Nomadic Narrative

While I didn’t get a chance to participate in any island holiday camping festivities, I have added another destination to my need-to-return-to list.

There are over 370 islands that dot the San Blas archipelago also known as the Kuna Yala Indigenous Territory in Panama, less than 40 of which are inhabited. Between a trip from the mainland and some swishy bungalows in the boondocks, I found a couple of hours to rest on one of the area’s palm-fringed beaches near the mainland airport of Cartí.

It was Semana Santa, or Easter in English, and many Panamanians had arrived for a weekend of camping. Traveling by four-wheel drive truck from Panama City (2-plus hours), the overland holiday-seekers parked at the Cartí airport, which is basically a dirt strip carved to where the mainland meets the sea. From there, it’s easy to charter a cayuko, a dugout canoe, to reach any one of these little Gilligan islands.

Apart from a tent, other packing essentials I’ll remember to bring include hammocks, chairs, plenty sunblock and a cooler full of goodies. For emergencies, some islands have snack shops selling a few basics. Some islands even have bathroom facilities.

The one problem several locals pointed out was waste management. While all garbage is collected in large trash bags, where it goes later is not so clear — and evidently, there’s a lot of it on busy holidays. So, think green when deciding what to bring and what to do on these sandy, sea gems.

Read about how you can minimize your impact on these fragile environments here.