The San Blas Islands are an archipelago of palm-tree packed islands with aqua blue water and a distinctly Caribbean feel, and they lie between the east coast of Panama and the north coast of Colombia. For us, the San Blas also represented the stepping stones on our journey from Central America to South America.
When it comes to backpacking, or travel in general, I am a firm advocate of splurging on the things that bring you joy and create great memories. For Dave and I, a 12-course degustation dinner at a rising star establishment in a thriving metropolis definitely meets that criteria!
Our original itinerary did not include more than a couple of hours in Panama City, however once we decided to skip Costa Rica in favour of Colombia, it made more sense to fly directly from Managua (Nicaragua) into Panama City as opposed to spending five-plus days making the overland journey.