Zapatilla Cayes. These islands are the most famous of all our islands here in Bocas del Toro. They are beautiful little islands which are included in the Bastimentos National Marine Park. As such they will never be inhabited but for a park ranger or a select group of people who stay on the islands for a brief period of time to help the turtles during nesting season.

Today we had a group of 13 people we took over to the first Zapatilla Cay. Besides us, I think there were maybe 15 other people there. Of those 15 other people, 6 of them were with a tour operator who parked near where we were and the other 9 people we saw as they took a walk around the entire island.

There are days when we take our guests out to these beaches and we do not see any other people. We have had several groups of guests ask to be dropped off at these beaches in order for them to play “Survivor” for a few hours at a time. Of course, we do send an igloo full of food and drinks, chairs, and a variety of other gear with them. So while it isn’t much of a trial at Survivor; it is a great day.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Beach, Islands, Nature

Humble exterior. Please do not be deceived by the humble exterior of our eco adventure lodge’s facilities. We designed the buildings to allow us to build them without heavy equipment using the local workforce. We also designed and built them to withstand Mother Nature. As such, some might say they have a rather humble exterior.

Step inside one of our cabanas or turn around and check out the view when you are standing on the porch of one of our cabanas and you will want to stay past your planned departure date. Each cabana is simply furnished. Most of the furniture was made especially for us from local hardwoods. The bathrooms have local granite countertops and large showers with full size hot water heaters. We provide both air conditioning and ceiling fans so that you can choose how to cool your cabana. Metal roofs allow you to enjoy the sound of the rain during our night time showers. We have a calm color palette in order to focus on what is going on outside the cabana.

The views from the cabana are spectacular. Look up and you see incredibly tall trees with a variety of birds and animals living amongst them. Look out and you can see the Talamanca range in the distance over the beautiful blue Caribbean waters. Look down and you might find a red frog or some other curious jungle animal.

As humble as our exterior may be, all of our guests are pleasantly surprised by what awaits them from within our eco adventure lodge. You will be too.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Accommodations, Islands

Is it the specific Panama island? Is it the size of the Panama resort at which you stay? Is it the little things? Or do all of the different aspects fall together to create a memorable vacation?

I think it is some combination of the different aspects which make things great. On my honeymoon in the Bahamas, we stayed at a nice place which was somewhat all-inclusive but small enough that they were able to actually take care of each guest. My husband got up early each morning and went fishing leaving me to sleep in. We met up mid-morning and then had the rest of the day together. I remember good food, a sweet Labrador retriever, gorgeous beaches and many intimate moments.

Many years later, we took a fishing vacation in Mexico under different circumstances where I happened to be the only woman staying at the lodge. I ended up trying yoga with some of the staff while my husband was out fishing. Yoga became a serious part of my life for many years to come. Ironically this vacation also includes memories of good food, gorgeous beaches, and many intimate moments.

When we set out to create our Bocas del Toro Hotel, we took all of these things into consideration. We wanted to make our eco adventure lodge a place where the different aspects of your vacation come together to create beautiful memories. So, we begin your trip to Panama by picking you up at the international airport with an English speaking guide and taking care of your ground transfer to the domestic airport. We ask you in advance about your food preferences. We send one of the owners of the lodge to pick you up at the airport in Isla Colon. We house you in deluxe private cabanas at our secluded island location. We make activities and excursions available to you. We introduce you to our family, friends and our community. Yet we maintain the private island feel and experience and we throw in a sweet Labrador retriever.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Vacation, FAQ

During Semana de Santa, Bocas del Toro Panama might be described by the people who live here as crowded. Many people living in Costa Rica and Panama take advantage of the holiday time during that week and come for a visit. Our sleepy laid back archipelago is filled with visitors several times of year. Semana de Santa is one such time.

Semana de Santa marks the end of our busy season, which seems to begin earlier and end later each year. Bocas has a variety of different accommodations for each type of traveler. For the holidays each year, all of the accommodations are full. Reservations for the month of December are definitely required and if you want any options you need to begin early.

Last year, we had reservations for all of our cabanas for the December holidays by the end of September. This year I expect that it will be earlier. However, traveling during busy season is not for everyone. The experience is different during busy season as there are more people. Our natural surroundings are still the same and the number of people here is quite limited compared to other holiday destinations, but you do have to share with other people.

