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:: P A N A M A ::

Isla Popa and the Talamanca mountain range, Panama, 2007

The Panama isthmus connects the two Americas geographically, and bonds the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean via the Panama Canal. If there would not be that short distance between the two major oceans, Panama would probably be another unimportant and forgotten banana-republic (like El Salvador or Nicaragua). The distance between a harbor in Ecuador and Europe for example would be about 8.000 km longer if the ships would have to travel around Cape Horn.

Traveling in Panama is one big surprise! If you visit this country you’ll instantaneously be astonished by what this country really has to offer. Panama is way more than a strategic canal – it’s a hidden gem, a truly tropical paradise with more off-shore bounty islands than any other Central American country. In this respect, Panama has tropical beaches and archipelagos on both oceans. Furthermore, Panama offers an interesting history from Columbus to the 21^st century, one of the world’s most complete ecosystems (similar to neighboring Costa Rica), rainforests, mountains and indigenous Indian villages. Let me repeat: Panama is a pleasant surprise!

Anders spent nearly one week in Archipélago Bocoas del Toro in the north-western corner of the country, visiting almost all the larger islands in the island group. Subsequently, he bussed to Panama City, and did a stopover in David on his way, the second-largest city in Panama located in the south.

Arrival in Bocas Del Toro by boat from Changuinola, Panama

Archipélago Bocas del Toro – land of pristine beaches

This archipelago is located in the Chiriqui Lagoon in the Caribbean Sea off the northwest cost of Panama and consists of around six large islands:

• Isla Colón - I stayed here

• Isla Bastimentos – Visited numerous times

• Isla Popa – Visited on a snorkeling trip and diving trip

• Isla Solarte (also known as Cayo Nancy) – Visited on a snorkeling trip

• Islas Zapatillas (two keys) – Visited on a diving trip

• Isla Cristóbal – The only island I didn’t visit

The islands are a great place to meet locals and wander at beautiful untouched beaches. I spent 5 days in Bocas del Toro, visiting five of the six large islands, namely Isla Colón, Bastimentos, Popa, Nancy and one of the Zapatilla Keys. I also did some diving in the archipelago.

Main-street in Bocas Town on Isla Colón

Isla Colón – The main island

This is the most visited and developed of the Bocas’ islands and the main town of Isla Colón is also called Bocas del Toro (like the entire archipelago). I stayed in this town during my whole stay, and arranged day trips to other islands as well as diving from here. There are a lot of cheap hostels with bunk beds, however, the price for a single room in a more fancy place is about the same (8-10 US$). In the main street there are a lot of lively local eateries and more touristy restaurants as well as a range of small bars serving beers until sunrise. In Isla Colón you will find internet and near the water different small boat operators can arrange island hopping to nearby islands as well as more far-flung islands in the archipelago (such as the Zapatilla Keys). Near the water are also located a variety of different dive operators. I did four dives in the archipelago in four different locations – see the diving section for more information.

Breakfast on the ocean, Bocas Town, Isla Colón

Local boy fishing, Isla Carenero Isla Carenero

Isla Carenero – The authentic island

This small island is just a 2 minute boat ride from Isla Colón and offers a more authentic Panamanian atmosphere (and, hence, more garbage in the paths around the small village!). Nevertheless, the scenery around the island is fantastic: Azure-blue waters, views towards small islands, local fishers throwing their nets and the Talamanca mountain range rising from the ocean, sharply penetrating the waters a few kilometers away at mainland. What a place to laze around, doing absolutely nothing!

I spent a few hours walking around the island, which is highly recommendable. There are several private houses near the beaches, and a few isolated resorts offering private bungalows for rent. Near the main village you can find a small on-the-ocean hostel for the random backpacker clientele. This hostel has two rooms with bunk beds, two bars built over the water, a floating trampoline on the water and large loudspeakers playing bohemian Buddha Bar music. One or two days every week this on-the-ocean hostel throws some wild techno parties.

Local, run-down beach huts in Isla Carenero

A stroll around Isla Carenero, Panama

One of the better resorts at Isla Carenero

Guesthouse on the ocean, Isla Carenero

Isla Bastimentos – The island with endless beauty

Isla Bastimentos is part of a larger national park, namely Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos, which encompasses a large area of Isla Bastimentos and the Zapatilla Islands. The park is home to a diverse collection of wildlife, including the poisonous red dart frogs (hence the name of Red Frog Beach in the park). Most visitors to Isla Bastimentos come only for the beaches, but the inland forest is a natural treasure trove. There’s a good chance of spotting sloths, monkeys, and many species of birds in a trip through the forest. The Laguna de Bastimentos, near the north coast midway across the island, is home to freshwater turtles, caimans, and crocodiles.

As I arrived by boat from Isla Colón I asked my way around town in order to find the small patch that traverses the island to Playa Wizard. The path is hilly and muddy and offers good glimpses of the archipelago en route.

Playa Wizard is large and sleepy. I was the only one there, probably because I was there early in the morning and the weather was quite cloudy. Nevertheless, Playa Wizard is one of the best beaches in Bocas del Toro and all of Panama. It’s a real swimming beach placed in a beautiful lagoon with no corals what so ever. I spoke with some locals there. They were about to build some primitive cabins made of wood, but they were not really in a “carpenter mood” as the lazed under the palms, smoking weed, singing, and waiting for the sun to burn away the skies.

