Bocas Del Toro

Well, there wasn't exactly much stuff to do while it rained there. Fortunately, there was a bit of a night scene in the place, so every other night was a trip to Mondo Taitu for drinking starters or costume nights and then someplace else to dance. But there were too many reggae joints that were not very conducive to actual dancing.

I stayed at Mondo Taitu's sister hostel, Hostal Heike, which was a great choice. A wooden building with comfortable dorms, loads of fans, internet, pancake breakfast and coffee, super-friendly staff... I recommend this place for anyone going to Bocas.

I met Nini at the Hostal Heike reception, and she was to be my new traveling partner on and off from Panama to Guatemala. She had actually stayed at the same hostel in Panama City, and thanks to guidebooks and hostel recommendations, we recognized many of the same people along the way.

Apart from hanging out with some random people we just met, including Pierre who got a photo of the best-sandwich-on-the-island Nazi smiling, we attended the town's Lighting Of The Christmas Tree and a yoga session to fill in the time.

The Islands Tour

Not wanting to leave Bocas without actually seeing some of the place, we booked a tour of the islands. The first stop was Dolphin Bay where several tour boats pretty much chased the poor dolphins around. Then there was a bit of snorkeling, where amongst the mostly brown coral were some alien looking structures of red, purple and yellow, as well as a few decent fish to see. Red Frog Beach was an ugly stretch of sand between forest and rough water where we spent far too long. Fortunately it didn't rain at that time, and the last stop was another snorkeling spot at pretty Hospital Point, but by then everyone was too tired and keen for the tour to be over that we all voted to just go back.

Yeah, not the best tour, but I was glad to have gone on it or I would not have seen a thing of the archipelagio. Plus, it was cheap.