San Blas is the Comarca Guna Yala, a self-governing indigenous territory with its own Congreso General. On top of Panama's national paperwork, a visiting boat pays a monthly Guna cruising fee per boat and per person, collected at El Porvenir or by a visiting official, plus small anchoring fees set by each island. Scuba diving, fishing and taking coconuts are off limits to visitors, and you ask before photographing anyone.
Who is in charge in Guna Yala
Guna Yala runs along the Caribbean coast from roughly the Gulf of San Blas to the Colombian border, with hundreds of small islands, most of them uninhabited. It is governed by the Congreso General Guna and by each community's saila (village leader). National agencies still apply: the Autoridad Marítima de Panamá (AMP) for your zarpe, Migración for passports, SENAN at sea. But on the islands, the community makes the rules, and they can change them at any time. If no one approaches your boat in an inhabited anchorage, ask for the saila.
The Congreso does not publish a yacht fee schedule we could open online, so the figures below come from cruiser reports. Treat them as a guide and pay what the official receipt says.
The fees: Congreso cruising fee and island anchoring fees
Congreso cruising fee. Cruisers have reported US$20 per boat and US$20 per non-resident person, per month, with young children exempt. It is paid at the Congreso office at El Porvenir, or to a visiting official who issues a receipt, and you can pay months in advance. These figures were reported in 2016 and 2018; confirm the current amount at Porvenir.
Anchoring fees. Each island or group sets its own, usually valid for 30 days. Reported examples:
| Area | Reported fee |
|---|---|
| Most inhabited anchorages, Puerto Perme to Isla Tigre | US$10 |
| Ustupu | US$15 |
| Caledonia | US$12, plus US$2 per person to go ashore |
| Holandes / Nargana (one receipt for the group) | US$10 |
| Gun Boat | US$20, plus US$2 per person ashore |
| Some western islands | US$2–5 per person to land |
Fees are common in the populated east and less common in the western cays. Always ask for a printed receipt with the island name, your boat name and the date.
Clearing in at Porvenir
El Porvenir, at the western end, has the port captain, Migración and the Congreso office in one building behind the pier. Arriving from abroad you can clear Immigration there, but cruisers since 2018 report that Porvenir does not issue Panama's national cruising permit, which you must get within 72 hours at Puerto Lindo or Colón. Bring passports, three copies of the crew list, your last zarpe and registration papers, and cash in US dollars: there is no ATM. Expect little English. Departure clearance has been reported at about US$6, with a US$20 overtime charge at weekends and holidays.
The offices have closed before: in 2016, during a dispute between the Congreso and the government, Porvenir stopped clearing boats for a time. Check before you plan to clear there. National paperwork is covered in arriving in Panama by boat and the cruising permit guide.
Rules for visitors
- No scuba. The Guna do not permit scuba diving by visitors. Snorkelling is fine.
- No fishing and no coconuts. Every coconut palm belongs to someone, even on an empty island. Buy coconuts, fish and lobster from the Guna.
- Lobster closures. The national closed season for Caribbean spiny lobster, enforced by the Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá (ARAP), runs 1 March to 30 June. Do not buy lobster then; cruisers have also been asked not to buy fish or crab during the breeding months.
- Photographs. Ask first ("¿puedo tomar una foto?"). Some communities ban photography entirely, and you should never photograph women in mola blouses without clear permission.
- Restricted places. Some anchorages are closed, rivers at Ustupu need permission or a guide (cruisers report fines of US$200 or more), and dogs are banned ashore at Carti and parts of Salardup.
- Rubbish. Carry it out to the mainland; do not leave it on islands.
Molas, money and supplies
Molas, the layered appliqué panels Guna women make, are sold from ulus (dugout canoes) that come alongside and in village shops. Buy direct from the maker; prices depend on size and work, and cruisers report around US$10 for a small piece. Bring plenty of small bills: there are no ATMs and no card payments in the islands. Supplies are thin: Nargana has the best selection, Porvenir and Wichubhuala very little, and vegetable boats visit the popular anchorages. Provision in Colón or Panama City and see the Caribbean coast guide for the run from Linton.
Your practical starting checklist
- Carry national paperwork: cruising permit and a zarpe naming San Blas or Porvenir.
- Bring enough US dollars in small bills for the Congreso fee, island fees and molas.
- Pay the Congreso cruising fee at Porvenir or to the visiting official and keep the receipt.
- In each inhabited anchorage, ask for the saila and pay the island fee against a printed receipt.
- Snorkel only; leave scuba gear stowed, and do not fish or pick coconuts.
- Skip lobster from 1 March to 30 June and ask before every photograph.
- Arrive in daylight with good light; San Blas reefs claim yachts every season.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to sail in San Blas?
Cruisers have reported a Guna Congreso fee of US$20 per boat and US$20 per person per month, plus anchoring fees of about US$10 per inhabited island group, each valid for around 30 days. Confirm current figures at Porvenir.
Can I scuba dive in San Blas?
No. The Guna do not permit scuba diving by visitors. Snorkelling is allowed.
Can I clear into Panama at Porvenir?
You can usually clear Immigration and pay the Guna fee there, but cruisers report you must get Panama's cruising permit within 72 hours at Puerto Lindo or Colón. The offices have closed in the past, so confirm before you go.
¿Cuánto cuesta navegar en San Blas en velero propio?
Los navegantes reportan un cargo del Congreso General Guna de US$20 por embarcación y US$20 por persona al mes, más un pago de fondeo de unos US$10 por isla habitada. Pague en El Porvenir o al funcionario visitante y pida siempre recibo.
En español: navegar en San Blas (Guna Yala)
San Blas es la Comarca Guna Yala, gobernada por el Congreso General Guna. Además del permiso de navegación y el zarpe de la AMP, las embarcaciones visitantes pagan un cargo mensual por barco y por persona en El Porvenir, y cada isla cobra su propio fondeo. No se permite el buceo con tanque, la pesca ni tomar cocos. La langosta está en veda del 1 de marzo al 30 de junio. Pida permiso antes de tomar fotos y lleve efectivo en billetes pequeños: no hay cajeros.
The next question to answer
Colón to San Blas and Bocas: distances, swell, fuel. Read Cruising Panama's Caribbean coast.
Both coasts, seasons and permits. Read Panama cruising grounds.
The national permit you need before Guna fees. Read Panama cruising permit.
Official resources
Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.
- Noonsite: Porvenir clearance, Guna Congreso fees, departure fees (updated Feb 2023) — secondary ↗
- Noonsite: Anchoring information for Guna Yala, per-island fees and restrictions — secondary ↗
- Noonsite: Porvenir offices closed, 2016 Congreso–government dispute — secondary ↗
- Boat International: visiting San Blas (no scuba, no fishing or coconuts) — secondary ↗
- Sailing Totem: Guna Yala practicalities (photography, molas, cash) — secondary ↗
- La Estrella: ARAP Caribbean spiny lobster closed season 1 March–30 June ↗