It is a perfect description of the archipelago of Bocas del Toro Panama. Each of the beaches should be on a post card. Once you get away from the main island of Isla Colon, they are basically uninhabited. You generally do not see any other people on the beaches unless it is a big holiday weekend.

Mirriam Webster’s definition of idyllic is pleasing or picturesque in natural simplicity. Because most of the islands and peninsulas which are home to the beaches of Bocas del Toro cannot be accessed by automobiles, they have not been exploited in such a manner as to take away their natural simplicity. They are absolutely charming. When you add a picnic lunch and a few beach toys, a day spent on one of our beaches is perfect.

Each of these beaches and the islands which house them suggest a mood of peace and contentment. It is impossible to worry when you are visiting one of these locations. You forget about your responsibilities and day to day life whilst you are on one of these beaches.

You deserve a few days of simple and carefee life.

Choose Bocas del Toro Panama for your family beach vacation. You and your family can relax and enjoy the serenity that engulfs the entire archipelago.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Islands, Bastimentos, Beach, Family, Vacation

How do you choose which island is right for you? Do you want nightlife or silence? Do you want a beach or a view?

If you are the type of traveler who would rather get away from it all, consider basing yourself out of Isla Bastimentos. There are lodges concentrated on Bastimentos. Because of the distance from Bocas Town on Isla Colon, most of the lodges include meals as part of a package. There are several which include activities as part of the package as well. Depending upon the location you select, your transfer from Bocas Town may take as long as 45 minutes to reach your destination.

On Isla Carenero there are a variety of places to choose from. You can stay here and find a more tranquil evening than staying on Isla Colon. Carenero is about a two minute water taxi ride from Isla Colon. You can catch a water taxi all day long until about 9:00 pm each night.

Isla Colon is the main island in the archipelago. Here you will find a variety of places to stay. There are many different restaurants to choose from and several bars and nightclubs. It is the best place for people looking to party.

Cristobal and Dolphin Bay are beautiful locations with very limited access to accommodations.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Islands, Bastimentos, Accommodations

What if you received an invitation to inner peace? Would it be the ultimate indulgence for you? Would it be nice to have a consoling sense that you were no longer part of the outside world (at least temporarily)?

Here in Bocas del Toro Panama you can go to any number of beautiful white sand beaches and lose yourself in the beauty of the moment. The clear blue water set against the deep blue sky is an amazing sight. One could spend hours lost in such a spot.

Each day you can escape from the every day of the outside world. The biggest decision you need to make each day is what time you want to start your day. After breakfast you can head over to any of the different Panama Islands and begin your day of relaxation. You arrive at the beach armed with everything you need for a perfect day on a secluded beach. Picnic lunch, cold beverages, beach chairs, beach toys, sea kayaks, snorkeling equipment, etc. are all carried over to the island for you and placed in a perfect spot where you have access to both the sun and the shade. The time in the water will soothe your body, calm your spirit and feed your soul.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Beach, Islands, Ocean

How often do you get to experience silence? I mean complete lack of city noises: barking dogs, car alarms, sirens, etc. We experience it here all the time.

The sounds we hear are those of animals, birds and rain. Each morning the parrots fly overhead as they head out for the day. The Majestic Oropendola are also in residence. Each bird has its own special sound that it makes. These sounds are a far better alarm each morning than the buzzing of an alarm clock.

The jungle is alive with sound. Frogs create their own special sound. Plants rustle in the breeze. Lizards swish the leaves of the plants as they scurry about the rain forest floor.

On the days that it rains, we can either experience the soft patter of a drizzle on the metal roof or the drums of a downpour when the rain is crashing down. We can have storms that are so intense that you believe you have never heard anything like it before and then as quickly as it started it stops.

All of these sounds merge into a soundtrack that many people buy to play as white noise to block out the noises of the city. We do not need to purchase the soundtrack – we have it live each and every day.

Tags: Panama, Rainforest, Islands, Silence, Jungle

I was just reading my March 2007 issue of Coastal Living (again) and it included an article that referenced a rumor about the founder of a resort in the Caribbean wielding a machete to cut through the banyan trees or was it a guide wielding the machete? I of course found the article humorous because I definitely know of two guys who wielded machetes and worked without heavy equipment to carve out a piece of paradise in the jungle.

To have a dream to create something from nothing and then to share that dream with those who happen upon you is a special thing. We have done just that here. We wanted to walk away from the day to day life in the big city and make a different life for ourselves. However, we didn’t want to be stingy and keep it all to ourselves. We knew that not everyone could walk away from the big city for good but that there were a fair number of people who wanted to leave it behind while on vacation. So we have built a place that is magical in that you are both disconnected and connected right on an island in the Caribbean Sea in the midst of the rain forest.

