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6 Reasons to Visit the San Blas Islands in Panama

March 27, 2019
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San Blas Islands are part of Panama and it is an archipelago with around 370 islands and small sandy islands part of coral reefs. Only 49 of them are inhabited and mostly by the local Kuna Indians.

It is easy to get to.

The San Blas Islands are located in the Northwest of Panama, which borders Colombia in the East and Costa Rica in the West. You can fly from Panama straight into the San Blas Islands or you can take a boat from either Cartagena or Capurganá.
The San Blas Islands are remote but don’t feel overwhelmed by getting here.

If you don’t want to cross the jungle or open waters of the Caribbean Sea you can use a plane to get to San Blas. You can book flights at Air Panama or Aeroperlas, but make sure you book in advance.

San Blas Islands Panama
Photo credit: Unsplash

Discover the pristine and untouched archipelagos in the world

Most of these impressively pristine islands have few roads and even fewer people. Here you can discover many new species that are unknown to the science in some of those uninhabited islands. If you are searching for that desert island feel, San Blas is the perfect destination.

Snorkeling San Blas

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Snorkeling in San Blas Islands

San Blas is also known to have some of the best spots for snorkeling in the Caribbean of Central America. Many of the islands are ringed by healthy coral reefs and gorgeous water. The coral reef attracts many stunning species. The best time to go snorkeling is from June to October because the water visibility is better and there are fewer currents.

Cuna people
Photo credit: Markus Leupold-Löwenthal / Wikipedia

The Kuna People

The real name of San Blas is Kuna Yala – Land of the Kuna. The Cuna are famous for their bright molas, a colorful textile art form made with the techniques of appliqué and reverse appliqué.

About 50.000 Kuna’s live on the 49 major islands of San Blas and are controlled by their own community leader called a Sahila.

relaxation Caribbean

Photo by Benjamín Gremler on Unsplash

The ultimate relaxation in the Caribbean

The island is picture-perfect with lapping waves, swaying palm trees, and gentle breezes and no Wi-Fi or TVs. Evenings are leisurely, with everyone relaxing and enjoying the slow Caribbean pace.

adventure

Photo by ROCIO GUILLEN on Unsplash

The adventure

San Blas is an indigenous territory located northeast of Panama. Discover the San Blas Islands and relax in a typical rustic bungalow over water, hosted by a native Guna family. The San Blas Islands are popular with eco-tourists due to their pristine natural state.

Featured image photo credit: Marc Veraart / Flickr

Want to learn more about San Blas Panama? Check our other post about Essential Things to Know Before Visiting
San Blas Islands.

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Ningaloo Reef

Ningaloo Reef Travel Tips

March 17, 2019
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The Ningaloo reef protects a lagoon that is on average only 2-4 metres deep and is rich in marine life. The Ningaloo Coast is a World Heritage Site located in the northwest coastal region of Western Australia. It has long empty beaches, astonishing marine life and world-heritage listing combined with a strong cultural heritage.

Many travelers seek the opportunity to explore this remote and wildly beautiful coral reef and coastline also provide iconic marine wildlife. Ningaloo Reef has earned a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting and abundant locations to swim, dive, fish or snorkel.

How to Get to the Ningaloo Reef

Airlines

Skywest / Virgin and Qantas Airlines operate daily flights from Perth to Learmonth Airport. Learmonth Airport is located 36 km south of Exmouth. Exmouth Bus Charters meet every flight and for a fee they can drop you off at your accommodation in Exmouth.

If you will be traveling to Coral Bay, there are a couple of companies that can arrange transfers between Learmonth and Coral Bay.

Ningaloo Reef Travel Tips

Photo credit: NeilsPhotography / Flickr

Road Access

If you are traveling north to Exmouth along the North West Coastal Highway, travel 142km north of Carnarvon and turn left onto the Minilya-Exmouth Road. From here it is a further 200km to the Exmouth townsite.

If you are traveling south to Exmouth turn off the North West Coastal Highway 110km south of the Nanutarra Roadhouse onto Burkett Road. From here it’s 80 km to the Minilya Exmouth Road.

Coach Lines

Integrity Coach Lines provide scheduled coach services as far north as Broome and as far south as Perth, stopping everywhere in between.

You can check the schedule on their website below:

Perth to Broome via Exmouth
Broome to Perth via Exmouth

Things to do

Helicopter Flight

See the full extent of the reef and the amazing array of colors and wildlife from the air. Scenic flights will give you the chance to view and photograph many of the marine creatures found in the Ningaloo Marine Park. Birds Eye View offers the ultimate experience of the North West Cape.

This is one of the most unique and picturesque environments in the whole of Australia, where you can see canyons to reefs, Turtles, Dugongs, Manta Rays, Tiger Sharks or Whale Sharks and Humpback Whales,

Turquoise Bay

Photo credit: Andy Tyler / Flickr

Turquoise Bay

Turquoise Bay is home to more than 500 exotic fish species, turtles, squid and ofcourse, coral. You can enjoy snorkeling and swimming in the bay. Known as one of Australia’s best beaches, Turquoise Bay is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon relaxing, swimming and snorkelling. Dive into the pristine waters at Turquoise Bay to swim and snorkel within a few metres of Ningaloo Reef.

Whale Sharks

Photo credit: Julie Edgley / Flickr

Swim with the Whale Sharks

Swimming with a whale shark is an unforgettable experience! Every year from March to August, the world’s biggest fish congregate along the Ningaloo Reef.

