I can't say enough about my stay here. It was exactly what I wanted. Beautiful surroundings, an attentive staff, quiet, and a bit of adventure.
This was my first time going off the beaten path. I normally vacation in major cities or all inclusive resorts, so this was a totally new experience,
I landed at the airport (actually a hut on what appeared to be a soccer field) and was greeted by the host/guide Nicky (who speaks, Kuna, Spanish, & English). Of we went in a little motorboat to the lodge, where a breakfast of eggs awaited. Then it was off to my perfectly quaint hut, to settle in and rest in my waterfront hammock. I went snorkeling for the first time and was amazed at the underwater beauty. I visited the Kuna Village, and went fishing too. The Kuna performed for us too. The meals were delicious and fresh, though, since you only get fed 3 times a day, you might want to bring some snacks (though, I was okay without them).
There were only 4 other guests on the first day of my visit, and 2 on the second. Everyone was given individual attention by the incredibly warm staff.

Bring bug spray.
The water pressure is TERRIBLE, but I felt clean after a shower. There is no hot water, but you don't need it. The water is safe to drink.
I definitely plan on going back.

As our travel agent described before our visit, "You go to Dolphin Lodge for the Kuna Yala culture, not for the beaches." Likewise, you make this trip not for a luxury destination resort, but to see a different culture, a society that is evolving despite attempts to retain the past. A thought-provoking experience.
Some notes:
1. The Dolphin Lodge people have read some of the criticisms in tripadvisor! The rules for when and how much to pay for picture-taking were described upon arrival. No payment required for scenery, including scenery with people in the background. $1 per shot of individuals, unless you buy a mola, in which case you get a photo with the person who sells the mola.
2. Flights in and out can be confusing. We arrived on Air Panama, landing at the Achutupo airstrip. We left on Aeroperlas, departing from the Mamitupo airstrip. Each airstrip is operated by a different community (Dolphin is associated with the Achutupo community), and it appears each has struck a deal with a different airline. If you look at Google maps, you will see the two airstrips almost side-by-side in apparent competition.
3. The Mamitupo airport is infested by biting gnats ("noseeums" as we call them in Canada). We were warned in advance and we certainly needed our repellent! The islands are generally bite-free, except on beaches where sand fleas will find you quickly.
4. The cabins are basic, but comfortable and clean. The shower worked. We had to ask for a second towel - maybe the two of us were expected to share one. Food was OK.
5. Friendly staff. No overt pressure to tip, but there was a tip box in the dining room with a message clearly stating that tipping is voluntary.
6. "Eco-lodge"? Clearly not sustainable without tourist dollar infusions. Water is reportedly piped from the mainland. The sewage? (Didn't have the nerve to ask, but the buried pipe leads into the sea.)
7. The islands are low-lying and even today the waves are lapping at the edge of some buildings. How long will they last with global warming? Maybe an incentive to visit soon.

This lodge, also called the Uaguinega Lodge was an ideal spot for truly getting away from civilization....no TV, no cars, no radio, and sun-heated warm water showers, The staff speak English, Spanish, and Kuna and are about as accomodating as possible. You can do as much or as little as you want. Visits to several Kuna villages were a delight, uncrowded, and definitely uncommercial. Snorkeling was right off the boat where ever the reef looked inviting. Meals were well prepared. It is expensive for such basic accomodations, but almost everything has to be flown in and then brought to the island by canoe (that includes guests, too!). It's well worth it!

I have never had such a wonderful experience. And, can you imagine our surprise having come from a rented house with A.C. and an inground pool, to landing on an airstrip in the middle of the jungle? The guide we'd been using on the mainland set this up for us. We litterally had no idea what this place was like, or how remote it truly was. When asked, the guide told us that we would be landing at an airport, and that there would be a representative there holding a name card up for us, so that we would be able to identify him. Ha ha ha ha! Well, the 5 of us, all adult women boarded a small plane. There were a few Kuna women on board with us, travelling with Parrots, oddly enough. The airport consisted of an open concrete building approximately 15' x 20'. I had to use the facilities as soon as we landed, but found that there were no facilities, with the exception of a 3' tall, 3 sided bamboo screen contraption. Hey, I had to go, I used it. It's a jungle out there. You have to do what you have to do. Then, 2 native men slid ashore in a long dugout cuipo tree with an outboard motor, and started unloading our luggage from the plane. I of course went running towards him waving my arms in the air, thinking that he had the wrong people. Oh my, to my surprise, he did not. We all boarded the dugout which had 3 flat wooden seats numbered by hand with white paint. Off we went! We passed a number of islands that all looked similar to one another. We eventually landed on Dolphin Island. The man who had retrieved us introduced himself to us as "Geronimo" the Chief of the island. This was back in the late 1990's, although it would not allow me to choose anything earlier than 2003, so there were not many huts there yet. We purchased lovely handmand molas, and I believe at the time we paid about $9.00 a piece for them. I believe there was Geronimo's family's hut and maybe 3 other huts, and a string of port-o-potties that stood alone. I think there was 1 overhead light outside and maybe one in the eating hut. The lighting in our hut consisted of old glass hurricane lanterns filled with kerosene which gave the hut a nice ambience. There was also one very large friendly blue MaCaw parrot that roamed the island freely. The seafood was fresh caught and delicious. The morning meals were simple, but fine. They had a generator in their kitchen for the refrigerator, so there was cold beverages available. Our trip was all inclusive, but we tipped them nicely anyway, as we felt we were actually on someone's private island, and they made us all feel very welcome. Geronimo and the other Kuna natives on the island were very pleasant. We signed their guest book. They took us to the big island of Achupa one day, and snorkeling another day. Bring your own snorkel equip, as they did not have any. Fortunately for us, we'd brought our own. The only thing there that I would like to see them change, is the way they discard batteries. I know they don't have electric, but the water's edge on Achupa was thick with discarded batteries, and that scared us, for the simple fact that it cannot be good for the marine life there. Outside of that, we had a fabulous time. We even got to meet with the oldest surviving Kuna Indian who had been in the war. We did have to pay for a photo with him, but what an opportunity and an honor. They carried him out on a chair. He was very old, but very nice. They didn't speak any english, but couldn't have been more pleasant. In any case, I loved the trip. It was a nice detour from a civilization, and we all had a wonderful time. Would do this trip again.