If keep walking south-west along Playa Wizard you’ll reach Playa Segunda, Red Frog Beach and, later on, the vast Playa Larga. These three beaches are as pretty as Playa Wizard and even more remote. Playa Larga is an important sea-turtle nesting area, attracting four species of endangered turtles from about April through September. The walk down the four beaches – Wizard, Segunda, Red Frog, and Larga – Is around 4-5 hours, starting from Playa Wizard and finishing at the vast Plata Larga lagoon. From the latter, you can traverse Isla Bastimentos and reach the mangrove channels, which is another 2-3 hours. If you are lucky, you can hail a local fisher and pay him to sail you back to the village or Bocas Town. At least, that was what I did. Otherwise you’ll have to back-track all the way to the village.

Lastly, Bastimentos is part of the Comarca of Ngöbe-Buglé, an autonomous province in Panama. Actually, I did meet some Ngöbe-Buglé-people in Bastimentos while I was there. Other autonomous provinces in Panama – that I haven’t visitied – are Comarca of Kuna Yala and Comarca of Emberá.

Arrival in the village of Isla Bastimentos

Backdrop rain at the vast Playa Wizard, Isla Bastimentos

Isla Popa & Dolphin Bay – The remote island

There are many places in Bocas Town that offer island hopping and snorkeling tours around the archipelago. Shop around as they differ in price level. I did a snorkeling trip to Isla Popa to see and snorkel with dolphins in Dolpin Bay.

Isla Popa is the southernmost island in the archipelago, and the boat ride there is app. 45 minutes to 1 hour. And of course: There were dolphins, hence the name of the place.

I’d really enjoy snorkeling here as they clearly are used to contact with humans. There were about 3-4 grown ups and 2-3 children. So, not a large school of dolphins but they were really cute anyway.

Snorkeling with dolphins in Dolphin Bay, Isla Popa

Isla Solarte – Offers good snorkeling

Isla Solarte – also know as Cayo Nancy – is a small island close to Isla Bastimentos. Off the north tip of the island is Hospital Point. The place was named after an old hospital build there in 1900, established to isolate victims of yellow fever and malaria. At this point, the snorkeling is quite good, if the weather is good. Otherwise, the visibility is very bad.

Crawl Key – The random island

Crawl Key is located sort of in the middle, in between Isla Popa, Isla Bastimentos and Las Islas Zapatillas. Actually, I didn’t plan to go there but we made a stop over in the island on a restaurant build over the water on the snorkeling trip to Dolphin Bay.

The Key is authentic and you’ll see a lot of local fishers coming by in channel between the islands. People are extremely friendly and talkative.

Local fisher near Crawl Key

The Zapatillas Keys – The far-flung, tropical islands

Theses remote keys are close to my perception of paradise. The two keys, Cayo Zapatilla Norte and Cayo Zapatilla Sur, have perfect, white-sand beaches that are surrounded by pristine reef. The keys attract visitors who prefer tranquility and if you decide to go there’s not much to do either than snorkel, dive, swim in the clear waters, or simply relax on the beach.

It went there on a diving trip to dive among the coral gardens and in the underwater caves, which start about 12 meters beneath the surface. The currents were storing, and it’s quite dramatic even to snorkel around the two keys. Shallow waters suddenly give way to deep canyons, but I must admit that I always enjoy drift dives! The corals inside the reef are in good shape, and there is a large variety and abundance of fish. Nurse sharks live in this area, as well as two different species of lobsters.

We had lunch at an attractive beach on the western side of Cayo Zapatilla Sur. The Zapatillas are about an hour by fast boat from Isla Colón.

Arrival at the Zapatilla Keys for lunch after the first dive

A walk around the southernmost key, Cayo Zapatilla Sur

The northern most key in the background, Zapatillas Keys

It was really tempting to hop into the canoe and start rowing around the archipelago, Zapatilla Keys

David

David – and what a beautiful name for a city – is the second largest city in Panama, exactly half way between San José in Costa Rica and Panamá City. The city has a few attractions in its own right, but it is a pleasant stop over city with good places to stay and eat. I stayed a Hotel Iris right in the center of town at Parque de Carvantes. One of the few things I did in David was to visit a small historical museum, Museo José de Obaldía, with old and interesting photos from David’s past. I also visited the fruit and meat market, which is always fascinating.

Local girl in a truck near David, Panama

Panamá City

When travelling through all of Central America, Panamá City is quite a surprise. It’s modern and cosmopolitan – even more developed than San José in Costa Rica. Furthermore, the city boast quite a range of tourist attractions, such as:

- Plaza de la Catedral

- Palacio de las Garzas

- Las Bóvedas waterfront promenade

- The nearby Panama Canal

View from my hotel room, Panamá City – building boom is apparent

Future places to go and activities to perform in Panama

Panama deserves at least 2-3 months and there are a lot of places to go and so much to see. Some of the places on the list are:

- Island hopping in Golfo de Chiriqui

- Beaching in Isla Boca Braca

- Trekking in Boquete & mountaineering on Volcan Baru (3.475m)

- Island jumping in Isla Taboga & Isla Las Perlas

- Diving in Isla Grande

- Visiting indigenous villages in Darién

- Visiting indigenous Kuna people in Archipélago de San Blas (Comarca of Kuna Yala)

- Visiting Comarca of Emberá

- Traversing the Darién Gap: The unruly and anarchistic land between Central and South America

Fast facts and hints on Panama

Daily budget: On the cheap: 15-20 US$; more activities: 40 US$;

Pros: An almost unknown travel country that has a lot to offer...

Cons: It can rain a lot; Extreme humidity in the night time; Expensive to visit the Kuna...

In a nutshell: A well kept secret; A lot more than a famous canal; The biggest surprise in Central America...

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