Miscellaneous Tips, Panama

This is the old port in Portobelo, on the Caribbean Sea side of Panama. The pic was taken as I rode into town at nightfall so it's dark. I didn't know it then but the blue sailboat in the background is the Golden Eagle, on which our happy group was to sail to Colombia the next morning.

Our group was coming together for the first time in Portobelo, and the captain had arranged for us to meet there the night before we were to sail away at 6 a.m. He suggested that we all check into the hostel smack in the middle of town, where the bus leaves all passengers. I think it's called The Mission but my notebook was lost later so can't be sure. It doesn't matter, 'The' hostel is impossible to miss: old Spanish-style building with wooden balconies overlooking the minuscule square, with a bar at street level. Supposed to be about UDS5. I asked for a dorm or a room but the place was full and the owner got a man to take me and my luggage to a guesthouse close by, where I got a whole bungalow for $10.

Still, I didn't want to miss the gang so I hung around the Mission and watched the comings and goings, hoping to spot a blond head before too long. There was a No Smoking sign at the Mission bar so I settled conspicuously on the terrace of the restaurant across the street and tried to look as foreign as I could. I was the only foreigner around so I didn't have to attempt a salsa to prove my point. Two beers later, the captain and his girlfriend joined me, and then the others trickled in. We had a great evening making contact, ensuring we were ready for departure etc., all this in a true warm Caribbean night under the stars. Portobelo is small and authentic, you can't get more laid back than this place, and all we could do was to let the atmosphere wrap itself around us. There's nothing to do there but to feel good so why fight it?

One of the gang members was sleeping on board, so was the captain and girlfriend of course. The others were at the Mission. I was worried that we might miss each other at 5.30 a.m. the next morning so I told everyone where the bungalow was and the name of the owner (this was a private house, no signs and in fact, no address.) The only indications you can give sound like this: "Ask for Emilio's house. He's not there these days but his son Teo lives two houses down Main Street, where 5 or 6 men are always having a beer on the front lawn, watching the world go by. These guys will find Teo, who has the key to his father's house and to the bungalow in the back." I really would have preferred that one of my group walk over to Emilio's house, only 2 minutes away, since the beer-drinking guys weren't likely to be on the lawn at 5.30 a.m., but we were all too relaxed for such an effort.
The next morning, I was just rolling my suitcase down to the street when a muscular Canadian from our party appeared to help me get to the old port and GO!

So you have three options for accommodation, the Mission, a guesthouse or on board your sailing ship (must be arranged with the captain.)

Panama Hotels