Snorkeling San Blas Islands: Private boat, 3 islands, your pace

Three islands, a sunken boat full of fish, and the time to explore each one at your own speed

A private snorkeling day trip from Panama City to San Blas Islands with your own boat captain and 4x4 pickup. You visit three islands (Perro Grande, Perro Chico and the natural swimming pool) with time to kayak, paddleboard and snorkel at each stop. Lunch, snorkel gear, life jacket and one drink are included. You set the schedule and pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

San Blas Islands private day tour

• Pick up at hotel around 5:20am
• Stop at supermarket for drinks
• Drive 1.5 hours to San Blas hills
• Arrive at Carti port around 8:30am
• Meet guide Naidi and load luggage
• Boat ride 30 minutes to Perro Grande island
• Enjoy fruits, kayak, paddle boards
• Visit Pelicano Chico island and hammocks
• Stop at bar for drinks (optional)
• Arrive at Perro Chico island for lunch
• Eat fish with patacones and rice
• Snorkel at sunken boat spot
• Visit natural swimming pool and find starfish
• Return to Carti port around 3:30-4pm
• Drive back to hotel in Panama City

The experience

The day starts with a 5:20am hotel pickup in a private 4x4 that's yours alone. The drive to Carti port takes two and a half hours through the San Blas hills. The road is rough, so bring motion sickness medicine if you need it. A stop at a minisuper lets you load drinks, snacks and ice for the islands. Your captain meets you at the port and you board a private panga boat for the 40-minute ride to Perro Grande, where you arrive to fresh fruit, chairs, kayaks and paddleboards set up just for your group.

From there you choose how long to stay at each of the three islands. Perro Chico is small and famous for its ocean hammocks and a bar if you want a drink. Perro Chico (also called Pelicano) is where you eat lunch (fresh fish with patacones and rice, or the catch of the day like octopus or shrimp), then snorkel around a sunken boat, the best spot in San Blas for colored reef fish. The natural swimming pool is shallow enough to walk across, chest-deep at most, and the place to hunt for starfish. You control the clock at each island. There's no rushing you through. The boat returns to port by 3:30pm, and you're back in Panama City between 6:30 and 7pm.

San Blas is a Kuna Indigenous protected zone where all services (food, transport, lodging) are run by Kuna people. The culture is different from the city: things move at their own pace, waits can be long, and the setup is basic and rustic. That's part of what makes it real. Bring cash (no ATMs on the islands), sunscreen, mosquito repellent and a towel. Cell service works through Movicel and Digicel. There's no electricity in the huts, only light.

What’s included

• Private 4x4 pickup from your Panama City hotel and return.
• private panga boat with your own captain.
• snorkel mask, life jacket, kayaks and paddleboards.
• beach chair, umbrella and towel.
• lunch (fish with patacones and rice, or catch of the day).
• one drink (soda, beer or bottled water).
• visits to Perro Grande, Perro Chico and the natural swimming pool.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:20

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (8 to 80 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 9 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 25

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Panama San Blas Tours

Is this one for you?This is a self-guided tour, so you navigate the islands and snorkel on your own with no English-speaking guide: ideal if you want to move at your own pace and explore without narration. The private boat means you're not on a schedule with other groups. You stay as long as you want at each island. Choose this if you prefer independence and flexibility over a structured itinerary and group rhythm.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the snorkeling like at the sunken boat near Perro Chico?

The sunken boat sits in the best snorkeling spot in San Blas, surrounded by tiny colored reef fish. You jump in with the snorkel mask provided and explore the wreck and the water around it at your own pace.

Can I bring my own food and drinks to the islands?

Yes. The driver stops at a minisuper on the way to the port so you can buy a cooler, ice, drinks and snacks to bring along. You can also order drinks at the bar on Perro Chico, and lunch is included at Perro Chico island.

How much time do I actually spend in the water and on the islands?

You're in the islands for roughly five hours total. The full day is 13 hours from hotel pickup to return, but two and a half hours each way goes to the drive, and 40 minutes to the boat ride. You decide how to split the five island hours among the three stops.

What equipment is provided for snorkeling and water activities?

Snorkel mask, life jacket, kayaks and paddleboards are all included. Towels, beach chairs and an umbrella are provided as well. Bring your own towel if you prefer, as quantities are limited.