Getting there
Joining a San Blas sailing trip: how to get to your boat
· 6 min read
Sailing is one of the classic ways to see San Blas: a few days anchored between islands, sometimes followed by the open-sea passage to Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Whatever boat you choose, it does not come to Panama City to fetch you. You have to reach it — and from the city, that means the road to Cartí and a lancha to the anchorage.
How the boat and the transfer fit together
Our transfer covers the whole way from your hotel to the boat: the 4x4 collects you between 05:00 and 05:30, drives the mountain road to Cartí in about 2.5 to 3 hours, and at the dock a lancha takes you to your island or sailboat. You book the sailing trip with the boat; you book the transfer with us; the only thing that links them is the information you give us — which is why it matters.
What to ask your captain before booking the transfer
- The boarding date, and whether it is the same morning as your transfer or the next day.
- The name of the boat and where it will be anchored that day — the island or the area.
- A phone number for the captain or the crew that works on the day.
- For a trip to or from Colombia: how passports and immigration formalities are handled, and what you need to carry.
- How much luggage the boat accepts — space on board is limited too.
Which transfer ticket you need
| Your sailing plan | Transfer |
|---|---|
| A loop in San Blas, back in Panama City afterwards | Round trip — $149 per person |
| Panama → Colombia by sail | One way, Panama City → San Blas — $79 |
| Colombia → Panama by sail, ending in San Blas | One way, San Blas → Panama City — $79 |
Luggage: think like a sailor
The lanchas take one soft bag of up to 13 kg per traveller, and hard suitcases cannot board. That rule is a good one for a sailboat anyway: a soft bag stows in a cabin, a hard case does not. If you are travelling for months with a large backpack plus a daypack, tell us when booking so we confirm the space with the operator. Pack a dry bag for your passport and phone — the lancha to the anchorage is often wet.
Arriving from Colombia
If your sailing trip ends in San Blas, book the one-way back to Panama City for the day after you leave the boat, or the same morning if your captain confirms you will be ready. Give us the boat name and where it will be: the lancha collects you in the morning and the 4x4 has you at your hotel between midday and 14:00. Make sure your entry into Panama is in order as your captain explains before you leave the islands, and do not book an onward flight for that afternoon.
In the booking message, write the boat’s name, the captain’s phone number and the anchorage or island. With that, the operator matches you with the right lancha at Cartí — without it, you are a passenger with nowhere to go.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you sell the sailing trip itself?
- No. We sell the 4x4 + boat transfer between Panama City and San Blas. The sailing trip is booked directly with the boat — then you give us its details and we get you there.
- Will the lancha take me all the way to my sailboat?
- Yes — from the Cartí dock the lancha takes you to the island or sailboat you are joining. Give us the boat name and where it is anchored when you book, so the operator can plan it.
- Do I pay the $22 Guna Yala tax if I am going to a sailboat?
- When you enter Guna Yala by road with us, yes: every visitor pays $22 in cash at the comarca checkpoint on the way in. It is not included in the transfer price, nor collected by us.
- What happens if Cartí is closed on my boarding day?
- Rain does not stop the crossing; only a port closure by the authorities does. In that case you choose between a free change of date and a full refund of the transfer — and you should warn your captain straight away.