Worldwide Destinations
CENTRAL AMERICA &
THE PANAMA CANAL: San Blas
Island
| Overview | |
| The Comarca de San Blas is made up of 357 small
islands, off of Panama's eastern coast. The entire region is under the
autonomous rule of the Kuna Indians. The Kuna gained control of the region
after the 1925 Kuna Revolution.
San Blas main industry is coconuts. Coconuts are practically interchangeable as currency here, with each coconut carrying a value of about ten cents. Amazingly, the Kuna harvest about thirty million coconuts every year! Most are exported to Colombia in exchange for clothing, rice, and other necessities. Because the Kuna control Comarca de San Blas, tourists are reminded to respect local laws and customs. For example, every visitor to each island on San Blas is expected to pay a visitor's fee, usually around five dollars. The Kuna do not like to be photographed, and they expect to be compensated for each time that they allow you to snap a picture. In exchange for these small costs, the Kuna will allow you to experience a culture unchanged for thousands of years, and to partake in some of the world's last remaining truly pristine sights. Kuna women weave and sell intricate blouses, known as molas. The men hunt and fish, but only enough to provide for their families. And as for you? You will be content to relax the day away, taking in a perfect sunset while lying in a hammock on the beach. Although San Blas is made up of over three hundred islands, only about forty are inhabited. The rest are left to coconut trees and wildlife. El Porvenir is the capital city of San Blas, as well as the gateway to the rest of the inhabited islands. It's common to think that every white sand beach in the world has already been discovered, and that huge hotels have sprung up to exploit nature's beauty. However, there are some places left that have resisted the lure of commercialism, and where you can still enjoy the sights as they were intended to be enjoyed. This paradise can be found in San Blas. |
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| San Blas Island Facts | ||
| Currency | The US dollar is Panama's official currency, but it is called the balboa here. Panamanian coins are issued in the same denominations as American coins, and have the same value | |
| Language | Spanish and Kuna | |
| Area Code | 507 is the country code, but there are no area codes in Panama. | |
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