How to get to San Blas from Panama City
There are two ways to reach San Blas. By road: about 2 h 30 in a 4x4 to the port of Cartí, then 20 to 40 minutes by boat to your island. By air: an Air Panama small plane from Albrook to the El Porvenir airstrip, in 30 to 45 minutes. No car ever reaches an island: the last stretch is always by boat.
Four ways to make the trip
Three go by road and differ in who drives and who you travel with; the fourth is flying.
| How | Time to the island | What it covers | Best if… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour with shared transfer | 2 h 30 + boat | 4x4 from your hotel, boat and the tour's islands | you're doing a one- or multi-day tour and want everything handled |
| Transfer only ($80 per person) | 2 h 30 + boat | 4x4 and boat to your island, no tour | you already booked a place to stay on an island and just need to get there |
| On your own by 4x4 | 2 h 30 + boat | You drive; you hire the boat in Cartí | you have your own or a rented 4x4 and want to set your own pace |
| Small plane (Air Panama) | 30-45 min + boat | Flight from Albrook to El Porvenir | you'd rather skip the mountain road |
By road, step by step
It's how almost every traveller goes, and the only route that doesn't depend on a flight schedule.
- Leaving Panama City. Departures are before dawn —hotel pickup is around 5:00— so you reach the port with the whole day ahead.
- East on the Pan-American Highway. The first part is flat: the Pan-American Highway heading east to the El Llano turnoff.
- The Llano-Cartí road. From El Llano the road climbs the mountain range and drops to the Caribbean with tight curves and steep grades. That's why the comarca only lets 4x4 vehicles through.
- Guna Yala entry checkpoint. Before going down to the coast you reach the comarca checkpoint: each traveller shows an original ID and the entrance tax is paid.
- Port of Cartí and the boat. At Cartí you leave the vehicle, life jackets are handed out and the boat heads into the archipelago. Depending on the island, it's 20 to 40 minutes on the water.
The Guna checkpoint and the entrance tax
Guna Yala is an autonomous comarca and charges its own entry fee, separate from the price of any tour or lodging. It's paid per person, every time you enter:
- Foreigners: $22 per person.
- Panamanians and residents: $7 per person.
- Children under 10: exempt.
It's paid in cash at the checkpoint, or by card to the driver if you travel with one of our transfers. Without an original ID —passport or national ID card, no copies— you won't get in.
If you go on your own
You can drive, but only in a 4x4: a regular car won't get past the checkpoint. At the port of Cartí you pay for parking, between $5 and $10, and hire the boat to your island. There are no ATMs in the comarca, so bring cash for the tax, the parking and the boat.
By small plane
Air Panama flies from Albrook airport, in the city, to the El Porvenir airstrip in about 30 to 45 minutes. After landing you still need a boat to the island, and the baggage allowance is small.
Flights to San Blas: schedules, baggage and when it's worth it →
Tour transfer or transfer only?
If you're doing a tour, the transfer is already included: the 4x4 picks you up at your hotel and drops you back at the end. The tour balance is paid to the driver or when you reach the port.
If you already have a place to stay on an island and just need to get there, we sell the transfer without a tour, at $80 per person. Message us with the date and the name of your island.
What to bring for the journey
- An original passport or national ID for each traveller.
- Cash: there are no ATMs in the comarca or on the islands.
- Your motion-sickness pill if you need one: it's two and a half hours of curves.
- A dry bag for your phone and documents on the boat.
- A dry change of clothes and a layer for the early morning.
Questions about the journey
Can you reach San Blas in a regular car?
No. The Llano-Cartí road has steep grades and the comarca only lets 4x4 vehicles through. And no car reaches an island anyway: the last stretch is always by boat from Cartí.
How much does it cost to enter Guna Yala?
The comarca tax is $22 per person for foreigners and $7 for Panamanians and residents; children under 10 don't pay. It isn't included in any tour price and is paid in cash at the checkpoint, or by card to the driver on our transfers.
Do you have to pay for parking in Cartí?
Yes, if you go in your own vehicle: between $5 and $10 at the port, on top of the boat to your island.
Do you sell the transfer without a tour?
Yes. If you already have lodging on an island, the 4x4 and boat transfer is $80 per person. Message us on WhatsApp with the date and the island's name.
Can you fly to San Blas?
Yes: Air Panama flies from Albrook to the El Porvenir airstrip in 30 to 45 minutes. From the airstrip you need a boat to the island.
What ID do they ask for at the checkpoint?
The original passport or national ID of each traveller. Photocopies and photos on your phone are not accepted.
What time should you leave?
Before dawn: our pickups are around 5:00, so you reach Cartí early and make the most of the day on the islands.
Is there phone signal and ATMs on the islands?
There are no ATMs in the comarca and coverage is patchy. Bring whatever cash you'll need from the city.