Wednesday, January 15, 2014

The Journey From Panama To Colombia By Boat: A Trip Through Paradise

By Marissa Velazquez


The most challenging thing about the trip between Colombia and Panama has always been the famous Darien Gap jungle. Either air or by boat are the viable options. Those who prefer to take air option are after speed the adventure seekers take vessels. The journey through the jungle is hindered by the scary guerrillas, bandits and drug traffickers that have made the forest their home. The Panama to Colombia by boat journey presents unique opportunities leaving it a must experience trip.

There are a number of companies that offer trips along this route with unforgettable adventure. They put together a package inclusive of food and accommodation with pocket friendly prices ensuring the trip is an enjoyable experience.

The price range is from US$350 to US$500 all determined by the company you choose, the vessel size, services offered, general comfort and other factors. The trip will usually last for 5 days and 4 nights although some vessels can cover it for much shorter time.

Boarding of the boat is done at the points of departure such as Carti Islands (Puerto Carti), Portobelo, Porvenir or Puerto Lindo. Along the trip, San Blas Islands usually presents the best stop over with others taking opportunity to indulge in fishing and snorkeling.

In the choice of the traveling vessel, safety is of utmost importance. The waters are known to be rough in some cases and this will require a highly experienced captain in a well maintained boat. With such a captain on board, it will difficult for the vessel to be lost even under harsh weather conditions.

When considering the safety on the vessel, issues that matter include the experience of licensed captain, the life vests in the vessel should be in good shape and enough for all the crew and passengers, there should be a life raft, functioning flares and fire extinguishers, medical kit, safety briefing, adequate water supply, more than one experienced crew on board, electronic and paper charts, more than one GPS system, HF radio/Sat phone, a VHF radio, and among many other considerations.

Be inspecting a vessel for comfort, the number of people in it in relation to size is one of the indicators. Other determinants include cleanliness of the vessels and its toilets, presence of entertainment devices such as a TV, music system, books to read, video among others. The snorkeling and fishing gears should also be present and in good condition.

With all these considerations, the trip can be so eventful and entertaining. The travelers have opportunity to explore the route with activities such as fishing, sun-backing, swimming and snorkeling among other several fun and relaxing activities enough to change this from a simple trip to an adrenalin-fueled adventure unparalleled by any theme park ride.

For adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers, the trip from Panama to Colombia by Boat presents a unique opportunity with entertaining and breath-taking activities all packaged in to a pocket friendly prices. This presents an irresistible opportunity that one is unlikely to experience anywhere else.




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