This island is also known by its indiegenous name, Ukupseni. The Guna eke out a living through hospitality and selling sustainable quantities of some of the islands’ natural resources, like fresh coconuts and lobster. Make sure admire their colorful needlework and learn more about their crafting traditions on tours of their villages. Playon Chico is one of the more occupied islands, where you can see a little bit of everyday life in the archipelago. The farther out from the mainland you travel, the more empty and uninhabited that you’ll find the islands.

Sail around the islands to see some of the most extraordinary sights along Panama’s coast. Boating trips can bring you to extraordinary spots for underwater exploration — there’s fascinating coral reefs and shipwrecks that create an interesting place for marine wildlife to congregate. Best of all, you’ll typically have a local navigating your boat as you explore, giving you another chance to experience this remote culture.