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Are you half packed for your trip to Bocas Del Toro in Panama? Well, before anything else, there’s some congratulating in order. After all, you not only chose one of the best vacation places in Central America, you also picked a nice time to go. Imagine being in a place where you can find the most fabulous beaches in the Caribbean, like the well-known Red Frog Beach (yes, there are still red frogs there, too), where you can scuba, snorkel, kayak, and do whatever you can and want to do in the water, while at the same time being striking distance to extreme sports arenas for mountain biking or just zip-lining through the jungle canopy. The nightlife isn’t bad, either. In Bocas Town, you can find good food, dancing, and maybe a few drinks to wrap up the day.

A Bocas del Toro stay is a cross between the fun you can expect from an Aruban beach vacation and the adventures offered by a Costa Rican jungle resort. And it doesn’t cost as much as the two put together, either. For about $50 a night you can get a decent standard room in Bocas Town, and for about $20 you can buy dinner for two.

Anyways, there’s a good chance you already know all of that. Bocas is great – that’s why you’ve decided to visit. Here’s a list of tips and advice for anyone new to Bocas Del Toro:

1) Bring an underwater camera. Disposable waterproof cameras are sometimes hard to locate in Bocas, and when you do find one the price is higher than you would pay at home. Go ahead and pack a couple in your bag and bring them to the beach. Bocas beaches are so pristine and the water is so clear that you’ll have plenty of opportunities to snap some photos of tropical fish and corals underwater and up-close.

2) Pack shorts and a good pair of sandals. The main island in Bocas is just a little too small for taxi service, so you can expect to walk quite a bit in and around Bocas Town. North Americans should also remember to bring shorts – the temperature in Bocas hovers around 90 degrees Fahrenheit year round with a fair amount of humidity. The sea breeze keeps things cool at night, but during the day long pants are uncomfortable.

3) Have money to burn (or at least, spend), and US dollars are the way to go. All establishments in Bocas accept U.S. dollars, and the exchange rate is exactly one dollar to one Balboa (not Rocky – that’s what the Panamanians call their currency). In other words, Panama uses the U.S. Dollar as the official currency – no exchange needed.

4) If your stomach is sensitive, it’s best to stick to purified bottled water since these are readily available, anyway. Most of the water in this tropical country comes from collected rainwater. Although it is generally safe, collected rainwater might not always agree with your system. Bottled water isn’t expensive or hard to find, so why risk it?

5) Bring your passport, not just because it is your primary ID and proof of nationality, but you really can’t get into any country without it, can you? The good news is that if you’re from the US or Canada, a passport is all you’ll need. Other than a tourist stamp, which can cost between $8 to $12, there are no visas or special permits. Extensions after 30 days are also easy to get for a nominal fee. Your driver’s license will only be needed if you want to rent a car (which you won’t need to do while in Bocas).

6) Beaches are remote, so pack a lunch. The beaches of Bocas are mostly accessible only by boat, and there are no convenience stores for miles around. Bring food, water, Balboa (Panama’s own brew), sunscreen, and whatever you think you will need for the day before going anywhere. It’s better to lug around a large bag, rather than to faint from hunger or dehydration, or crying in pain because of your sunburn.

7) English is A-O-K. An English-Spanish dictionary can be helpful, but if you don’t speak a lick of Spanish that’s perfectly fine in Bocas. From the hotel staff to the restaurant workers, you will find most Bocas residents speak excellent English. In fact, many of the people you’ll meet in Bocas are native English speakers from the US and Canada that have decided to move for good.
Staying in touch is easy. If you absolutely have to have a cell phone, you can rent or buy a pre-paid phone easily. Otherwise, check out one of many Internet cafes in downtown Bocas Town. You can rent a computer for as little as $3 an hour, and most internet cafes have VOIP phones (a.k.a. internet telephones) that allow you to call anywhere in the world for very little.

9) For bragging rights, you can drop by Costa Rica, which really isn’t all that different unless you go a lot further than usual the package tours that will take you to its jungles. Costa Rica is about an hour away from Bocas Del Toro, so crossing the border does not take too much time.

10) Chill. You’re on vacation! If a waitress doesn’t run to you immediately to get your order, don’t sweat it. That’s just the way things are in Boca Del Toro – slower paced and more laid back. They aren’t doing it to be rude or insulting or to irk you. Besides, there’s enough time to sit back and relax. Isn’t that why you’re going, after all? Leave the hurry at the door, and live the lazy island life.

I really enjoyed my time in Panama, and I hope that these 10 tips helped so that you can enjoy yours, too.

About the Author: Jason Lancaster has spent some quality time in Bocas and is happy to share what he knows about Bocas del Toro, Panama. Learn more about Bocas del Toro hotels and restaurants.

categories: bocas del toro,panama,central america,vacation,holiday

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