Somewhere off the coast of Panama is an archipelago of 365 small, primarily uninhabited islands. With thunderous rainforest mountains on the mainland. The water is so clear that you can see the change in color where the reefs are. I am sitting in Guna Yala (San Blas), Panama. There are many beautiful beaches worldwide, but very few offers as much of an experience as Guna Yala. 

A trip up one of the rivers will have you in a rainforest that may have never seen our footprints. Starting the journey, you’ll feel safe in the surroundings. You’ll go by plots of land used by the Gunas to grow pineapple, coconuts, sugarcane, and yuca. When you get further up the river, it’s time to watch for crocodiles, monkeys, and birds of prey. Without sightings, you feel you are the only life besides flora and fauna. Just the sound of gliding through the water. Eyes are constantly scanning for anything that moves. 

The Guna live as they always have, with strict traditions. They have added running water and electricity on the islands near the mainland. Water collecting for the outer islands is a day’s work. They must paddle their little arms to the closest village with running water or up the nearest river to the end. That is where the water has the least amount of salt content. You wonder what would fill their days with no job as we know or places to go as the closest city is a day away and it’s through the jungle with the Columbian Guerillas Well, they are up from sun up and down at sundown. The day is filled with the daily life of gathering sustenance. 

Of course, my goal was to get to know the indigenous and soak up as much of their lifestyle as I could. This was not an easy task! Tradition, language, and sheer uninterest in our western ways; make it difficult to befriend the villagers. The Guna may only marry within their own villages. This keeps the culture alive and minimizes exposure to outside influences. We could indeed befriend a Guna by showing some interest in their culture. We landed on an island that made coconut oil and ulus (dug-out canoes). I was overflowing with curiosity to learn what they were doing, and we learned how to make them both. We were swept into a home to see how they lived. This is where one must remember we are there to experience their life. They live in palm fronds huts with a plumbed toilet (sorta), no shower, dirt floors, and sleep in a hammock, the only furniture they have in their huts. Most have no kitchen or a sorta mini kitchenette-like area. Incredible to be able to see all this and be allowed to take pics.  

When our afternoon visit was complete, we were invited to dinner at the “restaurant.” Where they had nothing but rice to serve. They let us know that we could bring the food and they would cook it for us. That is the experience I was looking for! Ford still doesn’t understand how I was able to communicate and make this happen. Off to the boat, we went for food with a stowaway of about eight years old who wanted to see how we lived. I put chicken, sausage, fish, and chocolate pudding in a bag. Grabbed the only bottle of wine on board. That was a request. Three hours later, we were enjoying our meal.

Six adults and around six kids; came and left throughout the evening. Dinner was just what you would imagine, a small portion of veg and protein with a lot of rice. We ate in silence because that’s how they enjoyed their meals. After dinner, listening to stories while trying to figure them out between my little Spanish and a few words of Guna and their lack of English made it a memorable experience. Then to the “kitchen” to show them how to make the pudding. Yep, a cooking class with powdered milk, a cell phone for a light, barefoot on a dirt floor, six kids, and two women over my shoulder. I couldn’t be happier. It was the first time any of them had ever had chocolate pudding. 

San Blas, now Guna Yala, is for those who want the entire experience that will require some work but so very with it. That is if you enjoy beautiful beaches lined with palm trees, live coral reefs, and people of a different culture. 

Next will be below the water line of Guna Yala.