The complete San Blas packing list

You are going to San Blas for one or more nights? Lucky you!

The difficult thing at San Blas is that you get fairly little from the excursion or accommodation, but you are also allowed very limited luggage. They advise packing only a small backpack, and the reality is that not a whole lot more will fit in the car either…. Only the bare essentials, then, but what does that entail?

This blog contains everything you need and fits all in one backpack. I explain what to expect in the islands and what you will probably need.

At the end of the blog, I’ll give you a handy San Blas packing list where you can check off all the items!

Table of contents

The essentials: be sure not to forget to pack this!

Passport

On most excursions in Panama, a copy or photo of your passport is sufficient, but not on the San Blas! You may be denied entry to the Guna Yala area if you do not have your passport (travel pass) with you. When you enter the autonomous area by car, a “customs” does passport control. There you will be checked to see if you have an entry stamp from Panama. You get it when you enter the country legally through the airport or other border.

So definitely don’t forget your passport!

Food & drinks

The description that often accompanies the San Blas Islands is sometimes a bit confusing. On the one hand they shout “bring your own drinks” and at the same time it says “support local people by buying drinks from them.”

In general, you can buy water, rum, beer, soft drinks (and coconuts) on the islands. In some islands, even cocktails. The reason they recommend bringing something yourself is that they don’t know in advance how much stock there is. Some storm may have just thrown the logistics into disarray. You are in remote area after all!

So it’s smart to bring your own water anyway. We took 1 gallon of water for the two of us for two nights. We also took a bottle of rum. On the island, we then bought coke that we could mix it with.

We saw people carrying cans of beer in a waterproof bag with ice cubes. That in itself is a good idea, but you have a good chance that you can’t/won’t use a refrigerator, and the seawater is also warm. So that’s not ideal, unless you like warm beer (anyone??). We could buy beer in abundance on the island.

Wine we could not obtain on the island. So if you want to drink wine, it is best to bring your own.

We also took some snacks with us in case the food was very disappointing. And an evening chip with your rum-cola is also delicious, of course. Snacks are usually not available on the islands, so you have to bring your own, if you want them.

Tip: If you bring snacks, make sure you have something to seal the package with. That way the salamanders cannot find their way to the food – we speak from experience, there were two amigos in my cake 😉

Toiletries & medicine

Consider the basics: a toothbrush and toothpaste, shower gel and shampoo. But also don’t forget any medication, anti-histamine or women’s bandages.

On San Blas, you can’t buy a toothbrush if you forgot it 😉

Make-up can be left in your suitcase or backpack; you won’t need it here. I carried mascara, but I didn’t even look in the mirror for two days 😉 Welcome to real island life where even salty hair is normal. Because yes, showering here is usually with salt water. Don’t think about it, just enjoy it!

Do you need toilet paper? I did bring some just to be safe, you never know. Fortunately, there was no shortage of those on our little island!

Tip: at hotel you sometimes get mini bottles of shampoo and shower gel. These are super handy for on San Blas! Especially if you are only going for two nights, this is sufficient. Saves you lugging around big bottles again.

Sunscreen and DEET

Sunscreen you really don’t want to forget when you go to San Blas! Even if it is cloudy, you can easily get sunburned here. So bring plenty of protection and possibly a hat and UV shirt.

Consider taking a sunscreen that is coral-friendly, such as this one from Nivea.

Bug spray can also be useful, although we personally did not experience any critters on San Blas. We did not even see a mosquito (nor did we have a sting 😉 ). But this may be different when you go, so bringing protection is not a luxury.

In Panama, buy the green OFF! bug spray you see here in the photo. The orange version works a lot less well. Oh, and those who fear malaria … that would not exist on these islands. Good to know: at the gas station where we stopped along the way, they didn’t have green spray, only the orange one.

Waterproof pockets

Everything you carry gets wet. That’s what you should assume when you go to San Blas. Maybe your boat trip won’t be too bad, but chances are that at least one wave of water will pass over your luggage. That may not be a disaster for all your stuff, but it is something to consider.

We carried a total of 3 waterproof bags. I put my camera and other equipment in two waterproof nylon bags and then in my camera backpack. I put the rest of the stuff I liked to keep dry in a regular “dry sack.

The nylon waterproof bags in themselves were not a bad investment, as I used them more often during the trip. Those who have been reading along for some time know that my previous camera sustained irreparable water damage thanks to an unfortunate fall at a waterfall. So with any splash of rain and near water, I wrap my camera in one of those waterproof nylon bags. Better safe than sorry 😉

The advantage over a normal dry sack? The nylon version can be rolled up more compactly, making it easy to carry in a normal backpack. And because they do let air through, I had less fear of condensation in the camera with this heat. Putting two on top of each other makes them well waterproof.

👉 I used two of these nylon waterproof bags for my equipment.

👉 This is the bag I used for the other stuff.

Finally, I put a rain cover over the backpack to provide some protection for the rest of the gear.

Cash money

In addition to the amount we still had to pay in cash, we took about $100. We fortunately didn’t use that one up completely, but we preferred to have a little too much money with us, just in case. For example, we did not know beforehand that we could also rent a kayak and SUP board on the island.

