Bocas del Toro, Panama
January 25-28, 2012
Our first stop after entering Panama was the island of Bocas del Toro (Isla Colon). From the mainland, its a fun and pleasant 20 minute boat ride to the town of Bocas which is a friendly but small town with one lively main street. We also visited the two nearby islands of Isla Carenero and Isla Bastimentos.
Panama Border Crossing
Once arriving at the border and receiving our exit stamp from Costa Rica, we then walked across an old dilapidated railway bridge across the river and into Panama. At the other side, we unfortunately ran into a long line-up waiting for our entry stamp. Welcome to Panama!
Boat to Isla Colon - Bocas del Toro
It was a great day for a boat ride. The water was calm and clear and it made for a fun experience.
Our Accommodations - Cala Luna
It was unusually busy when we arrived and our top choices for hotels didn't have rooms. But, we did find a decent hotel a few blocks from the main street called Hotel Cala Luna. It sure didn't look like much from the outside, but it had been recently renovated with simple nice rooms. The "ambiance" of these types of accommodations are typical along coastal towns and after a while, you realize its just a type of rustic charm.
Photo's of Bocas del Toro
Bocas had one main street where most of the services were located and that was about it. The beaches on this particular island didn't have any fantastic write-ups so we used it as a base to explore the other islands. It was a good introduction to island living in Panama.
Isla Carenero
This little island was just a few hundred meters from Bocas by taxi boat, yet it felt a world away. It is the smallest of the islands and least inhabited but we really liked the charm and feel of this place. We went to a great restaurant called Bibi's that jutted out onto the water and had some fantastic food and a few cold drinks to wash it all down.
Isla Bastimentos
The main town of Bastimentos is definately more poor and rustic compared to the other islands. But, it certainly gave you an authentic impression of local living. There is a pretty nice beach here called Red Frog Beach which just the two of us visited as a day trip. There is also a restaurant here called Roots which had THE BEST red snapper we've EVER tasted!