To quote the Lonely Planet "If you're looking for a place to get away from it all, Bocas probably isn't the place for you."
It was right, Oh god, we found a tourist trap.... we freaked out at the number of americans in one place. Also the weird, "we're here for you, but we don't really give a rat's ass, give us tourist dollars and leave" sort of attitude we found here. Everyone speaks English too, authenticity is NOT Bocas' strong point. We've got to wonder about Chinese food served with Patacones (a fried squished banana chip served with everything all over panama).
We don't mean to sound completely pissed with Bocas, but our impressions were tarnished by a lack of ALL water to toilets/showers/basins etc throughout the main town centre. Promises of water coming back on were only kept because it rained heavily the following night, filling up local tanks rather than relying on town services.
However, we did have a good day touring the local beaches and dive/snorkel sites. The area itself is quite beautiful with a few islands and mangroves on the caribbean. All the islands are serviced by water taxis.
We joined Bocas Water Sports on their day tour (which was the same route every tour group used.... so we weren't short of people to keep us company)...
Site 1: Coral Cay - lots of tube sponges and sea stars in purples, pinks and oranges and loads of small fish typical to the Caribbean coast. We had lunch at an over-the-water restaurant which was pleasant.
Site 2: Red Frog Beach - a place to check out the tiny local red frogs (about the size of your thumbnail!) and visit one of the few surf beaches in the area.... did we mention the 40 minute maximum visit time to be shared with all the other foreigners.... we didn't spot a single panamanian apart from tour guides on the beach.
Site 3: Hospital Point - so-called because the site was a hospital used to segregate yellow fever victims early 20th century. A wall dive, we were led by Hector, a dive "instructor" (I use the word very loosely) who surged off without his three paying customers and did his own thing. Karen was a bit puzzled when she spotted 3 divers with no dive guide from the surface. (Help - what weird creature is this? Please identify!)On our way out of Panama - we took a water taxi to Changuinola through the tight canals near local farmland and people living on stilt houses and travelling by boat. Quite a ride... definitely worth a go.
17th June - Border crossing to COSTA RICA!!!!!
Border crossing involved a couple of quick stamps on either side of a single lane, wooden-plank lined, traffic-filled bridge. Everyone was avoiding traffic and carrying all their belongings on their back between countries. On into new territory!
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