Thread: Two Weeks In Bocas

Hello Everyone,
I wanted to give my impressions of Bocas for those who haven't visited and as a way to contribute to this wonderful forum. Today marks 2 weeks that I have been in Bocas. The Islands and water are beautiful and most of the area activities revolve around them. Three days into my first week we got socked into the heavy rain that caused severe flooding in Panama and Costa Rica. Fortunately there is a good pub Toro Loco that usually has a game on and cold beer. There is an active waterfront disco called barescondido that is a mix of locals expat and tourists that is worth checking out. The water Taxis are good and dependable in Bocas, cost about 10 bucks round trip from Red Frog Beach. Besides the water Taxi there is a charge of $3 per person to access Red Frog. Also there is no transportation from the launch to the beach so be prepared to carry whatever you bring the half mile on a rock path. I would not reccomend to people with health or walking problems. I think a better choice is Starfish Beach, which as the name implies is covered with hundreds of beautiful large starfish. Also go to Dolphin Bay in the Morning when the Dolphins come to your boat. I hired a private boat for an entire day for $70.00 and this was one of many stops. For those who like to snorkel Hospital Point 5 minutes by boat is a good local spot with some coral and lots of colorful fish. Playa drago is Panamanian for "ripoff", The ripoff starts with the $20.00 cab fare one way and ends when you realize there is no playa. The water is the color of mud and the bugs will carry you off. Skip this one there are allot better ones to see. There are lots of options for dining in Bocas but by far my favorite has been the Buena Vista bar and grill. The food is awesome with everything from burgers and seafood to local favorites like Ceviche. They have a full bar and Happy Hour from 5-7. The staff gives the best service I have had anywhere so far in my two visits to Panama. The Ownwer is american and her staff speak english. The best part is you can have a great shrimp dinner for about 11 bucks. Super Gourmet as I mentioned last week is the place to shop with a super clean store and fresh Items daily. The owner Lorelei is super friendly and will make you feel like you have lived here your whole life. The main Tourist areas of Bocas are pretty safe with a police presence that does not bother the tourists. Plenty of people badgering constantly for boat tours or trying to sell you "weed". This is one of the few places in Panama that I have seen where all the windows don't have bars. I have extended my stay an additional 4 days to visit some of the outlying Islands that I could not visit because of the weather. The tourist traffic is slow this week with mainly surfers and college kids staying at the hostels. The noise is pretty bad here on Isla Colon at night on the waterfront. If you are a light sleeper book a place a little further out of town. The one disappointment about Bocas is the lack of fishing. Everyone the locals and the expats are quick to tell you " If there are fish in Bocas no one has ever found them". You can pay about $700.00 to run far offshore but heck I can pay that anywhere. As an avid fisherman I have to scratch Bocas Off my list as potential places to live for that reason.
People should know there are no flights from Bocas to David or vice-versa. If planning a trip to Boquete and then to Bocas Understand you will need to take a bus or hire a private driver. Aeroperlas has planes grounded and air panama is not savy enough to pick up the route. My final thought is on Health care in Bocas. I accompanied a young lady who had stepped on a sea urchin and needed spines removed. Service was quick and she received adequate care. I walked from one end of the hospital to the other to get her pharmacy prescription filled. Think of a 1940's hospital in Manila and that would sum it up. Bocas is beautiful and definately worth a visit but not in November because it is super rainy!

Did you get a chance to hang out with the local expat community? How were the parades and parties?

Originally Posted by MRWOOHOO

Did you get a chance to hang out with the local expat community? How were the parades and parties?

The Parades were nice and reminded me of the small town ones we had when I was a child. I spoken with several expats mainly in Restuarants and at the pub. The offers I recieved my first couple of days to have dinner and hang out sadly never materialized. With foul weather and a holiday week I can understand why. I still say the people here are very friendly and do their best to make you feel at home. All the bad press from this region has not helped tourism and that is a shame, like you told me a couple of months ago Bocas is worth checking out if you have the time.