bocas panama

Melissa writes: “How’s it going? Can you tell me anything about life on Bocas del Toro?”

Melissa, I’m very good. For one thing, I’m not freezing my ass off on cape Cod dreaming of a better life. I visited bocas panama last year. The natives were quite hospitable. Unlike the rest of Panama they speak quite a bit of English. Partly because there are a lot of tourists, retirees, and surfers. And also because of the Jamaican/West Indian influence.

It’s very laid back, I spent my days lounging under palms; drinking mojitos from the shells of freshly killed turtles, with highly trained monkeys suckling my toes. It is indeed una buena vida mi amiga.

Bocas del Toro is a series of islands off the carribean coast of Panama accesible only by marine taxi ($3 from Almirante or $5 from Changuinola) or a small scary plane out of Allbrook (Panama City). It has an interesting history. Columbus visited nearby Bastimentos to load up on supplies in 1502. And there have been scores of pirates and adventurers. Check this history page out if you’re interested.

During my time there I did the tourist thing. I traveled by water taxi around several of the islands. Incredible. I saw dolphins leap into the sky, snorkeled with fish the color of ’60s black light posters, hiked pristine beaches, smoked weed with a Rasta, and pounded down cold beer with a real life one legged pirate. Who, I might add, complained bitterly about his Panamanian wife. I thought pirates were hardcore.

I was also hounded by tour operators, real estate weasels, and water taxi drivers. There’s a lot of land being hustled on Bocas with something called “rights of possesion”. I’m not a Panamanian lawyer but the whole idea of buying property without a title scared the crap out of me.

The “realtors” there assured me that it was all good. Rights of possesion are the tao of Bocas. But it was all kinda ponzi-esque. It’s good as long as the money rolls in and prices keep rising. But one day that money may stop, or the government could go against the right of possesion. Indeed, due to recent governmental rulings ownership of many of these properties is already in doubt. Caveat emptor.

There’s another thing to consider if you are interested in buying there. A lot of raw sewage is pumped into the waters of bocas panama. The locals have been dumping their garbage wherever for generations. I looked at a beautiful cottage over the water selling for $60k. But the beach was loaded with trash and the toilet flushed directly into the bay.

There are plenty of good places to eat and drink on Bocas. The seafoods excellent. Fresh, I assume due to the close proximity of the water. But goods shipped over from the mainland and sold in the markets are more expensive.

My nights were spent in the Hospedaje Sagitarius. These days I sleep indoors. I’m still freaked from waking up on Red Frog Beach and finding an iguana rooting around my board shorts. Another reason to crash indoors is the weather. It rains a good deal more in Bocas than Panama City, so its best to have a nice place to hole up.

My wood panneled room at the Sagitarius had a powerful fan, satellite TV, and private bath for about $18 a night. That’s about $540 a month to live in paradise with a maid cleaning up after you. Tip her a couple of bucks a day and you’re in for about $600 a month. Such a deal.

That said, I was happy to return to the city. Food (and drink) costs were higher on Bocas. Unless you’re a surfer, there’s not much to do but go to the beach (or the water), eat, drink or sleep. It’s a good place to slowdown and reconnect with nature. But if you’re like me it gets old fairly quick.

I was only able to take a few classes at the spanish school because they were overbooked. I was jonesing for a good internet connection, and it was hard to find good reading material. To be honest, idyllic islands, clean beaches and pirates who whine like little girls bore me after a few days.

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