You can join a tour and not only swim with whale sharks, but also interact with majestic manta rays, encounter dugongs, turtles, humpback whales, dolphins, colorful tropical fish, and amazing corals. Most of those tours including snorkeling equipment, wetsuits, food, and drinks.

Ningaloo Reef’s remarkable eco-system attracts hundreds of whale sharks with its abundance of naturally-occurring food and nutrient-rich waters from the continental shelf that lies beneath Ningaloo. With plankton drifting closer to the surface, whale sharks get easy, abundant feeding. While whale sharks can grow to an impressive 15 meters in length, and they pose no danger to humans. They are calm, slow-moving, and they are undisturbed by snorkellers swimming in close distance.

Coral Bay

Coral Bay is a marine paradise and one of Western Australia’s premier family holiday destinations. Named Coral Bay due to the beautiful coral gardens just meters away from the white sandy beach.

It’s ideal for the independent traveler searching for excitement; families looking for an enjoyable, safe environment; scuba divers; fisher persons; snorkellers

Exmouth

Exmouth is the perfect base to explore the grandiose landscapes of the Cape Range National Park and the underwater wonders of the Ningaloo Marine Park. The Exmouth Visitor Centre can provide you with the many tour options available. 

 

Turtle Hatching season

Photo credit: Matthew Fuentes / Flickr

Turtle Hatching season

The Shark Bay Marine Park north to the Ningaloo Reef is some of the world’s major breeding areas for sea turtles. The turtle nesting season between December and March, and after a six-week period. Approximately six weeks after nesting, tiny turtle hatchlings emerge from their nests and scurry to the deep blue sea of the Ningaloo Marine Park.

Main photo credit: platours_flickr / Flickr

Want to learn more about other sustainable destination? Check out section sustainable travel destinations.

San Francisco sustainable city

5 Reasons Why San Francisco is a Sustainable City

February 12, 2019
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San Francisco boasts a range of practices and policies to achieving sustainability, as both the City and County of San Francisco. The southern California city is well known for banning plastic bags, plastic bottles, and Styrofoam take-out containers, and San Francisco International Airport was the first to install carbon offset kiosks.

Here is a quick overview of the 5 Reasons San Francisco is a Sustainable City

Eco-Transportation

San Francisco’s public transportation system, is one of the top systems in the country with its mix of rapid rail, commuter rail and bus lines that span the city, that runs on biodiesel.
San Francisco is a pedestrian-friendly city, and walking is the best option to see everything, it’s zero-emissions, and you’ll get the health benefits of exercise.

If you want to get around more quickly than walking on your feet, but skip the public transportation you may consider renting a bike from one of the many rental shops in the city-including Bay City Bikes and Blazing Saddles or sign for a bike tour.

More than half of MUNI buses and light rails are zero-emission, and the remains will switch to hybrid diesel by 2020. After the city’s Healthy Air and Smog Prevention ordinance in 1999, more than 700 “cleaner air vehicles,” which are compressed natural gas, hybrid, and electric, have been introduced to San Francisco’s public transportation. There are a large number of LEED-certified companies and many buildings are eco-friendly certified.

Sustainable Food

Vegan cuisine is a really popular in San Franciscan food. City agencies maximize fair trade and organic food purchases from local farms that grow and harvest food sustainably. Restaurants maintain this habit and often times have menus that vary by the season and are locally grown ingredients. Even some sushi restaurants serve sustainably-sourced seafood. More grocery stores and restaurants are opting for sustainable options. The food production within the city has increased and farmers’ markets have become less pricey.

From coffee to cheese to other exceedingly valuable crops, California clearly has the climate and drive to grow its own produce. And having the nearby, hungry U.C. system as a customer willing to save money and operate more sustainably could seal the deal

San Fransisco hiking trails

Eco-Friendly Things to Do

With more than 220 green spaces in San Francisco, it’s easy to escape the City by the Bay without ever really leaving it. There are over 30 miles of hiking trails, residents can enjoy.
Hiking trails accessible by both walking and driving, offers breathtaking views of the city and East Bay, Bernal Heights and Brooks Park also have access to gorgeous views, as well as Bayview Park and Glen Canyon Park.

Reduce Waste

Waste reduction or prevention is the preferred approach to waste management because waste that never gets created doesn’t have waste management costs. Waste reduction also helps conserve resources for future generations and contributes to a cleaner environment.
San Francisco plans living waste-free by the year 2020. The Bay Area city is already over 78 percent achieved the goal and continues to make significant progress in reducing the impact in the landfills.

Back in 2007, San Francisco was the first US city to ban plastic bags! Grocery stores offer compostable bags as an alternative. The containers for waste subdivision in San Francisco are located in convenient locations such as stores, restaurants, campuses, and residential streets.
Greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 12% compared to 1990 levels. Local farmers use the city’s nutrient-rich compost to produce food.

Water Conservation

Californians have made great strides in their commitment to water conservation and are embracing wise water use as a daily habit. From taking shorter showers to transforming landscapes with California friendly plants, Californians are showing that conservation still matters and that even the smallest changes can have a big impact.
In this battle to conserve water, San Francisco stands out as the area that has reduced its water consumption the most dramatically. San Franciscans use the least amount of water in the state of California. Residents use 49 gallons of water a day on average, compared to 100 gallons a day in the rest.

Photo credit: pexels.com

Check our others blog posts and learn more about other sustainable cities.

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