Blue Sailing: cruise in
THE SAN BLAS ARCHIPEL
Peter May said “A boat is just a pile of wood and metal, son. The only heart it has is the heart of the people who sail it”. And it is surely this environment that made this Caribbean experience even more beautiful.
Paradise is surely there, or at least it must strongly resemble it. Life is like out of time, the sweetness of life, impeccable weather, islands as beautiful as each other, a turquoise sea and fish with incredible colours. It was an outstanding experience accompanied by a great team (both passengers and crew)
The Blue Sailing cruise?
Leaving Panama and arriving in Colombia, this is the main objective of this cruise proposed by the Blue Sailing company. You spend 2/3 days in the sublime archipelago of San Blas before taking the high seas for 2 days and join Cartagena in Colombia.
It is possible to do the crossing in the opposite direction (Colombia -> Panama).
Day 1
The agency has planned to pick us up in Panama City with mini-vans / 4×4 very early in the morning. We wake up at 4:20 am, a certain laziness is present but we prepare our stuff slowly. At 5:20 am, the shuttle is there, we will be 2 big cars with 6 and 4 people in each. After 3 good hours of road we arrive at the meeting point of the speed boat. We get to know the rest of the group better now that everyone is awake. After 1 hour of waiting at the pier, our speedboat finally arrives. It will allow us to join our catamaran, the Nacar 2. We make a small halt on an island to pick up a block of ice then we take again the sea for the last minutes.
Around 10:15 am, we are finally on the catamaran! We remove our shoes. We meet the crew, Carmelo is the captain of the Nacar 2, Luis assists him in the navigation and the daily tasks, and finally there is Theresa who will take care of us and prepares us superb dishes. After the introductions, a breakfast with fruit and cereals is waiting for us.
We are given a quick explanation of the room layout and how the sanitary facilities work. The captain takes our passports and we pay the remaining amount (550€ in cash). Then Carmelo goes to get our passports stamped at the border. After a good hour, he comes back and our adventure begins! We take the sea towards the first island of the archipel, we are quite excited by this beginning of adventure especially as the weather looks more and more promising.
We arrive on this first island and a clear turquoise water is waiting for us. Luis takes us with the small inflatable zodiac to the island. It is relatively small, about 400 meters long, and has a small bar. It does not lack charm and we take advantage of it to start snorkelling (the boat provides us with the equipment).
After a beautiful afternoon and the beginning of the sun burns, we return on the boat to head towards a second island. This one has a bar (and nothing else), perfect to celebrate this beginning of trip.
A little anecdote, we are in front of an island where an episode of La Casa de Papel was filmed.
Day 1
The agency has planned to pick us up in Panama City with mini-vans / 4×4 very early in the morning. We wake up at 4:20 am, a certain laziness is present but we prepare our stuff slowly. At 5:20 am, the shuttle is there, we will be 2 big cars with 6 and 4 people in each. After 3 good hours of road we arrive at the meeting point of the speed boat. We get to know the rest of the group better now that everyone is awake. After 1 hour of waiting at the pier, our speedboat finally arrives. It will allow us to join our catamaran, the Nacar 2. We make a small halt on an island to pick up a block of ice then we take again the sea for the last minutes.
Around 10:15 am, we are finally on the catamaran! We remove our shoes. We meet the crew, Carmelo is the captain of the Nacar 2, Luis assists him in the navigation and the daily tasks, and finally there is Theresa who will take care of us and prepares us superb dishes. After the introductions, a breakfast with fruit and cereals is waiting for us.
We are given a quick explanation of the room layout and how the sanitary facilities work. The captain takes our passports and we pay the remaining amount (550€ in cash). Then Carmelo goes to get our passports stamped at the border. After a good hour, he comes back and our adventure begins! We take the sea towards the first island of the archipel, we are quite excited by this beginning of adventure especially as the weather looks more and more promising.
We arrive on this first island and a clear turquoise water is waiting for us. Luis takes us with the small inflatable zodiac to the island. It is relatively small, about 400 meters long, and has a small bar. It does not lack charm and we take advantage of it to start snorkelling (the boat provides us with the equipment).
After a beautiful afternoon and the beginning of the sun burns, we return on the boat to head towards a second island. This one has a bar (and nothing else), perfect to celebrate this beginning of trip.
A little anecdote, we are in front of an island where an episode of La Casa de Papel was filmed.
