High quality Panama canal tour today? Another very popular island to visit is Saboga Island. Located 35 miles from Panama City the island is easily reached by ferry with the company Ferry Las Perlas. There are only a couple of hotels on the island and the island is home to 10 beautiful beaches. Saboga Island is great to visit for a day trip but if you want to spend a few nights I’d recommend staying at the island below and visiting from there. The ferry to the island leaves from the Trump Tower and costs $98 USD return for adults. Contadora Island is located right next to Saboga Island and is home to many great hotels and restaurants (which makes it more popular for overnight trips.) From Contadora you can easily take a ferry to Saboga Island but stay in nicer hotels and enjoy the beaches on the island too. The ferry to Contadora Island leaves from the same place and costs the same for a return trip. Read more details on San Blas sailboats.

I will never stop saying this: Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is a hidden gem that you definitely shouldn’t miss when in Tulum. The Sian Kaan Lagoons and Cenote Escondido tour combines exploring the lagoons of Sian Kaan with the Mayan Ruins of Muyil, with a relaxing swim at beautiful cenote Escondido. Just the perfect combo. It’s pricey (all tours to Sian Ka’an generally are), but worth it IMO. This private cenote tour from Tulum brings you to Dos Ojos, one of the best (and most famous) cenotes in the area. By departing early in the morning, you’ll enjoy the two cenotes away from the tourist crowds – when I went as soon as it opened, I had Dos Ojos cenote all to myself and it was a unique experience! You’ll get lunch as well on this Dos Ojos cenote tour.

The Guna Yala (also known as Kuna Indians) are the indigenous people of the San Blas Islands. Originally occupying the border of Panama and Colombia, (when Panama was part of Colombia), the Kuna Indians began settling in the San Blas Archipelago around 1800. No tourists were allowed to the region until the 1940s, as the Kuna Indians operated an autonomous state separate from Panama. The Kuna have kept many of their cultural traditions intact, which are still thriving today. They originally wore few clothes and decorated their bodies with bright, colorful designs, but after Europeans arrived, the Kuna began making and wearing intricately woven molas, which are still present today. Travelers are now allowed to visit, and each island family works with local operators and each other to ensure guests have the best experience on a visit to the islands.

The Kuna people are the indigenous tribe that inhabit some of the islands. We had the chance to be able to stay on one of their islands for 2 out of the three nights we were there. On the second night we had the chance to play football with the kids and hang out at the local bar in the evening. They’re very welcoming people, and it was definitely a great experience to see the way that the Kuna people live.

We had a wonderful boat trip on Lake Gatun. Saw so much; ships traveling the Panama Canal to lots of wildlife. Howler monkeys, iguanas, tamarins that came close for a little piece of banana. Sebastian, our guide was excellent. We then went for lunch on a houseboat followed by kayaking to a waterfall and swim. Picked up and dropped off at our hotel. Lake Gatun forms a major part of the Panama Canal, and on this guided boat tour from Panama City, you’ll be able to explore it. During the boat ride, spot different wildlife surrounding the lake, such as sloths, monkeys, iguanas, crocodiles, birds, and more. After lunch, you’ll have the option to take a drip in a spring-fed natural pool, kayak in the lake, or go fishing. Find extra info at taotravel365.com.

Tao Travel 365 aims to provide its travelers with a “one-stop-shop” for their next great travel adventure. From thoughtfully selected tours and itineraries, to expert travel advice from experts available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. At Tao Travel 365 we believe in eco-friendly travel preserving the beauties of nature and forming meaningful human relationships with the locals, while adhering to our Tao philosophies that focus on being in balance with yourself and with nature. Every adventure we offer to our customers has been handpicked and personally experienced by Michael and Paola, who value high quality experiences, great prices and excellent customer service.

One of Panama’s top surf destinations is Santa Catalina, on the Pacific Coast. This small but growing town has a laid-back surfer feeling about it. Small guesthouses and hotels, and funky restaurants, force you to slow down and relax. If you aren’t here to surf, great snorkeling and scuba diving spots are nearby, and horseback tours through the surrounding countryside are good options for those not interested in getting wet. One of Santa Catalina’s main draws is Isla Coiba. This lush island, now Coiba National Park, is almost untouched and is considered a biodiversity hot spot, with close to 200 bird species, crocodiles, turtles, and snakes. The scuba diving here is very popular due to the enormous whale sharks that frequent the area. These gentle giants are curious creatures and enjoy interacting with divers. Tours to Isla Coiba can be arranged in Santa Catalina. One of the most fun things to do near Boquete is visiting the local swimming hole at Los Cangilones. Set at a lower elevation than Boquete, the climate here is much warmer, and on hot days you’ll find a fun scene, complete with music, barbecues, food vendors, and Panamanians from far and wide splashing and jumping off the gorge edges into the crystal-clear, warm waters below. In this unique geological place, the river narrows into a gorge before opening up again in a shallow pool at the bottom. Daring adults and older kids jump off the edges into the slowly moving waters and then float down to the bottom, climb out, and do it all over again. Youngsters and visitors who are looking for something a little milder can wade into the shallow waters where the gorge opens up. The walls vary in height, so it depends on how brave you are and how high you want to go. This is very much a family destination.