The San Blas Islands, known formally as Guna Yala, form an archipelago in Panama's Caribbean Sea governed autonomously by the Guna people. Scuba diving is currently banned by the Guna General Congress, so all underwater exploration here is by snorkelling. The sites in our database are shallow, with most sitting well within snorkelling range, and the water is warm throughout the year. Reefs, seagrass beds, shallow wrecks, and artificial structures make up the site types recorded here. Species include nurse sharks, Atlantic goliath grouper, green sea turtles, and various Caribbean reef fish. There are no professional dive centres operating within the islands, and the ban is strictly enforced.
Monthly water temperature across San Blas Islands's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperature is consistently warm across all months, rising slightly from late spring through autumn. Because scuba diving is prohibited, all in-water activity is snorkelling; sites are appropriately shallow and suit beginners. The calmer months from May onwards tend to bring the clearest, most settled water conditions.
20 operators
El Porvenir, Panama
El Porvenir, Panama
Nargana, Panama
El Porvenir, Panama
El Porvenir, Panama
El Porvenir, Panama
Water temperature around San Blas Islands ranges from about 28°C in January to 30°C in October, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 28–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in San Blas Islands year-round.
Fin maps 8 sites in San Blas Islands (5 scuba diving sites and 3 snorkelling spots).
Across San Blas Islands's dive sites, April, August, September, October and November are most often reported as the best months to visit.
4 more sites to explore