Day 2
The alarm clock is a bit complicated for me, I still want to sleep, but breakfast does not wait. I gobbled up my omelette and my fruits then the boat left for a new island!
On this first island of the day, we meet Mowgli, a little monkey that the locals saved from captivity a few months ago. We see the traces of his old chain around his neck. He is adorable and very social! We take advantage of this morning to go snorkelling and I see coral for the first time in my life. It is sublime! I also discover many beautiful fish with improbable colours. I would even have difficulty describing some of them! After a morning rich in exploration, we return to the boat for lunch: pasta bolognese!
The crew tells us that the weather is going to be complicated for the next few days and we will have to leave the next afternoon for Colombia. Strong winds are waiting for us at the exit of Panama and can make the crossing complicated. Nothing serious, we will spend a day on an island near Cartagena to compensate for the day lost in San Blas.
Then we set sail again to another island where we stay for the evening. Same program: exploration of the island, snorkelling, we discuss, we get a tan. Then the sun declines slowly and we attend the sunset. We have a lobster dinner and then come to the campfire where we spend the evening with another crew!
Day 2
The alarm clock is a bit complicated for me, I still want to sleep, but breakfast does not wait. I gobbled up my omelette and my fruits then the boat left for a new island!
On this first island of the day, we meet Mowgli, a little monkey that the locals saved from captivity a few months ago. We see the traces of his old chain around his neck. He is adorable and very social! We take advantage of this morning to go snorkelling and I see coral for the first time in my life. It is sublime! I also discover many beautiful fish with improbable colours. I would even have difficulty describing some of them! After a morning rich in exploration, we return to the boat for lunch: pasta bolognese!
The crew tells us that the weather is going to be complicated for the next few days and we will have to leave the next afternoon for Colombia. Strong winds are waiting for us at the exit of Panama and can make the crossing complicated. Nothing serious, we will spend a day on an island near Cartagena to compensate for the day lost in San Blas.
Then we set sail again to another island where we stay for the evening. Same program: exploration of the island, snorkelling, we discuss, we get a tan. Then the sun declines slowly and we attend the sunset. We have a lobster dinner and then come to the campfire where we spend the evening with another crew!
Day 3
I wake up a little more gently and at breakfast we are treated with pancakes!
Carmelo and Theresa tell us that the weather is not promising after all and we have to leave in the morning for the open sea. At this, we all decide to take the anti-seasickness medicine and spread our sun cream 50+ (it won’t stop us from getting huge sunburns).
We start to head out to sea, the sea is waking up too. Most of us go to the front of the catamaran on the nets and we chat to the rhythm of the waves. To be honest, we don’t feel very well, especially me (party from the night before + sea sickness). But as time goes by, it gets a bit better. After 2 hours of sailing at the rhythm of the waves (sometimes quite impressive), we turn back. The wind is much too strong at the moment at the exit of Panama (18 knots). So we’ll go to another island and spend the day there.
But before visiting the island, we have a little lunch break (lentil, onion and potato soup with rice).
I decide once again to swim to the island, which is usually quite pleasant, but this time the current was very strong and not in the direction we wanted. But after about fifteen/twenty minutes of swimming, I finally arrive on the island! It’s surely the smallest, but it’s very cute! We rest (yes, paradise is exhausting), I explore a little the place and I discover there dozens of magnificent and enormous shells! In short, a taste of paradise once again.
At the end of the afternoon, we go back on the boat. We go about our business between napping, chatting, fishing.
Finally, the captain has some news about the weather. The company doesn’t want us to take the risk of leaving for the high seas (31 knots) and we won’t be able to reach Colombia by boat. We understand the decision but we are still disappointed. The company offers us the possibility to pay the speedboat (45€) and the plane ticket Panama City – Cartagena (150€). We appreciate the gesture. We also have the possibility to stay and hope that the weather is better. For the most part, we choose this option. We have the time.
The sun goes down and some of us fish for lunch the next day. After dinner, some of us play cards, I am really tired and prefer to watch a movie in my cabin.
Day 3
I wake up a little more gently and at breakfast we are treated with pancakes!
Carmelo and Theresa tell us that the weather is not promising after all and we have to leave in the morning for the open sea. At this, we all decide to take the anti-seasickness medicine and spread our sun cream 50+ (it won’t stop us from getting huge sunburns).