Take a break from your reality and come see ours.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Vacation, Islands

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

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

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

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

Once you step off the boat onto the dock at almost any location here in Bocas del Toro Panama, you know you are being embraced by nature. You almost feel as if you are receiving a hug from Mother Nature herself. You are surrounded by plants and trees which make up the rain forest. You can almost feel the forest breathing. The insects and animals make room for you to share their space, but you never forget that you are a visitor here in the jungle.

The main reason you know you are in a beautiful foreign territory is because you are enveloped into this space where you are so diminutive in size compared to the trees which make up the rain forest canopy. Many of these plants and animals have been around much longer than you or I.

However at no point do you feel that you are intruding or that you are not welcome. You are in fact being embraced. It is as if you are the recipient of a great big hug from a wonderful new friend. A friend who will always be there for you and asks very little in return. It is important that we look out for our new friend as once we have made her acquaintance we are never the same.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands, Nature, Rainforest, Jungle

Here is a sample itinerary for a Four Night / Five Day Eco Adventure Extension from either Panama City or Costa Rica.

Day One:
Arrive Bocas del Toro Panama. Afternoon trip to beach
Unspoiled islands protected by the National Park and home only to a park ranger and a couple of seasonal research scientists studying sea turtles

Day Two:
Snorkeling trip throughout the archipelago to different reef formations
Reef encircles many of the islands with oceanic formations consisting of walls, freshwater caves, tunnels, pinnacles, coral spires and towers, groove and spur, ocean impact reef, sandy ledges and shallow protected patch reef.

Day Three:
Sea kayak trip around various islands
Rock cliffs jut abruptly out of the sea, each having its own unique array of geological formations. Some are undercut by ocean waves on one side with a miniature 30-foot beach and shallow water on the other. Others rise piercingly from the sea and have deeper water on all sides.

Day Four:
All day excursion to indigenous village and isolated beach
A dramatic peninsula covered in dense tropical forest and high peaks descends to the ocean from over 700 feet. A 15-minute walk through the jungle leads you to the longest stretch of white sand beaches in Panama.

Day Five:
Mid day departure from Bocas del Toro Panama.

Tags: Bastimentos, Beach, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Costa Rica, Rainforest, Jungle, Islands, Vacation

Year-round oceanfront access. It can be yours.

What do you want to do with it? Do you want to launch a kayak and head out for a paddle in the calm waters? Or do you want to jump into the bathtub warm Caribbean and snorkel for a while? Perhaps you prefer to while away the afternoon from the dock overlooking the sparkling sea. Maybe if you look up at the right moment you will spot a few dolphins at play in the bay. Or perhaps you might take a boat ride for your guided excursion over to another island for a great hike through the jungle.

Really the choice is yours. You can do as much or as little as you want. It is your vacation and you can do whatever it is you like. You may choose to wake up early and enjoy the sunrise with a cup of delicious Panamanian coffee. Or you may choose to wake up with the sun and begin your day. Then there are those who choose to sleep in and catch up on some much needed sleep. Depending upon the length of your stay and the activities you would like to experience you may begin your day differently each day. You decide.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Bastimentos, Panama, Islands, Accommodations

What is more important about the place you choose for your vacation? Its dirty little secret or any nice surprise you might find? I think it depends upon what the dirty little secret is and what the surprise might be.

For instance, is the secret that the airport bathrooms leave a bit to be desired? Because really, how much time do you spend in the regional airport when you arrive and before you return home? The bathrooms at the airport in Bocas del Toro do leave something to be desired. However, how different is that from many of the small airports in Latin America?

What if the surprise is that the food is way better than you ever expected it to be? When you go to a small Caribbean town you generally do not expect to find good food. Here we are fortunate in that we do have good food – really good food.

What if the dirty secret is that Bocas is experiencing a major drought? And then what if nice surprise was that your lodge didn’t get its water supply from the municipal water supply? Unfortunately Bocas is having problem with its water right now. The government is doing what it can to correct the problem in the short term as also determine a plan for a long-term correction. However, most of the lodges on the outer islands are self-sufficient so for anyone selecting any of the small personal accommodations on those islands the water supply isn’t a problem.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands, Accommodations, Food, FAQ

Isla Bastimentos. Yesterday, we had a gentleman stop by who was writing an article on Isla Bastimentos. I find it interesting that someone who has never been to Bocas del Toro before decides to focus on one island within the archipelago. While we have 68 islands in the archipelago there are about ten which garner attention. Bastimentos is one of the ten.

