Travel

Awesome San Blas sailboats in 2021

Awesome San Blas islands sailing today? Explore rowing on a kayak the beautiful Chagres River before it merges at the Gatun lake where the huge vessels and boats transit from Ocean to Ocean. The Chagres river is the main tributary of water of the Canal. A quite waterway, enjoying the sound of the wild life of this dense tropical forest. You might get the opportunity to see a sloth in a tree, a colorful bird peacefully living in the jungle or at the top the water plants, caimans, turtles among many others species of the local fauna. After a short hike to the small port used by the Embera indigenous at Gamboa, the tour last about 1 hour and 20 minutes (in the kayak) always accompanied by our bilingual guide and probably also by an Embera guide from the area who knows the place better than anyone.

If the scale of the Sian Ka’an biosphere proves daunting, head instead to another ecological park in Tulum – Parque Ecologico & Cenotes LabnaHa, also known as Mundo Magico Maya (Mayan Magic World), where you can go zip-lining, swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. Everyone knows that Mexican beer is superb (from well-known Corona to hipster-loved Tecate or higher-end Modelo), but cerveza artesanal (Mexican craft beer) has recently become very popular. There are breweries popping up and many restaurants and bars now sell craft beer. The best place in Tulum to get craft beer is Hermana Republica, where they pair traditional food with their eight different types of craft beer. Cerveza Pescadores, brewed in Puerto Morelos, can be found at Safari and Los Aguachiles restaurants, and Safari also serves Cerveza Colima; while at Mateos you’ll find Cerveza Mundo Maya. Look out for Cerveza Cancun at grocery stores, and if it’s important to you that your hotel offers craft beer, stay at Encantada Tulum.

Getting to the San Blas Islands is a journey in itself. It’s essential to have 4×4 transportation, as the winding roads leading to the archipelago are full of intensely steep mountains and valleys. It takes approximately 2.5 hours from Panamá City to arrive at the port, where a water taxi awaits, lasting around 30 minutes, depending on your island destination. When it’s time to end your journey through the San Blas Islands, you’ll likely leave just in time to catch an ethereal sunset along the jungle road.

At Tao Travel 365 we strongly believe in eco-friendly travel and strive to support the environment as well as the local population where we conduct our tours. Read more on our philosophies in About Us. In line with our eco-friendly travel philosophy we only offer tours in exotic locations, away from mass-tourism and the immense carbon footprint. We are nature enthusiasts and enjoy breathing clean air, swimming in unpolluted waters and observing healthy wildlife in its original setting. We have greatly enjoyed all the adventures we are offering and are excited to share them with you. Find more details at taotravel365.tours. The Amador Causeway is a man-made road that stretches 3 kilometers into the Pacific Ocean to some small islands. At the end of the causeway, the views of the city are beautiful and visiting is a great short activity in Panama City! From your hotel, the Amador Causeway is easy to visit. I recommend getting a taxi to the start of the causeway and taking a nice stroll to the end where you’ll find lots of beautiful restaurants with views of the city. You can also bike the causeway for really cheap. The company Burke Bikes rents bikes for around $10 an hour depending on the style of bike. They are located on the islands, so get your taxi to drop you at the end of the causeway if you want to do this. You can visit at sunset and I regret not doing so. However, the views on a sunny day are also amazing. We had lunch at a small restaurant and enjoyed a few cocktails before heading back to our hotel.

Panama’s most famous attraction is by far the Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Watching a massive ship, piled high with colorful containers, gliding quietly into the locks reveals the true enormity of this great feat of engineering. Taking a boat tour through the canal gives you even more perspective. If you want to simply see the Panama Canal, the best place to do this is at the Miraflores Locks, about 25 minutes from downtown Panama City. You can see the canal from the five-story visitor center, complete with a small museum, a restaurant, and an IMAX theater in a separate building.

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. We believe travel opens up horizons, broadens perspectives and affords us an unforgettably enjoyable experience. Receiving this precious gift of life mostly stems from a beautiful interaction with the local culture and thus we aim to maintain this treasure by sharing our love, energy and profits. Few locations include Pearl Islands, Indigenous peoples populated the Pearl Islands until Spanish Conquistadors discovered the archipelagos’ wealth of pearls in the 1500s. The islands gained new popularity after being featured on the reality television show Survivor. The islands feature lush forests surrounded by white sandy beaches. Contadora Island is the most developed of the Pearl Islands, with several resorts and an airstrip. Visitors can charter private yachts to cruise and explore the islands.