We start to head out to sea, the sea is waking up too. Most of us go to the front of the catamaran on the nets and we chat to the rhythm of the waves. To be honest, we don’t feel very well, especially me (party from the night before + sea sickness). But as time goes by, it gets a bit better. After 2 hours of sailing at the rhythm of the waves (sometimes quite impressive), we turn back. The wind is much too strong at the moment at the exit of Panama (18 knots). So we’ll go to another island and spend the day there.
But before visiting the island, we have a little lunch break (lentil, onion and potato soup with rice).
I decide once again to swim to the island, which is usually quite pleasant, but this time the current was very strong and not in the direction we wanted. But after about fifteen/twenty minutes of swimming, I finally arrive on the island! It’s surely the smallest, but it’s very cute! We rest (yes, paradise is exhausting), I explore a little the place and I discover there dozens of magnificent and enormous shells! In short, a taste of paradise once again.
At the end of the afternoon, we go back on the boat. We go about our business between napping, chatting, fishing.
Finally, the captain has some news about the weather. The company doesn’t want us to take the risk of leaving for the high seas (31 knots) and we won’t be able to reach Colombia by boat. We understand the decision but we are still disappointed. The company offers us the possibility to pay the speedboat (45€) and the plane ticket Panama City – Cartagena (150€). We appreciate the gesture. We also have the possibility to stay and hope that the weather is better. For the most part, we choose this option. We have the time.
The sun goes down and some of us fish for lunch the next day. After dinner, some of us play cards, I am really tired and prefer to watch a movie in my cabin.
Day 4
The morning goes like any other. We finish our breakfast and we leave to sail to an island closer to Panama. We spend the 3 hours of sailing chatting on the nets. We have learned our lesson and we apply sun cream every 2 hours this time!
Some of us have obligations and have to be in Cartagena so we are getting closer to our starting point. We will only do one island today, and the water is once again breathtaking! A beautiful turquoise blue is holding out its arms to welcome us to this island. Lunch is spent lightly then we head to this new island.
We go to the island and fill up with beer for the afternoon. We rest on the beach. A few minutes of rain pushes us to go near a hut and we settle on a table.
Night falls and we return to the boat for dinner. It is the fish caught the day before, it is delicious. Then we get ready and go back to land to enjoy the island bar.
Day 4
The morning goes like any other. We finish our breakfast and we leave to sail to an island closer to Panama. We spend the 3 hours of sailing chatting on the nets. We have learned our lesson and we apply sun cream every 2 hours this time!
Some of us have obligations and have to be in Cartagena so we are getting closer to our starting point. We will only do one island today, and the water is once again breathtaking! A beautiful turquoise blue is holding out its arms to welcome us to this island. Lunch is spent lightly then we head to this new island.
We go to the island and fill up with beer for the afternoon. We rest on the beach. A few minutes of rain pushes us to go near a hut and we settle on a table.
Night falls and we return to the boat for dinner. It is the fish caught the day before, it is delicious. Then we get ready and go back to land to enjoy the island bar.
Day 5
The morning had started well but at the breakfast the bad news finally came. Everyone is going back to Panama City. We are a bit disappointed as we would have liked to enjoy the archipel even more, but we understand the agency. Another group will arrive from Cartagena by plane and will need the boat.
During this beginning of the day, we try to book our planes with the small WiFi we can have. It takes us several hours. But it doesn’t matter, we take the opportunity to rest and swim around the boat. This morning, the current supported by the wind is very strong and it is quite impressive!
In the middle of the afternoon we set sail again to return to the island where we had discovered the Nacar 2. This will be our first and last island of this adventure. We stop there to do some shopping for the evening. The island is a small village with a bar, a school and 2 grocery shops, it takes us 45 seconds to walk around the place, but there is a certain charm that emerges from this island.
We end up going back to the boat for a last evening together.
Day 5
The morning had started well but at the breakfast the bad news finally came. Everyone is going back to Panama City. We are a bit disappointed as we would have liked to enjoy the archipel even more, but we understand the agency. Another group will arrive from Cartagena by plane and will need the boat.
During this beginning of the day, we try to book our planes with the small WiFi we can have. It takes us several hours. But it doesn’t matter, we take the opportunity to rest and swim around the boat. This morning, the current supported by the wind is very strong and it is quite impressive!
