Top Panama canal tour right now? The San Blas Islands are a highlight in Panama! For most people, including myself, it is the reason we ended up in Panama City. For those who don’t know, the San Blas Islands are a group of 378 remote islands off the coast of Panama. The water here is turquoise, the beaches are pearly white, and the coconuts and abundance of sea life make it one of the most beautiful island paradises on earth – and a top attraction in Panama! Visiting the San Blas Islands is most commonly done on a 3 to 4-night adventure from Cartagena in Colombia to Panama City (or vise versa.) This is the best way to see the islands and if you have time I highly recommend it. Discover more info at San Blas sailing tour.
The Pacific Coast of Mexico has been a great place for sport fishing and certainly in San Blas you can live a great adventure and find a variety of fish such as Dorado, Sailfish and Marlin, as well as Mojarra, Pargo, Sierra and Snook, depending on the season. Be sure to visit the famous International Tournament Sailfish, Marlin and Dorado which is held every year during the months of May and June.
I know, there are so many incredible historical sites in Mexico so it’s hard to choose which one to visit. However, Chichen Itza is the only one which is one of the 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO site, so it’s a safe choice! The Chichen Itza, Valladolid and Cenote Tour is the highest rated tour on Get Your Guide and it’s also very affordable. This full-day tour will bring you to Chichen Itza where you’ll have time to explore and take photos of the beautiful pyramid. The next stop will be at Cenote Hubiku for a refreshing swim, before a buffet meal. The last stop will be the charming colonial city of Valladolid.
One of Panama’s top surf destinations is Santa Catalina, on the Pacific Coast. This small but growing town has a laid-back surfer feeling about it. Small guesthouses and hotels, and funky restaurants, force you to slow down and relax. If you aren’t here to surf, great snorkeling and scuba diving spots are nearby, and horseback tours through the surrounding countryside are good options for those not interested in getting wet. One of Santa Catalina’s main draws is Isla Coiba. This lush island, now Coiba National Park, is almost untouched and is considered a biodiversity hot spot, with close to 200 bird species, crocodiles, turtles, and snakes. The scuba diving here is very popular due to the enormous whale sharks that frequent the area. These gentle giants are curious creatures and enjoy interacting with divers. Tours to Isla Coiba can be arranged in Santa Catalina. One of the most fun things to do near Boquete is visiting the local swimming hole at Los Cangilones. Set at a lower elevation than Boquete, the climate here is much warmer, and on hot days you’ll find a fun scene, complete with music, barbecues, food vendors, and Panamanians from far and wide splashing and jumping off the gorge edges into the crystal-clear, warm waters below. In this unique geological place, the river narrows into a gorge before opening up again in a shallow pool at the bottom. Daring adults and older kids jump off the edges into the slowly moving waters and then float down to the bottom, climb out, and do it all over again. Youngsters and visitors who are looking for something a little milder can wade into the shallow waters where the gorge opens up. The walls vary in height, so it depends on how brave you are and how high you want to go. This is very much a family destination.
Visiting San Blas is mainly about enjoying the beauty of the nature and spending your time relaxing on these incredible islands, think of it as a way to get away from it all. I find that it’s the small things that you can do on these multi-day, get aways that make them unique. Here are a few highlights of the speedboat trip I did with San Blas Adventures from Colombia to San Blas.
This 3-hour tour is ideally suited to the aspiring naturalist and photographer. The tour is ideal for those who may have little or no previous skill with a DSLR camera and would like to have some fun as a ‘Wildlife Photographer’ for the morning. Boarding our unique Rainforest Expedition Photography boat at Gamboa Rainforest Reserve Marina, we start the tour by showing you how to use the specialised photography chair, the DSLR camera and the 150-600mm telephoto lens that we provide you with. Read extra details at https://www.taotravel365.com/.
At Tao Travel 365 we strongly believe in eco-friendly travel and strive to support the environment as well as the local population where we conduct our tours. Read more on our philosophies in About Us. In line with our eco-friendly travel philosophy we only offer tours in exotic locations, away from mass-tourism and the immense carbon footprint. We are nature enthusiasts and enjoy breathing clean air, swimming in unpolluted waters and observing healthy wildlife in its original setting. We have greatly enjoyed all the adventures we are offering and are excited to share them with you.