the best spots to snorkel is off the island of Wichub-Wala. Offshore from Nusatupo, lie the Cayos Los Grullos, a group of remote uninhabited islands including Cayos Holandeses and Cayos Limones, where you'll find coral reefs as well as a shipwrecks. here

[Cruzz]

In the more easterly regions of the Kuna Yala, visitors on Panama tours will also find some picturesque snorkeling spots, though more difficult to reach. Mostly uninhabited, Isla de los Perros (also called Isla Achutupu), is popular with snorkelers for its reefs, the clarity of the water and the array of tropical fish attracted here. The Dolphin Island Lodge (the island is called Isla Uaguitupo by the Kunas) offers snorkeling trips to uninhabited islands. here

[Ewald]

This idyllic region on the far eastern end of the isthmus is controlled by the Kuna Indians. The coral reefs of the Kuna Yala, were once much more magnificent than they are today. Unfortunately, the harsh reality of survival for the poverty-stricken Kunas has taken its toll on the reefs. Mined to shore up some of the four hundred islands where many of its tribal members live, eighty percent of the coral is now gone. Nonetheless, the Kuna Yala is still home to the Caribbean's widest array of coral species including stag horn, brain, tan and leaf coral as well as some sixty species of marine sponges.

[Comatus]

In planning their Panama tours, visitors to the Kuna Yala should note that from December to February, seas are rougher and winds stronger than the rest of the year. In March, when weather is drier and the winds die down in the Kuna Yala, snorkeling visibility is increased. The rainy season, beginning in mid-April is even less windy, but rain and river runoff reduce visibility in offshore areas. here

[trellend]

[translator]

We spent our time there snorkeling in the turquoise sea and relaxing in the sun, followed by a lunch of fresh-caught fish. After a couple of hours, you get back on the boat for a short ride to the second island where you spend the night. I felt sad to leave the first island because it was so lovely, but then when we got to the second one it was even better. more

[lancommy101]

Sapzurro is where the tour ends but the guides are happy to help organize the rest of your transport. From Sapzurro you have to take another 20-minute boat to Capurganá where you can legally enter Colombia.

[Pas]

After about an hour and a half on the boat, you arrive at the first island where we got our first taste of paradise. As we pulled up to the small island, I could hardly believe it was real. more

[britschler]

You can snorkel off all the islands and the water is crystal clear and full of marine life. There are coral reefs just off the islands and during our snorkels we saw tons of colorful fish, stingrays, and a huge manta ray. The San Blas Island snorkeling is one of the best parts of the experience. [links]