Home >> Panama >> Best of Panama >> Day 7
Day 7: San Blas Islands – Dolphin Island
Located along the northeastern coast of Panama in the Caribbean Sea, the San Blas Islands are the home of the Kuna Indians. Determined to protect their unique culture, the Kunas were granted regional autonomy forming the "Comarca" (autonomous territory) of Kuna Yala where to this day an indigenous congress rules. Kuna women spend countless hours stitching the very colorful reverse appliqued cotton "molas" which is part of their daily wear. Essentially, the Kuna are fishermen, but they also farm coconut, corn, rice, cocoa, yucca and other staples.
We depart by small plane to San Blas at the crack of dawn today. To enhance the interaction with the Kuna travelers will go without the Naturalist Guide. A representative of Dolphin Lodge will greet us upon landing at the airstrip and transfer to the lodge on a motorized dugout canoe to check in and have breakfast.
Dolphin Lodge is located on Uaguitupo (Dolphin) Island, about five minutes from the Achutupo airstrip via dugout canoe. Owned and operated by a Kuna family, the accommodations at Dolphin Lodge are rustic but comfortable in traditional Kuna-style huts with cozy beds, indoor bathrooms and a hammock on the front porch. Meals are served in the Bohio dining room overlooking the Caribbean Sea. We visit the Kuna village of Achutupo in the company of a local guide that will provide us with an excellent opportunity to learn about the Kuna culture and traditional ceremonies. Visit the communal house of "Sahilas" (Kuna chiefs) where the chiefs are responsible for enforcing the law of the community as well as offering advice on other aspects of life - including marital problems! Learn about the building of the typical Kuna house, their economy, the traditional "mola", and the processing of sugar cane into the alcoholic drink known as "chicha". We return to the lodge to relax at one of the hammocks and to have lunch. Later this afternoon we will go snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea to look for stunning marine life.
Night at DOLPHIN ISLAND LODGE (BLD)