Sailing from Panama to Colombia
Travel from Central to South America Without Crossing the Darien Gap
For the same price as flying, you can travel from Portobelo, Panama to Cartagena, Colombia by sailboat and visit the incredible San Blas Islands in the bargain.
A five-day sailboat trip from Portobelo, Panama to Cartagena, Colombia is more than transportation, it’s an experience in itself. Because it’s more fun than flying and safer than attempting to travel through the Darien gap, the sailboat option is quickly gaining popularity, and therefore becoming easier. Still, there is not yet an industry centered around this trip, so it’s limited to those with some flexibility.
How to Find Out About Trips Between Panama and Colombia
There are currently no regularly scheduled crossings between Panama and Colombia, so anyone interested has to seek out a boat independently. One way to find out who’s going and when is on hostel message boards in Panama City. Mamallena Hostel can help hook you up with a sailboat, if one is available.
Portobelo, Panama
Really determined travelers should go straight to Portobelo where the sailboats begin their journey to Colombia. Portobelo is about an hour away from Panama City by bus, and halfway to Colon, Panama.
While you may find a sailboat preparing to leave the day you arrive, you could also end up spending a couple of weeks in Portobelo waiting for a ride. A small, quiet, charming old port village with a couple of guesthouses, restaurants and bars, it’s not such a bad place to be held up for a while. In addition to the lovely bay views, there are eight major diving sites in the area, and ruined Spanish fortresses to explore.
The Sailboats
Sailboats are individually owned and operated by captains from all over the world who sail around at their own whim, so there is simply no guarantee as to who will make the trip and what type of boat they’ll have. Boats can sleep four, or ten, or fifteen. Some are wind-power only and some have engines. You’ll want to meet the captain and tour the boat in person to decide if it’s something you can live on for five days.
Sailing Through The San Blas Islands
One advantage of sailing rather than flying to Colombia is that your route will take you through Panama's stunning San Blas Islands/Comarca Kuna Yala, where you’ll spend at least two days fishing, swimming and snorkeling in turquoise-blue waters and sleeping either on the boat or on the sand.
Home to the Kuna people, who have maintained their culture and traditions since before Columbus, these islands with their clear blue water and soft white sand are like something out of a dream or that too-beautiful-to-be-true screensaver.
The Kuna require visitors to have permission to visit their islands, or even anchor offshore. Your captain will most likely know how to get this permission, which will smooth the way to your being able to enjoy this paradise for a couple of days en route to Colombia.
Costs
A sailboat trip from Panama to Colombia will cost between $250 and $300 US, including food, plus visa fees of $20. (Your captain will take your passport and handle all entry and exit stamping for you.) You might be expected to pitch in with simple cleaning chores. Depending on your captain, you may also have the opportunity to learn a bit about sailing.
Best Time to Go
The best time to sail from Panama to Colombia is around June. Boats do leave at other times of year, but the water will be choppier.
The trip is unpredictable and those on a tight schedule are better off flying, but for those with time to spare, sailing from Panama to Colombia is a truly memorable experience.
Note: You can also sail from Cartagena, Colombia up to Panama – find out who’s going at Casa Vienna in the Getsemani area or Club Naútico, Cartagena’s yacht club.
And while you're in Panama City, don't forget to try out the world famous La Cascada Restaurant.
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