http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Panama , Bocas Del Toro en-us Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:40:52 +0000 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:40:52 +0000 After a couple of days break in the jungle it was time to head back to the Caribbean Ocean and make our way to Bocas del Toro up along the PanamCosta Rica border. Oskar Matt and I headed off earlyish and caught a local bus to the port town alongside the islands and then a boat to Colo Island the main island of Bocas del Toro. Upon checking in the boys and I managed to gain the luxury of not http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-789704.html Ok I am finally writing a blog Yes I know the last 4 have been angelic bens But I39m baaaack And touch screen typing on my iPhone while on a 7 hour bus to Panama City So it really is guaranteed quality. I39m mainly doing it cos after 3.5hours of homeland episodes and a dead laptop I am extremely bored and hot and annoying Ben. So I think in a way I have put myself in time out for the sak http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/blog-787687.html We said farewell to San Jose thankfully for the last time and jumped onto our public bus that would take us to Panama border. Apparently there are only 2 land borders into Panama on the west side from Costa Rica and luckily we were taking the path less traveled.We had managed to download the latest episode of Game of Thrones this morning that aired in the US only last night. As I said yesterday http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-787328.html We are planning a trip to Central America in Sept. 2013. Trying to get some advice on locations. Not 4 or even 3 star accomodations but must have inroom toilet and hot shower. We are middle aged couple looking for beachjungle access and natural wildlife areas local animals. Hoping for simpleeasy arrival access from US. direct flight locations or w minimal travel from airport. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/blog-780908.html Moments From the Sky ltol stylemargintop 0in type1 start1gtltli classMsoNormal stylemargin 0in 0in 0pt msolist l0 level1 lfo1 tabstops list .5ingtIntipunku the sun gate. The fourth and final day. Up at 430 to hike in the dark to this particular spot. Where gods once watched Machu Picchu awaken. Our group of travelers once strangers turned friends from days on http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/blog-779300.html The trip from Boquete to Boca Del Toro started at 900 a.m. on Saturday 32 and took 3.5 hours. There are no roads that travel directly to Boca from Boquete so we put our faith in Jims Google map directions and those of very nice Panamanian girl at one of the local adventure outfitters in Boquete. The trip is difficult to explain but Ill try. A single lane paved road some so potholed I was http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/blog-774321.html BOCAS BOUND After three and a half weeks we39re leaving our home at the lost and found for Bocas Del Toro. Bocas is made up of several islands but only three of them are the main tourists destinations Isla Colon the main island Isla Bastimentos and Isla Carenero. We currently have reservations at the Mar E Iguana hostel on Isla Colon. They have given us an opportunity to volunteer ther http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-771698.html So we were looking for some balance in Panama...and after experiencing modernity of the capital mild climate of the cloud forest and hills we were finally headed towards the coast. We did not expect much. In fact we were not even very excited. We thought Bocas del Toro will be well too touristy for us too modern and too overcrowded. However we wanted to be on the beach for a while and it was th http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-770067.html We arranged a bus to pick us up at our hotel in San Jose to take us Panama and they promised to be there at 705 am. We assumed that they meant Costa Rican time and we would have time for breakfast. Well they were early and off we went. We got to the Frontier at 300 pm after driving over the mountains and down to the Caribbean Coast. The Caribbean side of Costa Rican is different than the rest http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/blog-765778.html Bocas del Toro Panama39s Jewel of the Caribbean http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-763505.html We arrive in Almirante Bocas del Toro Province midday and we are ushered into a parking area by a man on a bicycle hollering back over his shoulder at me Sigame Follow me which I did because I was momentarily confused on the directions. I never use the term lost when driving.The crossing to Bocas Town is a 20 minute water taxi ride that on this September day bounced throug http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-744895.html In my last entry I completely forgot to add that the town of Changuinolo is where Chiquita Bananas come from. I might have omitted it because I am swearing off bananas for quite a long time but I thought it was an interesting fact.Back to the island...There are many islands to see around the Isle of Colon where I am staying but the one beach I needed to get to before I leave is Star Beach. After c http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-744329.html My host family is terrific and ONLY speaks spanish so I can continue to practice while attending classes. WhewThey live in a nice home right next to the international airport in Bocas. By international I mean there are 3 flights a day into Panama City. I think the International part is based on the passengers not the flights.I have 3 host sisters 2 chiuauas and a one year old cousin. The hous http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-744068.html I was late. However being late on Panamanian time is like always being 20 minutes early. The downtown area thank goodness is not that big. So I ran to the tourist shop and was thankfully ON TIME per se.Eight of us were corralled and put on a tiny boat. We all had one thing on our mind snorkel boarding. Yeah I had never heard of it either before yesterday but it is quite frankly it proved to be http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-743827.html From David that is all it takes... It is quite simple really to get there. Hop the bus in David going to Changuinloa and the second to last stop on the 4 hour ride is Almirante. You will know you arrived when you pull into an abandoned gas station also known as the bus stop.From there jump in any of the waiting taxis and head to the docks. Grab a water taxi in the mangroves and off you go. 20 minu http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-743826.html Puerto Viejo was fun but it was the only place that I really didnt feel that safe walking around town at plus my last night there I got attacked by mosquitoes. The last time my legs looked so red bumpy and disgusting was when I had chicken pox. It was gross. The best part of my Caribbean adventure was definitely traveling down to Panama. I met someone at Rocking Js in Puerto Viejo who gave http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Carenero/blog-741637.html Dear Blog ReadersWelcome to our final installment of this Central America adventure What an adventure it has been We crossed our final border crossing from Costa Rica at Sixaola into Panama. If there is one thing we39ve loathed during this trip it has to be the border crossings full of con artists in unofficial and official uniforms. This one was no different but luckily we had become accost http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/blog-736382.html Aguas Negras or black water is a community located right above the mangroves behind the sewage treatment plant in Bocas town. Yesterday I went with my friend SOnia to her house. I knew she lived near the airport and assumed it was the neighborhood bordering the runway. I was suprised when she said no por aca and headed to the gate of the water treatment plant. She ignored the do not enter sig http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-735631.html Yesterday all the students went to Rio Oeste Arriba for a tour of a cocoa farm. It was a unique chance tosee a large organic chocolate farm and the chocholate making process from tree to fineans ished product. Thetour was led in English and Spanish by two different guides. We were led by the fermenting andsolar drying oven then walked up into the farm which is spread out over a steep hillside. The http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/blog-735629.html Finally made it to Monte Verde I arrived early afternoon and stayed at Pension Santa Elena. It39s a nice little place owned by a couple from Austin TX. I tried to book a horse back riding tour to the cloud forest but everything was booked. Instead I went zip lining through the cloud forest. So awesome The canopy tour in Costa Rica was much more exciting than the one I did in Nicaragua. At on http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Bocas-Del-Toro/Isla-Colon/blog-735618.html