If you travel to Bocas del Toro during the non peak seasons you get the place to yourself (or almost so). So really, it depends upon how private a vacation you want to have. Really private – come some time between April and October. Semi private – head south between November and March.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Accommodations, Seasons

Along one of the Zapatilla Cayes here in Bocas del Toro Panama you can go snorkeling along an ocean cliff. You can take a leisurely walk from the leeward side of the island over to the windward side and enter the water. You swim along the Panama Island until you reach the cliff. Once you reach the cliff you can dive down a bit and encounter a large variety of fish. We help you locate the spot to enter the water and then accompany you to the cliff itself.

We had a couple out there yesterday who visited several spots in Bocas del Toro during their vacation. They both said that this beach and this snorkeling experience were the best they have had in Panama so far.

The Zapatilla Cayes are on the outer edge of the archipelago and the Bastimentos National Marine Park. Many of the boat captains and tour guides from Isla Colon do not venture out to these beautiful islands. The guides which do go as far as the Zapatillas generally do not accompany their clients on to the island. They drop them off and anchor or circle the island for some period of time and then return to pick them up. Their clients will have a wonderful beach experience. Their snorkeling experience is dependent upon chance. As it is up to the clients to find the spots to snorkel on their own.

As a Bocas del Toro Hotel, we try not to leave anything to chance – if we can improve upon your vacation by advance planning and guiding, then we do so.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands, Ocean, Snorkeling

What should you bring for your stay in a Bocas del Toro hotel? Remember that if you are traveling on any of the domestic airlines that they have a 25 pound checked baggage limit per person. You can check bags weighing more than 25 pounds however you will pay for the excess weight – at about $.70 per pound.

Depending upon what you intend to do during your stay on a Panama island, you will need to come equipped with the right stuff. Life here is casual. Daytime attire is determined by the activity you have plannded for the day which frequently begins with a swim suit. Nighttime attire is pretty basic – most men wear shorts and a shirt for dinner and the women may wear the same or a casual sun dress.

Here is a list of things you might want to consider including in your suitcase:
• Rain jacket – we are in the rain forest and it does rain on occasion
• Sunscreen – you are going to be exposed to the sun quite a bit
• After sun lotion – inevitably you may still get too much sun as we are rather close to the equator
• Bug repellant – if you choose to spend time outside at either dawn or dusk there are two ways to keep the bugs at bay – use bug repellant or wear light weight long sleeve and long pants
• Water shoes or tennis shoes which can get wet – you are going to want to wear shoes to reach some of the most beautiful beaches in the world – and the path may be a bit wet along the way
• Long pants & lightweight long sleeve shirt for jungle hiking
• Lightweight long sleeve shirt for water activities – in case of too much sun
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Surfboards or other gear specific for your planned recreational activities

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, FAQ

The province of Bocas del Toro, Panama is located on the western part of Panama only miles from the Republic of Costa Rica. The province includes an archipelago of some 68 tropical islands. The islands of Bocas del Toro Panama have been called the Galapagos of the Caribbean. This archipelago has an incredible combination of historical and cultural traditions, with a great variety of aquatic species, coral reefs, mangroves, beaches with crystal clear water and undisturbed jungles with tons of flora and fauna.

So far, the most famous visitor to this piece of paradise was the Admiral Christopher Columbus on October 6, 1502 on his fourth and last trip to the Americas. He entered with two vessels into a wide bay, now called Almirante Bay, took in provisions on the present Isla Bastimentos and careened a ship in the vicinity of Carenero Island.

Since Columbus the province has gone through several rounds of colonization. In the 19th century immigrants arrived from Jamaica and several islands in the West Indies. United Fruit Company began operations in the province in the 20th century. They established towns on the mainland and on several islands in the archipelago.
Some time in the 1990’s expatriates found the sleepy archipelago and began its current round of colonization.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands, History

One of the interesting things about being on an island is you never know when one of your neighbors is going to show up on your doorstep with something you might like to have.

Yesterday, our neighbor showed up with quite a large load of really nice snapper. We were pleased that he had been able to catch such a nice group of fish and purchased all that he offered. It was quite a bit of fish and took my husband and one of our kitchen assistant about 4 hours to clean the fish. Then we made fish stock and prepared the fish for the freezer. All of the cleaning took place in the afternoon and ran right into the dinner service. Fortunately we were able to get it all done and feed our guests dinner.

So it was with mixed feelings of appreciation and trepidation that I went to the door this morning when I was informed my neighbor was once again downstairs. This morning he brought an even larger load of fish.

