San Blas Islands Map: The Archipelago, Group by Group

The short answer

The San Blas Islands — Guna Yala — are an archipelago of around 365 islands off Panama's Caribbean coast. Most are uninhabited sandbars. For planning a trip the archipelago is easier to read as a handful of island groups than as a list of islands: you sail between groups and you anchor inside them. The groups that matter are Cayos Limones, closest to the mainland, Coco Bandero in the middle, and Cayos Holandeses at the outer edge.

The groups you actually sail

Cayos Limones (Lemon Cays)

The closest group to the mainland, near the port of Cartí, and usually the first stretch of turquoise water you reach after leaving the coast. About 45 minutes by lancha from the port. It is the most accessible part of the archipelago, which is both its advantage and its limitation — it is also where the day-trip traffic goes. More in our guide to Cayos Limones.

Coco Bandero

A more secluded part of Guna Yala, and one of the most comfortable anchorages in Panama according to sailors who spend their seasons here. Reached by sail it reads as a natural progression: deeper colour, smaller islands, more space between them. More in sailing Coco Bandero.

Cayos Holandeses (The Dutch Cays)

At the furthest edge of the archipelago, bordering the open ocean — known locally as Mauki. It takes 3 to 4 hours of sailing to get there, which is exactly why day-trippers never do. Behind its barrier reef lies the flat, shallow anchorage sailors call the Swimming Pool. More in the full guide and in what to know before you go.

How long it takes to get there

Distance in San Blas is measured in hours, not kilometres. These are the legs of a real trip, from our own guides:

• Panama City to the coast by 4x4: about 2 hours through the mountains of Guna Yala, with a 20-30 minute stop on the way.

• Port to your boat by lancha: 30 to 40 minutes, depending on where the boat is anchored.

• Panama City to the islands, door to door: about 4 to 5 hours in total by land and sea.

• By air instead: roughly 40 to 45 minutes from Albrook Airport (PAC) — not Tocumen.

• Mainland to Cayos Holandeses under sail: 3 to 4 hours.

The full comparison of the two ways in is in how to get to San Blas from Panama City.

Why a map will not tell you where to go

A map shows where the islands are. It does not show which ones are crowded at 11am, which anchorage stays comfortable when the wind turns, or which sandbar is worth a morning. Our captains wrote the uncomfortable version of this in why the "best islands" lists are a trap.

The other thing a map hides is time. How far out you get depends on how many nights you have and on the wind that week — which is why the same archipelago produces very different trips. That is what the sailing itineraries are built around, and the boat sets how far you can comfortably go: see the crewed catamarans and sailboats.

Frequently asked questions

How many islands are there in San Blas?

Around 365 — one for every day of the year, as the saying goes. The great majority are uninhabited sandbars with a few palms, and only a small number have a Guna community living on them. For planning a sailing trip, what matters is not the count but the three or four groups you can realistically reach with the nights you have.

Where are the San Blas Islands?

Off the Caribbean coast of Panama, in the autonomous Guna Yala region. The usual land access is the port of Cartí, about two hours by 4x4 from Panama City through the mountains, and from there 30 to 40 minutes by lancha to the boat. There are also small-aircraft flights from Albrook Airport in Panama City, around 40 to 45 minutes.

Which island group should I choose?

It is less a choice of island than a choice of range. Cayos Limones is the closest and the busiest; Coco Bandero sits further out and is one of the calmest anchorages in Panama; Cayos Holandeses is at the outer edge, three to four hours of sailing away, and day trips cannot reach it. A longer trip is what buys you the outer groups — see the itineraries for how the nights translate into distance.

Can you visit San Blas on a day trip?

You can reach the closest islands in a day, but you spend four to five hours travelling each way to do it. Our captain's honest take on what that day actually looks like is in the truth about San Blas day trips.

Planning your route

If you already have dates in mind, tell us and we will come back with what is available.