2022 Panama Home Conference Kit

The San Blas islands form part of Guna Yala, a comarca (type of province) stretching along Panama’s Caribbean coast.

The comarca is home to the indigenous Guna people and is unique in that it is recognized as autonomous (similar to if a U.S. native reservation were given the powers of a state). The local control has brought a quality of life and preservation of their culture that otherwise likely would have been unachievable.

Guna hospitality runs deep, and they welcome visitors with open arms. No “gringo pricing” here…

Hands down, the San Blas islands offer the best of the best for island vacationing. While the islands are plentiful in nature, modern development remains non-existent.

San Blas has crystal clear aquamarine waters and, unlike most beaches in Panama, white sand beaches that look and feel like baking flour…

Many people only know Aguadulce as that annoying little town along the Pan-American Highway where traffic becomes congested… And it’s true—but it’s a misconception that traffic is all there is to this town. The other misconception is that Aguadulce’s only attraction is the Spanish-colonial architecture. There’s so much more…

Aguadulce’s history is mysterious… It was known as “la tierra de la sal y el azúcar” (the land of salt and sugar) during the late 18th century and was baptized as San Juan Bautista de Aguadulce around the same time.

The Aguadulceña community takes great pride in their cultural history and its importance to the country. The small town preserves several cultural landmarks that the now Ministry of Culture proclaimed important to Panama’s national heritage in 2017…

One is the Museum of Salt and Sugar, with its colonial architecture and canary yellow façade. For a nominal fee, you can look at pre-Colombian artifacts, historical documents, photographs, as well as the origins of the sugar industry. Another iconic building is the Eduardo Pedreschi Municipal Palace. Built in 1925, it’s named after the Italian architect who designed many of the important buildings in the city.

Currently, Aguadulce is restoring, improving, and repairing important city structures, with many visible renovation projects like Parque 19 de Octubre, directly across the street from the historic San Juan Bautista Church.

If you enjoy fresh air and sunshine (with some rain mixed in), Aguadulce is a great place to live, with an abundance of outdoor activities to do here… limited only by your imagination and abilities.