We are one of the few Bocas del Toro hotels which are fortunate enough to have great neighbors who still go fishing. Our guests enjoy fresh caught snapper.

Tags: Food, Panama, Bocas del Toro, Fish, Islands

Did you know that the banana might be the world’s first fruit? Did you know that Malaysia was the first know banana jungle? Recent archeological evidence in Papua New Guinea suggests that bananas were grown as far back as 5000 BC and quite possibly as long ago as 8000 BC.

Did you know that nutritionally the banana is incredibly nourishing and can be eaten at any hour of the day due to its digestive properties? Each banana is full of proteins and the sugar provided within gives a lot of energy for those in need of endurance. Bananas also contain magnesium, selenium, iron, many different vitamins, and are recommended for low salt diets as they are low in sodium.

The banana is America’s number one fruit. Each American consumes an average of 28 pounds of banana a year. The market for bananas is nearly $5 billion per year.

There are nearly 400 varieties of banana plants. Ripe banana plants are sugary and are eaten raw. Plantains are unripe fruits which must be cooked before consumption. Plantains are more like a potato than a ripe banana.

Harvest for bananas begins when the plant is green. A banana that has had the opportunity to ripen on the vine has a much sweeter taste than one which has been harvested green.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Rainforest, Food, Fruit

Coconut palms are abundant here in Bocas del Toro Panama. We have so many coconut trees growing here that young children learn at a very early age not to walk or loiter underneath a coconut tree. When asked why you don’t go under a coconut tree, my son at age two could tell you “Because coconuts bump you on the head.”

You can take the fruit of the coconut palm, which isn’t a nut at all, and use it for many different purposes. Only one of the usual uses of the coconut is for food. Whenever we have children visiting us, they like to go find a coconut or ask one of our employees to get them one. They love to watch our employees use a machete to get the fruit off the tree and then to open the big husk to get to the inner edible portion. Fresh coconut is not sweet like a pineapple, but does take well to sweet dishes. It is also used for many savory purposes.

One such dish is coconut rice. It is a staple here in Latin America. My younger brother who spent his first years in Louisiana wanted to know where the sauce for the rice was – I told him to taste the rice. Once he tasted it, he had a new appreciation for its flavor and agreed that it was delicious on its own.

We have so many different uses for coconut in our menu that we could almost serve it at every meal.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands, Food, Fruit

Here in Bocas del Toro we have the real thing. You know that feeling they used to describe in the old Coca Cola commercials – the real thing.

But what is the real thing you ask? I think it is an amalgamation of so many little things. Beginning the day with a beautiful sunrise and a cup of Panamanian coffee. Drinking in the warm sunshine all day long. Gazing upon a deep blue sky dotted with cottony puffs of clouds. Looking into the clear ocean waters down to the coral and other ocean life below. Paddling about on a kayak. Snorkeling in the bathtub warm water. Fishing for dinner. Quirky Latin American challenges which keep the big guys out and keep the little guys in business. Eating delicious local cuisine that happens to go great with a Coca Cola or a cold beer. Watching the sun go down and the moon rise on a balcony overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Walking under the stars – yes you can actually see the stars. Listening to the rain on a metal roof. Falling asleep to the sounds of the jungle.

To me these are all the little things that when added together make the real thing. Don’t you want to experience them for yourself?

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands, Jungle, FAQ

Many of the Panama islands which make up the archipelago of Bocas del Toro are surrounded by lush maritime forests. These mangrove forests are home to many different sea creatures and plants. It is these forests which allow so many of the fish and coral to prosper in our waters.

Traversing amongst these maritime forests in a kayak is an unique experience. You paddle along side of the islands and you feel that you have plenty of room to roam. You can take off into the open ocean if you so choose or you can stick closer to the islands and navigate in a mangrove tunnel.

If you keep your eyes to the different pockets within the mangrove you may spy a cayman or other tropical animal which makes its home on the edge of the ocean and the forest.

You can kayak in a hidden bay towards a group of caves. These caves are home to stalagmites, stalagtites and a large number of bats. Of course the choice to enter into the cave or not is entirely yours, but the paddle to get there is an amazing one.

Some people choose to take a fishing rod with them as they kayak along the mangrove. Casting into the mangroves is a opportunity you do not encounter on a regular basis.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Excursions, Ocean, Rainforest, Jungle, Islands, Mangrove