Isla Bastimentos is a rather large island and has several population centers. Bastimentos town anchors the island on one end. Punta Viejo is one peninsula. Macca Bite is another peninsula. Salt Creek is one of the indigenous villages. Bahia Honda is another indigenous village in the interior of the island. There are several areas under development: Red Frog, a few other areas near Bastimentos Town, and Punta Viejo.

Attractions. There are multiple beaches on Isla Bastimentos. Red Frog Beach, Wizard Beach, Playa Larga. Bastimentos National Marine Park takes in about one third of the island and includes several outlying islands and marine areas in the archipelago. There are also caves, a butterfly farm and numerous hiking trails.

Personal lodging options. On Isla Bastimentos there are several places which are small personal lodges. Some have been around for a number of years and others are relatively new. Interestingly, most of them are owner operated which makes them a completely different experience than any other type of accommodation.

So actually, I guess it is easy to understand how someone would decide to focus on Isla Bastimentos. It has so much to offer its guests.

Tags: Bastimentos, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands

Let’s see, we have Isla Bastimentos, Isla Solarte and San Cristobal remaining with public housing.

On Isla Bastimentos, there are several different kinds of lodging available. In Bastimentos town there are a variety of basic hotels and hostels. There are a limited number of restaurants and bars, but no shortage of music. There are several other areas on Bastimentos with accommodations as well. These other accommodations are mostly all-inclusive as they are too secluded to allow you to get to a restaurant or bar in the evening. It is possible to get to and from Bastimentos town at night, but most of the other areas of Bastimentos do not have transportation available after dark.

Isla Solarte is mainly private housing but there is a bed and breakfast on the island that is operational some of the time. This island does not have any restaurants or bars for you to access for meals, etc. Depending upon the water taxi, you might be able to get a ride back to Isla Solarte in the evening, but you wouldn’t be able to find a ride from the island over to town without arranging such in advance.

San Cristobal is a rather small island with a few options for lodging. Like on Isla Bastimentos, most places are all inclusive as it is difficult to travel to and from other islands for you meals. Transportation to and from Isla Colon and the other islands is somewhat limited as there is not much business to draw from.

Tags: Bastimentos, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands, Accommodations

On your Panama adventure vacation, what do you expect from the lodging you chose? Do you want a main building with lodging in several private buildings? Do you want everything consolidated under one roof? Do you want to be right on the beach or do you want to have access to both beach and jungle? Do you want creature comforts inside or do you want to be in the open air? Do you want to lie in your bed and be able to check out a breath taking view?

Here on these Panama Islands there are several options for both the adventure traveler and the traveler seeking rest and relaxation.

Isla Colon which is the main island in the archipelago has mainly small hotels and hostels. About half of the smaller hotels have air conditioning and the other half have ceiling fans for ventilation. Most of these hotels have on demand hot water heaters which is as it sounds. Water heated upon demand and in some instances right at the shower head. A few of the hotels have beds with orthopedic mattresses. Isla Colon has quite a few restaurants and bars for its nightlife. Most excursions leave Isla Colon and head toward the outer islands.

Isla Carenero is about a two minute boat ride from Isla Colon. It has a few small accommodations which are similar to those found on Isla Colon. There are a few restaurants on Isla Carenero. It is possible to get to and from Isla Colon at night up until about 9:00 pm.

I will tell you more about the other islands tomorrow.

Tags: Bocas del Toro, Panama, Islands, Accommodations

KISS. Keep it simple stupid. A mantra followed by many different successful people over the years. We find that here on a Panama Island it is important to keep it simple. There are no stores to run over to if you have forgotten something. There are no repair people who can come over that day and correct your current problem. It makes one look at life and all its aspects a little differently.

Construction. Build it right the first time so that you do not have to do it a second time. If it is something that is going to require maintenance in the future build it so that it will be as painless as possible to maintain it. For example, all the trim work in our Bocas del Toro Hotel have been screwed in with stainless steel screws instead of being nailed in place. Why you ask? First because the wholes in which the fasteners were to be placed had to be drilled. We used local hardwoods for our trim work. We wanted to limit our use of such materials and we wanted to be sure that we were able to properly maintain what we had so that it would last a very long time. So since we wanted to be able to refinish the same wood at such time in the future as it would be necessary, we screwed the trim in place so it would be easy to get it down and into the shop to refinish it. We used stainless steel as we liken living in a tropical environment to living on a boat. We build for the elements.

Tags: Panama, Islands, Bocas del Toro