Do you have a sense of adventure and like eating fresh coconuts? Don't miss the islands of San Blas if you make it to Panama. Here's why:

Even just getting there is an adventure. You have to take an 8-seater plane which flies over the cloud forests and other islands, and chances are 1/7 that you'll get to sit in the co-pilot's seat! Since all flights leave at 6am, you'll see get the beautiful sunrise over Panama City. The cost: Ida y vuelta (round-trip), just $60 per person from Panama City.

The propeller plane then lands on a tiny island called Porvenir whose landing strip is the entire width of the island (see picture below). On a map, you'll see that Porvenir is the capital of the comarca de San Blas (province of San Blas), and you'll expect a rather bustling city! Not here. Probably less than 20 people actually live in this "capital."

We recommend that you continue on to the neighboring island of Nalunega. On this island lives a community of Kuna indians. You have to be incredibly respectful to these people. You can observe their culture only from afar, as they are extremely wary of foreigners.

You will eat langosta (lobster), arroz con coco (rice with coconut milk), pargo frito (fried Red Snapper), fruto de pan (breadfruit - a fruit that ends up looking and tasting like mashed potatoes) and even tortuga (sea turtles) if you wish.

You'll want to visit the other islands. Just ask the hotel owner, Luis Burgos, to take you to any island you desire. Try Isla Aguja (Needle Island) which lies adjacent to Isla Hilo (Thread Island)! You will relax like never before on these idyllic islands inhabited by just one or two Kuna families. This destination is perfect; it's not touristy at all, yet is set up for the lucky few that hear about it.

Last of all, make sure to buy some molas while you're there. Molas are hand-sewn cloths which can be used as wall hangings or made into pillows, made by the Kuna indians. They are the most common Panamanian souvenir that you'll see all over Panama; but if you buy them here, you'll be able to actually see them design and sew them, and you may get to buy them at lower prices. They're brightly colored, and mostly feature animals.