The majority of the 378 islands in the San Blas archipelago are just a white sand piece with lots of palm trees in the middle, so that all the coastal fringe of these places hide some of the best Caribbean beaches. In fact, only 49 of them are inhabited by the Kuna tribe that live there freely, according to their own rules and economy. Among these, Maquina Island is probably the quietest, and an ideal place to walk alone.
Other islands with the loneliest beaches in the world are El Porvenir, Achutupu, Kagantapu and Coco Blanco or the impressive cays called Holandeses, Chichime and Limones, where you can arrive only by yacht.
On the most developed islands like El Porvenir, you can find accommodation which offers the basic facilities for a short stay.
Snorkelling among the bright sapphire corals in the south of Achutupu is undoubtedly an activity you cannot miss if you visit San Blas.
You can also practise snorkelling among mangroves in Cayo Crawl Canal - on the way to the magnificent coral gardens on the Southeast coast of Bastimentos Island.
Or you can go to Kuna Museum to learn about Kuna´s mythology, history and rituals. One peculiarity is that they only have electricity between 6 p.m and midnight, so the pubs and restaurants are crowded then.
You must also see Kuna women while they are making Mola, a material in which bright rainbows of colour mix to create imaginary wild fish, birds and animals which have their origins in the tribal Kuna legends.
You can travel by plane from Panama City or Colon to many of the islands, or you can take a water bus from Colon to the island you prefer.
As in the majority of the Panama beaches, you can visit San Blas any time of year, but the best time is from April to June if you want to practise diving and snorkelling.
