San Blas snorkeling day trip from Panama City with lunch

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (7 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/12

Duration12h 30m

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesES

PickupAt your hotel

Three islands and a shipwreck in one day, starting before sunrise

A day trip from Panama City to the San Blas archipelago with snorkeling at Diablo Island and the Natural Pool, a visit to Perro Island's shipwreck, hotel pickup, boat transfers, and a traditional lunch with one drink. The journey covers roughly 2.5 hours each way by road on a shared vehicle, then a small-group boat tour once you arrive at the coast; the full day runs about 12.5 hours door to door.

12h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

San Blas Islands Day Trip

Hotel pickup in Panama City
Road transit to San Blas port
Boat transfer to Diablo Island
Relax, swim, snorkel, and lunch on Diablo Island
Visit Natural Pool and observe starfishes
Visit Perro Island and shipwreck
Boat transfer back to San Blas port
Road transit back to Panama City

The Experience

Pickup happens between 5am and 5:30am from your Panama City hotel, then a shared van takes you inland on a bumpy road for about 2.5 hours to the San Blas port, where your Spanish-speaking guide Pedro meets the group. Once the boat launches, the snorkeling begins: Diablo Island is where you spend roughly three hours swimming, relaxing and snorkeling before lunch — usually fresh fish, rice and plantains — arrives on the beach.

After Diablo, the boat moves to the Natural Pool, a white sand lagoon where you can walk or swim and watch starfish in the shallows. Then comes Perro Island and its famous shipwreck, where you can explore the wreck or simply float on the island itself. The return journey mirrors the arrival: boat back to the San Blas port, then the shared van for another 2.5 hours inland, landing in Panama City around 7pm.

The snorkeling gear is your own — the operator does not provide it for hygiene reasons, so pack or rent before you leave the city. The Guna entrance fee ($23 for international visitors, $7 for Panamanian residents) is paid separately at the border. If your hotel is in Playa Bonita (Dreams or Westin), add $20 per person in cash to the driver for the extra distance.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Panama City.
shared ground transportation in an air-conditioned van.
boat transfers between the port and the islands.
a Spanish-speaking guide.
a traditional lunch (usually fish, rice and plantains) with one drink.
snorkeling access at Diablo Island and the Natural Pool.
a visit to Perro Island and its shipwreck. Dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals can be accommodated if you inform the operator in advance.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Panama Bubble Trips

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see multiple islands and a shipwreck in a single day without staying overnight in the archipelago. The shared van ride is long and bumpy, but it keeps the price down and the boat portion stays small-group once you arrive — a balance between time, cost and personalized attention on the water.