I wasn’t planning on going to Panama, but damn, am I glad I did so. Once I started traveling, everyone was telling me how amazing it is to see Panama. When I learned Lisa was going around the same time, my mind was made up to visit Panama. Lisa is the Canadian girl I met in Nicaragua. We traveled to Panama via Costa Rica, spending a few nights in the Caribbean town of Cahuita, before crossing the border and heading to Bocas del Toro, a province highly raved about. Isla Colon is the main island, which is where we stayed for a week, at a Selina hostel. Selina hostels are typically very nice and the Bocas one is supposed to be one of the best.
We stayed in an all-girls dorm. We had it to ourselves basically the whole time since it was low season. The beds are clean, comfortable, and we had air conditioning, a MAJOR perk in Central America. The hostel extends right onto the water so you can jump in straight from the bar! Not a bad office am I right?! We ate most of our meals at Selina. The food is good and fresh. I love their arepas and eggplant casserole. We became friends with the food manager and ended up tasting everything on the menu.
We arrived on a Friday to attend a party dubbed “Filthy Friday,” which is an island hopping version of Nicaragua’s Sunday Funday. It cost $25 which includes a tank top, entry to all bars and there is staff walking around with bottles pouring shots into your mouth for free. You also get temporary tats, which were so cool! My favorite part was a place called Blue Coconut, a bar located right on the water. Since you cannot see any other property around Blue Coconut, it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere.
The party takes you to three bars. Party starts at 1pm and goes until about nine or 10. Then, most people head to Selina for after party. We didn’t anticipate staying in Bocas for more than a week, but we fell in love and stayed for a week and a half, meaning we were able to do another Filthy Friday. We didn’t feel the need to do the entire thing, so we went to Aqua Lounge, which is the last bar, at around 5pm. You just need to pay a $5 entry fee. At this point, we already knew the staff and felt like we were at home. It was a great party! During our time in Bocas, we also went to La Iguana bar a few times, where we danced the night away to reggae music!
We took a day off from working to go to a place called “Starfish Beach” or Playa Estrella. It is a 40-minute bus ride and then a five-minute boat ride to paradise.
We immediately saw a starfish as we entered the clear water. As we were giddily watching the starfish, two girls, about 12 years old, came by and swooped it up. Stunned, we went over to where they bought it and discovered they had a group of about 12 starfish! Pretty sure you aren’t supposed to touch them, but it was pretty cool too see many of them in one spot.
The water was crystal clear and super refreshing, which was needed in between tanning. The sun was really, really hot!
We met several guys from France who were hacking open coconuts on the rocks. They kindly offered us one and even brought us pieces of the meat, which were super delicious. If you don’t drink from a coconut while laying on a tropical beach, did you really even go to the beach?! :p
After a wonderful stay at Selina, we needed a change of scenery. A friend had told me about Bambuda Lodge, an off the grid hostel, located about 15 minutes away from the mainland. It boasts a large pool, waterslide, and lush jungle greenery. We were sold!
This is a great place to relax! The hostel has fun family style dinners. A bit pricey, but the food is really good and huge portions. There is also a floating dock down by the water where you can hang out and catch some sun.
During my stay at Bambuda, I was in the process of getting my PADI Open Water scuba diving certification. I used La Buga Dive & Surf Center, which I highly recommend. My instructor, Leon, was absolutely amazing. I would not have been able to do it without him. He was patient with me (even when I raced up to the surface after freaking out while putting my mask back on and inhaling a ton of water). Diving is a really cool experience. Each dive is unique and for a few moments, you are looking into an entirely different world under the water. I love feeling a part of their environment and witnessing their life, if only for a few moments. Its def a challenge, but so worth it!
Once I passed the written test and was officially certified, Lisa and I sadly boarded the night bus to Panama City (we really fell in love with Bocas and felt like we were part of the community). We were traveling to the city as a gateway to the San Blas islands. You can take a flight from Bocas, but being a long-term traveler usually means you are on a budget, so $40-night bus it was! The bus itself is pretty nice, with a bathroom and chargers. However, temperature control is not their strong suit. The bus gets really cold so make sure you have layers (and food, always have food with you).
We stayed at Mamallena, mainly because we read that they will give you your bed when you arrive at 4am from the bus. No one wants to have to crash on a couch after that journey! We also wanted to book our San Blas excursion through them. The hostel staff were helpful and very friendly. There is free breakfast, but its just pancakes that you have to make yourself (and I may or may not have fucked up the first one I tried making.) Free coffee available throughout the day 😉 We booked the pay-as-you-go option for San Blas. In total we each spent about $140 for the night. This included the shuttle and boat rides, accommodation, meals, a tour and the port taxes. It is a long journey, and after waiting at the port for about 30 minutes we finally boarded our boat to the island. About 15 minutes into the ride we pulled up to a very non-secluded looking town. Nervously I said to Lisa “this cant be where we are staying.” And it wasn’t! They stop to get supplies and gas before heading out to the island so don’t get nervous that you have been sold a spoiled paradise.
After 45 minutes on the boat (warning: you will get wet so wear appropriate clothing,) we arrive at the picturesque island. The water was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was the mixture of different blue hues and pinkish sand that mesmerized me.
Our home for the night was a hut with a sand floor. We were under the impression that there were no showers so we didn’t bring toiletries but there were. So we used the hand soap to wash off. All part of the rustic experience! The food was pretty good but bring snacks and water as options are limited.
It was an incredible feeling to be sleeping on an island I could walk around in under 30 minutes. Sleeping right next to the water and under the stars was a special experience.
With only a few days left in Panama, we headed back to the city, again staying at Mamallena. Right around the corner from the hostel is a great restaurant called El Campestre, serving up local dishes. They had a bunch of arepas on their menu, including options made in Panamanian style, Columbian style, and Venezuelan style. I had all 3! My favorites were Panamanian and Venezuelan, filled with cheese, beans, fried eggs and amazing sauce. The Columbian one had too much meat in it for my style.
Of course, we went to see the famous Panama Canal. We decided to go the free route and skip the museum and walk up to the overlook. It is a nice uphill hike on paved road. We were excited to get some exercise :p You can see incredible views of the colorful city below. The canal itself was hard to see since it was getting cloudy, but it was a nice activity.
Before I knew it, I was saying goodbye to Lisa as she headed to Miami for a cruise and I boarded a plane to Guatemala! Panama, you definitely were an unexpected surprise! Thanks for the memories. If you are planning a trip to Panama and have any questions, please reach out!
XO,
Sarah
Wandering Publicist 