- Mar 9, 2021

June, July, August Weather in the San Blas Islands: Are the Summer Months the Best Period to Visit?

The San Blas islands summer season starts in May and ends in November. The first period of the summer is perfect for visiting the San Blas Islands; mild weather, very short rain episodes and almost no tourists or sailboats make this place the perfect Caribbean getaway.

Contrary to the belief that San Blas weather has 2 seasons, dry and wet, we, as long time residents of this Caribbean islands, believe that such simplistic approach is not entirely accurate and even though the 2 seasons are definitely present throughout Panama, the same cannot be generally applied to the San Blas Islands weather.

Sailing the San Blas islands for years, one becomes aware of the fact that there might be a 3rd season regarding to the weather. A season that is a delight to sail the San Blas Islands and that fits in between the two traditional seasons, dry and wet.

That 3rd season ranges from May to August.

Empty anchorages and no other boat around make the middle months of the year a very attractive option for your holidays in Panama

Traditional seasons and weather in the in San Blas Islands, Panama:

December to April: dry season or high season with no rain and sunny skies, tourist know that.
May to November: wet season or low season, rain and cloud coverage, no tourist or boats.

That 3rd season covers the months after the dry season:

December - April: dry season with no rain and sunny skies, moderate to strong wind. Water visibility in the windiest days is affected. Tourists love the dry season, also known as the high season in San Blas.
May - August: 3rd season, December to August. Variable weather with occasional short duration rain showers and light wind. Perfect water visibility for snorkeling. Low tourism and boats.
September -November: wet season, rain and cloud coverage. If rain is constant which most of the time is not, water visibility can be partly affected by the muddy water flowing from the rivers. Very light wind and no tourist or boats.

Being 2021 and the impact of the global pandemic on tourism still looming around the corner, chances of finding other boats or tourists around our sailing areas in San Blas are minimal Added to that is the fact that our sailing itineraries in the San Blas cover areas of the San Blas Islands that are mostly untouched and far away from the access road and the port of San Blas. The result: a memorable catamaran sailing experience in the heart of Kuna Yala with little or no interference from outside.

Normal tourism annoyances such as noise and other types of pollution are present to some extent in some of the most touristic islands. Read our "Top 5 islands NOT to visit in the San Blas" for a quick check on what to expect when choosing to visit islands close to the local road or at the reach of day tourists. We are not saying those islands we mentioned are horrible in any way, we are simply surfacing the truth of San Blas and exposing what occurs in this congested islands and their festive holiday atmosphere. These islands are not to be missed if you are looking for interaction with foreigners and a taste the blend of Panamanian and San Blas ways.

Back to the 3rd season: month of April with Easter holidays is said to be one of the busiest months in the dry season. Tourist flow is likely to be already decreasing during the last days of April. Some occasional showers will appear and most of the times if not all, they will simply fade out in a hour or so. This short rain fall durations are not the same in all parts of Panama. San Blas has the benefit of the prevailing Trade Winds that blow from the East and that unlike other sailing areas of Panama such as Bocas del Toro, are able to dissipate any humidity in a very short time.

Top 10 benefits of crewed sailing holidays in the San Blas Islands in low season/wet season:

Almost no tourists around the anchorages or islands
No sailing boats to be seen throughout your stay
Fast transfers in and out with no congestion at the border or road
Occasional short duration shower episodes clear the atmosphere and light becomes perfect for shooting pictures
Lobsters are abundant, sealing season is over end of June, so get ready!
Water visibility is at its best and snorkeling is a must
Temperature of water is higher than the dry season
Kuna indigenous on the outer islands of Dutch cays and Coco Bandero are eager to see new faces
Prices and overall costs tend to be lower
Unspoiled beauty of the Cays becomes even more apparent and easy to interiorize ;)