Going to San Blas If You Can't Swim

You can go to San Blas without knowing how to swim, and that is not a consolation prize: there are stops on the route where the water stays shallow for many metres, and they are, precisely, some of the best of the day.

What is worth knowing in advance is where you will feel comfortable and where you will not, because there is no lifeguard on the island and the guide is looking after the whole group.

The stops where the water stays shallow

The Natural Pool is the best example. It is not an island: it is a sandbank in the open sea where the water reaches your waist or your chest, hundreds of metres from any shore. You stand up in it. It is where most people are surprised, and it is also where you see starfish without goggles and without putting your head under. We cover it in full in the natural pool of San Blas.

Maoki has such a gentle bottom that you can walk a good way out to sea without it getting deep. If you are travelling with small children or you do not trust the water, it is the calmest stop in the catalogue.

Isla Iguana and Isla Aguja have flat entries with no current. You can stay in the water a long time without fighting anything.

In general, the islands of the Limones Cays have sandy shores that drop away gradually, not suddenly. You can see which tours each island belongs to and pick the route that way rather than by name.

Where it does get deep, and what to do

The shipwreck at Isla Perro Chico is a few metres from the shore, but around the wreck the bottom drops. You can see it from where you can stand, face down with goggles; getting properly close requires floating.

The reefs of Cayos Holandeses are deep water. Snorkelling there is done from the boat or by swimming out from the beach, and it is not a stop designed for non-swimmers.

The crossing between islands is open sea. Nobody is going to ask you to get in, but it is good to know the boat crosses areas where you cannot stand.

Four concrete things that do work

Ask for a life jacket. The boats carry life jackets on board by regulation. You can ask for one and keep it on in the water, not just during the crossing. It is not unusual and nobody will look at you: plenty of people who can swim use one to float effortlessly while they watch the bottom.

Say so when you book and tell the guide. It is not an awkward confession, it is useful information. Knowing there is somebody in the group who does not swim, the guide will tell you at each stop where the limit is and warn you about currents he knows and you do not.

A waist float or a pool noodle fits in your backpack. It takes up nothing inflated by mouth and it completely changes the Natural Pool and the flat shores.

Stay where you can see the bottom. It is the simplest rule and the most reliable. In San Blas the water is so clear that if you can see the sand, you can stand up or nearly.

Do not go alone into areas where you cannot touch the bottom, even if the water looks still. Do not trust “it looks shallow”: the clarity of the water is deceptive and a stretch that looks a metre deep may be three. And do not count on anybody watching you: the guide is looking after the whole group, not one person.

There is no need to dramatise it either. On a one-day trip, people who do not swim enjoy practically the same day: the warm water, the sand, the food on the island, the starfish and the boat ride. The only thing you genuinely miss is deep snorkelling, which is a part of the day, not the day.

Which tour to choose

If you do not swim, the criterion is not the price but which stops it includes. Routes that take in the Natural Pool and the islands of the Limones Cays are the ones that will serve you best. The ones heading to Cayos Holandeses are spectacular but are designed for getting properly into the water.

You can compare the fifteen day trips and their prices, or write to us on WhatsApp saying that you do not swim: we will tell you which one to choose without selling you the most expensive.

Frequently asked questions

Can I go to San Blas if I can’t swim? Yes. Several stops on the route stay shallow, and the boats carry life jackets you can also use in the water.

Are there life jackets? Yes, the boats carry them on board. You can ask for one for the crossing and for swimming.

Is there a lifeguard on the islands? No. The islands have no lifeguard service. The guide accompanies the group and warns about areas with current, but he is not a substitute for a lifeguard.

Is the Natural Pool deep? Generally the water reaches an adult’s waist or chest, and you stand up in it. The depth changes with the tide, so the guide indicates how far to go that day.

Can I snorkel without knowing how to swim? With a life jacket or a float, in shallow areas, yes, you can look at the bottom. Deep reef snorkelling, no.

And with children who don’t swim? It is a perfectly workable plan if you choose the stops well. We have a specific guide in San Blas with kids.