All about Bocas del Toro, Panama

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Ferry Port, Bocas del Toro
Nickle Tour:  We love Bocas.  Because it’s a series of islands, we found life on the water to be just what we have been looking for so while we came for just a week, we stayed for three and we’ll back for two months in March.  Bocas has so much to offer:  “city” life in Town complete with great food and nightlife, secluded beaches, diving, snorkeling, caves, hiking, jungle, surfing, sailing, wildlife (monkeys, red frogs, starfish, etc) and months and months of places to explore on land and by water.  There’s also a great mix of cultures in Bocas anchored by a diverse group of native Panamanians (indigenous tribes, Latinos of Spanish descent and Afro-Antillians) and supplemented by expats and cruisers from all over the world – including a lot of Texans!
Travel Tip:  You may notice Isla Caranero is barely mentioned in this post.  That’s because the threat of the bugs has kept us away.   You can definitely feel them on the other islands, so I’m not eager for an increase in irritation.

See:
Spending time in Bocas town:
Starfish Beach:  Take the bus to the northern tip of the island and get off at Drago Beach($5 RT), walk around the point to view hundreds of starfish laying in crystal clear water.

Rent a bike and explore the town.  For a nice ride, continue out of town and take the right towards Paunch and Bluff beach.  (An easy ride that’s about 2 hours round trip.
Learn Spanish.  If you’re staying for a while, take a refresher course at Spanish by the Sea.  I did and it was muy beuno!
Take a tour.  Many outfitters can arrange experiences ranging from day-sails and snorkeling trips and the ever popular DoDolphin Bay-Red Frog Beach-Zapatillas day tour.  The Bocas Sustainable Tourism Alliance is a good place to look for reputable tours.
A day on Bastimentos:
  • Pack a cooler of drinks and snacks and take a water taxi to the Red Frog Marina, take a short walk to the sea-side to bodysurf on Red Frog Beach and check out the Beach’s namesake.
  • Suspend yourself above the canopy on Red Frog’s ziplining tours!
  • After enjoying a few hours on Red Frog beach, hike south along the beach towards Wizzard Beach, which is great for surfing and Up the Hill (an almost-always hot, muddy hike) for a taste of refreshing  lemongrass tea or other locally-made organic products (many made from coconuts from their property).
  • Just past Up the Hill is The Thai Place which overlooks the bay and will satisfy your hunger with a spicy plate of yum after a day of fun in the sun.
Sleep:
Even though are house-sitting on Dolphin Bay, we spent some time in the area before and after our gig and can make the following recommendations:
Bocas Town:  Staying in Bocas town is very convenient but while you’ll definitely find the parties, you’ll have a hard time finding that deserted island feel unless you go further out towards Paunch Beach.
  • Las Olas ($40) is on the water, offers nice rooms with AC, TV, wi-fi, is safe and pleasant and has an on-site restaurant and bar which closes down early so it’s not noisy.
  • Spanish by the Sea ($20) is located on the school grounds but accepts non-students.   They have dorms and a few private rooms (as well as home-stays for students).  Internet and a kitchen is included.
  • Azucar Surf Retreat is on the other side of town (5 minutes by bike) and has 3 or 4 super-cute little cabinas, a private dock, kitchen/hang-out room overlooking the water. Plus, they have an on-site “spa” which is a lofted studio run by the wonderful Donna who does waxing, massage, etc at very reasonable prices. You can even get a massage on the dock, at sunset!

Bastimentos:  It’s just a $3 water taxi ride away (during the day and $5 at night) but is world’s away from the “hustle and bustle” (yeah, right) of Bocas town.

D at the Point on our balcony
      

The Point ($30) maintained by the friendly Canadian John, is, you guessed it, at  the point of the island.  If you’re looking for high ceilings of a wood framed cabina overlooking the sea with breezes and waves crashing below, this is the place for you.  Free kayaks and surfboards.  One drawback: no internet or kitchen.  But, a fridge is included for your cold drinks and food.

Eat:
Good Eats in Bocas Town (in order of my faves):
  • The Ultimate Refugio is fantastic!  Weekly specials of seafood fusion keep me coming back to see what’s on the menu – and soon to be in my belly!  As for the pitcher of Jungle Juice, it’s a good thing you won’t be driving home.
  •  The Casbah serves up Mediterranean dishes that are faboush!  We had an excellent starter of shrimp and then fig and goat cheese stuffed chicken breast, yum.
  • Bocas Marina on Friday nights serves up ribs and fire-dancing – fun!
  •  John’s Bakery is the place to get your choripan (chorizo “pigs” in a blanket) and enchiladas (flaky pastries stuffed with chicken and spices).
  • Starfish Café has great breakfasts.
  • Lemongrass has good thai-fusion apps overlooking the water.
  • Toro Loco is the local bar which serves up typical bar food and cold beer.
  • Late-night food carts serve up grilled meats for cheap prices.
  • Super Gourmet is a good place to satisfy your need for sushi, an Italian sub or whatever else you’ve been craving from “home” (sweet pickels, Tofutti, etc).
  • Oh, and don’t forget to stop by the Barco Loco for a stumbling-great time for dancing and drinks (and watch your step!  the “stumbling” is due to the Labyrinth-esque docks as much as the Abuelo 🙂
Good Eats elsewhere:
  • The Thai Place on Bastimentos is worth the hike “up the hill”
  • Rana Azul is south of Isla Cristobal, about 10 miles south of Bocas Town by boat. They serve up brick-oven pizzas and a weekly specials on Friday nights and Sundays at noon.  Get there early (by boat only) to get a parking spot!
Rush hour at Rana Azul
More:  Bocas del Toro is an archipelago of over 9 islands, 52 keys and 200 islets just south of Costa Rica on the Carribbean coast.  There are several large islands, including Isla Colon, where the main town “Bocas” is located.  Directly across from Bocas is Isla Caranero – notorious for sand flies (chitras) – and a 10 minute boat ride away is Isla Bastimentos.  Click here for a map of Bocas and other sites of interest in Panama.