In the middle of the afternoon we set sail again to return to the island where we had discovered the Nacar 2. This will be our first and last island of this adventure. We stop there to do some shopping for the evening. The island is a small village with a bar, a school and 2 grocery shops, it takes us 45 seconds to walk around the place, but there is a certain charm that emerges from this island.
We end up going back to the boat for a last evening together.
Day 6
We wake up early because we have to take the speedboat back to Panama City. The captain comes back from the border with our stamped passports (cancelling the exit). We get our passports, we finish our bags, the speedboat arrives, we say goodbye to the crew. We get our shoes back after 5 days walking barefoot on the islands, we didn’t miss it. After a good 40 minutes of being soaked by the waves, we arrive at the pier. After about 30 minutes, our shuttles are there to take us directly to the airport where our plane leaves at 6pm. The arrival in Cartagena is smooth for everyone and after checking in, taking our first shower in 5 days, we meet for a “last” drink.
It was a great adventure that I recommend!
Day 6
We wake up early because we have to take the speedboat back to Panama City. The captain comes back from the border with our stamped passports (cancelling the exit). We get our passports, we finish our bags, the speedboat arrives, we say goodbye to the crew. We get our shoes back after 5 days walking barefoot on the islands, we didn’t miss it. After a good 40 minutes of being soaked by the waves, we arrive at the pier. After about 30 minutes, our shuttles are there to take us directly to the airport where our plane leaves at 6pm. The arrival in Cartagena is smooth for everyone and after checking in, taking our first shower in 5 days, we meet for a “last” drink.
It was a great adventure that I recommend!
Advice for the Sailing Blue cruise
Before booking, you can contact the agency by email. They respond more by email than by WhatsApp. To contact them, it’s here.
You should take a small backpack with you on the trip and put what you need in it. There is not much room in the cabins. The large suitcases will be stored elsewhere on the boat and may not be accessible during the cruise.
The agency will send you a list, but here’s what I thought was important to have with me:
- Sunscreen 50 (don’t worry, you’ll still get a tan)
- Mosquito repellent (they attack after dark)
Drinks (alcohol allowed) - Snack
- Seasickness medication (Dramamine, etc.)
- Medium sized bag for your belongings during the crossing
- Wipes (no shower)
- Rechargeable battery for electronic devices
- Camera or phone
- Waterproof pouch for your phone (take pictures underwater)
- Hair care mask (saved my hair on the trip)
- Have some cash (dollars $)
During the trip, don’t hesitate to apply sunscreen 50 from breakfast. The sun is really strong. Take your seasickness medication BEFORE you feel sick, otherwise it won’t have much effect.
Advice for the Sailing Blue cruise
Before booking, you can contact the agency by email. They respond more by email than by WhatsApp. To contact them, it’s here.
You should take a small backpack with you on the trip and put what you need in it. There is not much room in the cabins. The large suitcases will be stored elsewhere on the boat and may not be accessible during the cruise.
The agency will send you a list, but here’s what I thought was important to have with me:
- Sunscreen 50 (don’t worry, you’ll still get a tan)
- Mosquito repellent (they attack after dark)
Drinks (alcohol allowed) - Snack
- Seasickness medication (Dramamine, etc.)
- Medium sized bag for your belongings during the crossing
- Wipes (no shower)
- Rechargeable battery for electronic devices
- Camera or phone
- Waterproof pouch for your phone (take pictures underwater)
- Hair care mask (saved my hair on the trip)
- Have some cash (dollars $)
During the trip, don’t hesitate to apply sunscreen 50 from breakfast. The sun is really strong. Take your seasickness medication BEFORE you feel sick, otherwise it won’t have much effect.
My opinion on the San Blas cruise with Blue Sailing
Boat: I went on my journey on the catamaran, the Nacar 2 and I was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the boat. It’s well maintained and stayed clean throughout our adventure. We had a huge cooler for our drinks. The cabins were functional and the sleeping accommodations were nice. We had small fans in each room (not a bad thing as the sun can quickly heat up the interior of the boat). We could charge our electronic devices near the captain’s control station, but we had to be patient. Slow charge and not many places to charge. As we were on a catamaran, we had the nets at the front to rest, which was a real plus, especially at sea!
Crew: From the beginning to the end, the crew took care of us! It was a real pleasure to share this experience with them. Of the 3 crew members, only 1 spoke English, the other 2 spoke Spanish. This was enough, because even those who did not speak Spanish were able to make themselves understood and to exchange with the guests. The kindness and good mood of the crew made us feel good from the first step on the boat.