Drinks (including beer and rum) cost $2 each on Yani Island in February 2024. On Isla Perro Chico, we saw cocktails between $5 and $10. Prices may be different on other islands, but I think you can assume this average.

Good to know: there are no ATMs on the San Blas Islands or at the port. So make sure you pick up enough cash in Panama City the day before you leave.

Equipment

Power bank and world plug

Make sure all your devices are charged when you go to San Blas, as power is limited.

That’s why it’s super handy to carry a power bank. This allows you to charge your smartphone and other devices without having to use (much) precious power from the island. Personally, we are very satisfied with this power bank with 20,000 mAh. This power bank is strong but not heavy and also can easily fit on a plane. Only at higher capacities can this be a problem. With this power bank, you can charge your smartphone several times.

We also brought a universal travel plug and USB-C cable so we could also charge the power bank if needed.

(Underwater) camera or underwater case

The underwater world on San Blas does not compare to Coiba, but it is very beautiful. Insanely clear blue water where you occasionally spot coral, dolphins, fish, sister sharks and starfish. So if you have an underwater camera like the GoPro, it’s best to take it with you.

Or do like us, and just bring a good underwater case for your smartphone. We ourselves have this case and it is perfect! Ideal for on the boat and underwater!

We also took our Sony system camera, but only with one lens. We left the other two lenses at the hotel, with our luggage – more on that later!

Head or flashlight

Are you going to San Blas during the full moon? Then you can still see enough at night and don’t need a headlamp. But if you go during a new moon, it will be pitch black. A headlamp is then useful, for example, for going to the bathroom at night.

Of course, your smartphone’s flashlight can also suffice!

Towels

On San Blas, you will need both bath and beach towels. Beach towels are probably standard in your backpack, but bath towels may not be.

We ourselves went to the Decathlon in Panama City the day before leaving for San Blas, it is in the Multiplaza shopping center. There we bought extra travel towels for a few dollars.

Also consider this when you go to San Blas….

(Swim) clothing & shoes

You won’t need much clothing on San Blas. But swimwear, of course, is a must. A dry set of clothes can also be nice.

For women, a sarong is super convenient. You can carry these around you and use them to lie on the beach. I myself ended up walking around in swimwear and a sarong for almost two days and barely had my shorts and T-shirt on. The first night was a bit colder because the weather was not so good; the second night was wonderfully warm.

A thin cardigan can be welcome when the weather is a little worse and it cools off at night. But don’t overdo it, you’re in the tropics 😉

And what shoes? We saw people wearing sneakers, but you really don’t need those here! Flip-flops, that’s the only footwear you need on San Blas.

And water shoes can also be nice (see tip below).

Earplugs and sleep mask

Most accommodations on San Blas allow wind to pass through. Whether you sleep in a wooden bungalow or one made of reeds: if the wind blows hard at night, it can hurt your eyes a bit. So a sleep mask can be very nice, also because your bungalow probably lets a lot of light through.

And earplugs for noise, of course, if you are a light sleeper. I can recommend these wax earplugs.

Snorkel gear

The reason we lugged two snorkels with us the entire trip? The San Blas. Normally we only take one snorkel and alternate. But since you’re going to snorkel spots on San Blas for a limited time, it’s fun to snorkel together. So you don’t get those from the organization.

Want to snorkel? Bring your own snorkel!

Water shoes can also be fine. Although we didn’t see any sea urchins, with water shoes you need to be less afraid of putting your foot in the water grass, or on stones.

Waste bag

Read horror stories about San Blas and waste disposal? Me too. But fortunately, we didn’t notice any of that at all. On our little island, trash was neatly separated and there was no junk at all.

But we were asked to take our waste of empty shampoo bottles et cetera, back to the mainland. Waste disposal is just incredibly expensive for them.

So be a good tourist, bring a plastic bag, and pack your own trash on the boat. At the port, you can discard these again.

Entertainment?

I myself was quite afraid that I would be bored on San Blas. So I bought a notebook at the last minute, so I could pen down some blogs in advance. Didn’t end up using it because I wasn’t bored for a second 😉

But consider what you could possibly need: a book, an e-reader?

By the way, it is nonsense that you have no mobile data on the islands. But, you have to assume it’s retarded. A few hours of Instagramming is out of the question, unless you have angelic patience. Sending connection requests to the new friends you make there still works.

Where do you leave your luggage during your San Blas trip?

So you are not allowed to bring your suitcase or large backpack to San Blas. But then what do you do with it?

It is most convenient to leave it at the hotel where you are staying. Ask in advance if this is allowed, but this will rarely be a problem. Many people go to San Blas!

We stayed at Plaza Paitilla Inn. The night before we left, we gave our luggage to the bell boys. Upon returning to Panama City, we collected our luggage and traveled on to our next destination.

We always put an airtag in the backpack, and put a flight bag around it with a lock.

Sunset at Yansailadub (by Yani Island) - San Blas

The San Blas packing list

That’s it, then. Everything you need for your San Blas adventure!

I’ve listed everything again below so you have a handy check-off list. Normally this all fits in one (day) backpack per person! Doesn’t fit everything, it’s really not a big deal if you carry an extra bag, but be prepared to keep it on your lap during the trip.