San Blas Islands, Panama
70 USD per person deposit paid.
Departure: We will arrange a jeep/SUV to pick you up from your hostel/hotel in central Panama City on the morning of the departure date between 5:00 and 6:00 AM. Please be ready to go at this time (we cannot provide a more precise time of pickup as traffic in the city can be very unpredictable and it really depends on whether the other passengers are ready or not). Please be aware that the shuttle can take up to an hour from the scheduled time of pick up as it's stopping at multiple hostels. If you are waiting for more than an hour, it's probably fine but feel free to contact us. The captain will organize your transport back to Panama City.
Each passenger will need about $110-120 usd per person for the transport to and from the boat (jeep and speedboat), and (you may also offer a $1-2 USD tip for the guys that move the luggage at the port but at passenger discretion).
The Kuna entrance tax is $20 usd per person. Please make sure to have this on you, the fee will be collected at a checkpoint on the road to the coast before you arrive at the speedboat transfer dock. Please keep the receipt, the Kuna authorities will ask for it while you are on the islands.
As a reminder passports are required upon entrance into Kuna Yala territory, please have it on hand and easily accessible to show upon arrival.
Payment: When you meet your captain, you will pay the remaining amount for the trip (full amount minus the deposit). This needs to be in cash (USD). The currency of Panama is the USD (also known as Balboa).
It's a good idea to start withdrawing money from the ATM a couple of days before the trip, as some banks have limits on their daily withdrawals and the maximum ATM limit is $250 usd per transaction (we do know that at most casinos in Panama City if they believe you are going to bet, they will let you take out as much money as you’d like, although this trick might not work) There are no ATMs in San Blas, so you need to withdraw cash in Panama City before the trip.
We recommend taking an additional $160-170 usd in total per person to cover the transport costs ($110-120 usd), Kuna entrance tax ($20 usd), and spending money for souvenirs, beers, etc in the islands (all USD in cash), or if you would like to tip the crew.
Food and Drinks: For those interested in bringing snacks, alcoholic beverages, mixers, etc, you should purchase these items beforehand in Panama City. If you buy beer, please buy cans, not bottles. There is a cooler on board for you to store your beverages.