The agency: Blue Sailing was reactive from the beginning to the end. Before booking my trip I had a few questions and within 24 hours I had all the answers I needed. And once I had paid the deposit, the confirmation and additional information followed very quickly. In addition, the agency specifies additional costs and what is important to bring in its emails, so there are no unpleasant surprises. The logistics from Panama City to the boat were perfectly fine.
And when the weather was really bad, the agency made the best decision for our safety and well-being. They helped us with the repatriation to Panama City and the crew with the booking of our plane tickets.
The cost of the Sailing Blue cruise
Well, let’s not lie, this 5 days cruise has a cost. And when you travel in a backpack, it is important to measure the pros and cons.
The cost?
It seems to me that the initial prices will depend on the boat and if you take a private cabin (+50€/person) or not. Prices can vary between 500€ and 650€. This includes 3 meals/day, sleeping accommodation, activities (trips to each island, snorkelling equipment, fishing equipment). However, you will have to add at least 85$ extra for :
- Entrance to Kuna Park: $20
- Driver / speedboat: $45
- Customs tax for the passport: $20
- Drinks (soft drinks and alcohol)
My experience?
I did the cruise on board the Nacar 2. The price was 600€/person for a shared room. I had to buy groceries (sun cream, mosquito repellent, snacks, drinks) for 70$. And I had to spend 30$ on the spot. In the end, the cruise cost me about 785 € for 5 days on the San Blas archipel. I travel in backpack, so it’s a huge investment, but I don’t regret it at all!
How much cash should I bring?
First of all, you will have to pay in cash for the cruise (deducted from the deposit), so at least $500. Moreover, you will not be able to withdraw dollars on the islands. So you need to have a lot of money for your evenings and if you want to buy small souvenirs from the locals. Be aware that beers are between 1$ and 3$ (max) on the islands. Take according to what you think you will consume with a small margin and think of tipping at the end of your stay to thank the crew.
The cost of the Sailing Blue cruise
Well, let’s not lie, this 5 days cruise has a cost. And when you travel in a backpack, it is important to measure the pros and cons.
The cost?
It seems to me that the initial prices will depend on the boat and if you take a private cabin (+50€/person) or not. Prices can vary between 500€ and 650€. This includes 3 meals/day, sleeping accommodation, activities (trips to each island, snorkelling equipment, fishing equipment). However, you will have to add at least 85$ extra for :
- Entrance to Kuna Park: $20
- Driver / speedboat: $45
- Customs tax for the passport: $20
- Drinks (soft drinks and alcohol)
My experience?
I did the cruise on board the Nacar 2. The price was 600€/person for a shared room. I had to buy groceries (sun cream, mosquito repellent, snacks, drinks) for 70$. And I had to spend 30$ on the spot. In the end, the cruise cost me about 785 € for 5 days on the San Blas archipel. I travel in backpack, so it’s a huge investment, but I don’t regret it at all!
How much cash should I bring?
First of all, you will have to pay in cash for the cruise (deducted from the deposit), so at least $500. Moreover, you will not be able to withdraw dollars on the islands. So you need to have a lot of money for your evenings and if you want to buy small souvenirs from the locals. Be aware that beers are between 1$ and 3$ (max) on the islands. Take according to what you think you will consume with a small margin and think of tipping at the end of your stay to thank the crew.
Hi there,
Love your article about this trip and I’m really amazed about your pictures!
I was wondering when you had your travel with the Nacar 2? We are planning to do the trip from Colombia to Panama, so I’ve sent an email to Blue Sailing. On our preferred date it is the Nacar 2 that sails out. I googled for some reviews, but found some reel bad ones about this boat. About water in the cabins, not enough food aboard and snorkeling gear that is broken, or not there for all the passengers. However, these reviews are from a couple of years ago and when I read your article, it doesn’t sound that bad at all. Was your travel more recently? And did you experience this kind of problems?
Looking forward to your answer!
Kind regards,
Ina
Hello Ina!
Thanks for your feedback!
I did the cruise February 2022, few months ago, so it was a recent travel 😊
We havent had water in the cabins and always a lot of food (maybe to much sometimes). For the snorkelling gear, it was fine too!
I hope it will help you to take your decisions,
Best regards,
Awena