subject: Panama Vacations just right for you [print this page] I was looking for a Panama vacationI was looking for a Panama vacation. I needed a break, a get - away, and Google came up with Bocas del Toro. It could not have been better, a Panama vacation complete with sun, jungle, beaches, hiking trails and a whole lot more. In the whole Bocas del Toro area I found, on Isla Bastimentos, the besta hostel called Bocas Bound. Air conditioned dorm rooms, a cool hang out area (complete with restaurant, bar, pool table, ping pong table, TV, hammocks, and social area), customer kitchen, laundry and it is a 5 - 10 minute walk to the beach! This was the Panama vacation I had hoped for, and more!
Much of Bocas del Toro is an archipelago, scores of islands in a tropical rain forest with the main town of Bocas on the island of Colon. It is a sort of 'surf town' with a cool vibe and plenty of night life and is the main corridor for transportation in and out via plane and boat connecting with buses. One thing I wanted (and needed) for my Panama vacation was services. There is a whole host of services in Bocas del Toro - hospital, groceries, pharmacy in town and at Bocas Bound - phone, internet, tours and restaurants.
Bocas del Toro also has a fairly large indigenous population. They are a frequent site amongst the islands in their dugout canoes, fishing, transporting, and quietly going about their lives. They certainly add to the rich cultural diversity of this Bocas del Toro area. I was fortunate on this Panama vacation to visit the town of Bastimentos. What a sweet little spot. It wasn't that tidy or 'put together' but so unique! Got there by boat and had a nice hike around the town and a good meal at a reasonable price right over the water. I guess the fact that there are no vehicles and these nifty walking paths make it special.
One other stop in this Bocas del Toro area that is not to be missed is a hike into the jungle. I took a better part of a day hiking from Bocas Bound along the beach and eventually into the jungle. This was perhaps the highlight of my Panama vacation. Birds of all sorts, a caiman, sloth, little red frogs with black spots (apparently found only on the island of Bastimentos) and huge trees and plants, ferns and palms. I saw quite a few parrots, they usually traveled in pairs or sometimes three to a group - perhaps that was mom and dad with a young one, I don't know. And I found the beaches quite wild and interesting, with the jungle and vegetation growing right down to the sand and beyond, almost encroaching on the beach, giving it a very primitive feel.
If you are looking to lay by the pool, drink cocktails and be served food all day long then this may not be the Panama vacation for you, but the Bocas del Toro area was perfect for me. I was so impressed with the quality of experiences, the diverse people I met and the way Mother Nature speaks to you almost everywhere you go. The only disappointment I had really was I didn't have enough time to see it all, to do all the things I had on my 'list'. Next visit to Bocas del Toro will include some kayaking, fishing, horseback riding and a cave tour into the National Park which is supposed to be spectacular! Oh my gosh, did I mention surfing? This Bocas del Toro area is supposed to have some of the best in all of Central America (of course I would need to take surf lessons first no big deal). Well, I better stop while I can - this Panama vacation was a trip of a lifetime and I will certainly be coming back soon.
