KUNA YALA

Welcome to paradise. Cartoonists who love to picture tropical islands as dots of soft sand with a few coconut palms could have gotten the idea from Kuna Yala, otherwise known as the San Blas Islands. That image fits countless idyllic spots in this archipelago of nearly 400 islands off the eastern Caribbean coast of Panama. When the sun hits the sea here you’ll think of emeralds and sapphires.

The islands are part of the Comarca de Kuna Yala, a semiautonomous homeland of the Kuna people. Kuna territory also encompasses a mountainous strip of mostly virgin forest on the mainland, along the Caribbean slope of the Darién. It runs the length of the archipelago, ending at the Colombian border.

Most visitors prefer to hang out on the islands. Nearly all the estimated 40,000 Kuna who live in the comarca (district) inhabit just 40 of the islands, none of which is very large. As one might imagine, things get pretty crowded: On many islands, the thatch roofs of the Kunas’ cane huts almost touch, making walking around a bit of a challenge. Visitors generally spend as much time as possible on the uninhabited islands, but be sure to visit a village. The chance to meet the Kuna, who have one of the most vibrant indigenous cultures in Latin America, is reason enough to visit the San Blas Islands.

A word of warning: If you’re looking for Club Med, Kuna Yala is not for you. Even the most “exclusive” accommodations are quite simple, and there’s little to do on the islands except swim, snorkel, laze in hammocks, and visit villages. The food is generally bland and basic.

More disturbing, any lingering romantic notions one has about indigenous people’s harmonious relationship with nature gets a jolt upon realizing how severely the Kuna are overfishing their waters, or seeing the garbage and sewage they routinely dump into pristine blue waters.

On the other hand, there are still plenty of lovely, uninhabited islands in the archipelago, more than anyone could possibly see during a visit. A big part of the charm of these islands is their very simplicity: no timeshare condos or tacky T-shirt shops here. Nodding off in a hammock slung between coconut palms, watching a Kuna woman sewing a mola, and showering by the light of a kerosene lantern can soon seem like a pretty good way to spend the day.

Achutupu: You’ll find easy and accessible snorkeling in crystalline waters on this island. (read more)

Cartí: Though one of the most touristed areas in Kuna Yala, this cluster of islands near El Porvenir has an interesting blend of traditional and modern Kuna life, as well as a museum that offers insight into that life. (read more)

Isla Maquina: One of the most traditional, charming, and attractive inhabited islands in the archipelago, where the vibrant Kuna culture is going strong. (read more)

The Uninhabited Cays: The Cayos Hol-andéses, Cayos Limónes, and Cayos Coco Bandero are among the archipelago’s remote and stunning string of sparsely inhabited islands, with clear water and spectacular coral. (read more)