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Bocas is a land where foreigners meet and never leave, which is why the food here is so good and you have so many options!
Here is my list of my favorite restaurants in this area:
- Guari Guari: you must make reservations since this place is tiny. Guari Guari comes from the indigenous language. This is a set menu (cost $20 per person) which changes every day in a degustation fashion.
- Bocas Marina on Careneros - Calypso Cantina: come on Fridays for their amazing ribs and their fire show or live bands (reservations recommended since this place gets packed!), Saturday for their happy Saturday $1 beers, $2 cocktails, and the best burger or Sunday night to see a movie proyected on a screen over the water at 7 PM.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Calypso-Cantina/101546005179
- Ultimo Refugio: not open on weekends, located at the end of the island. Fresh seafood from both the Pacific and Caribbean side of Panama are always a focus on the menu, as well as locally grown fruits and vegetables. El Ultimo Refugio offers a fully stocked bar, including Panamanian beers and liquors as well as an extensive and creative cocktail menu.
www.ultimorefugio.com/
- El Pecado: probably one of the most popular restaurants, located on the main street bellow the hotel Laguna. This restaurant serves a very complete menu ranging from pizzas to Oriental food.
- Lily's Cafe: is a favorite for breakfast. Be patient in this place sometimes the food takes a while, but the location over the water makes the wait very pleasant. Make sure to go Saturdays where they have a "open mike" and all the town locals show up to give you the best music.
www.facebook.com/pages/Lilis-Caf%A8/108061665892613
- Raw: just opened is a new sushi place located in front of Starfleet Scuba and Hotel Bocas del Toro. Delicious sushi at very competitive prices.
- Buenavista Restaurant: The Buena Vista Bar & Grill has been a staple in Bocas for over ten years. It is located over the water in downtown Bocas (Isla Colón). It is open daily from 12:00pm until 9:30pm for drinks, starters, sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. An additional dinner menu including seafood, steaks, international fare, and house specialties is available after 5:00pm (and often earlier, just ask!).
www.buenavistabocas.com/
- Bibis on the Water: out in Careneros Island, you must take a water taxi ($1.50 USD per person) to cross from Isla Colon. This place is located on the water and has a very complete menu, that ranges from seafood specials as well as sandwiches. Don't miss the happy hour from 4-7! You can take drinks from here and go over to the beach nearby.
- Hotel Bocas Paradise: The Bocas Paradise restaurant is excellent. Modestly called a "cafe", seating overlooks the water out on the terrace. Daily specials are added for lunch and dinner, depending on what's in at the market early the same day. Also open for breakfast!
www.bocasparadisehotel.com
- Om Cafe: is open from breakfast to dinner, closed Wednesday and Thursday. Offering Hindu food. Everything at OM Cafe is made from scratch the “old fashioned” way, from the masalas, to the paneer and even homemade yogurt.
http://omcafeandbar.com/
- Toro Loco: is an American sports bar, which serves bar food all day and all night. They also have a rotisserie, so you can have some of their special chicken. Go watch a game, drink some beer and get some good food!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1695421047
- Rip Tide: is a local bar on a boat on top of the water. This is a very cool place because of its unique appeal. The menu caters mostly to American food like wings and country fried chicken and has good drink specials and draft beer.
- Bocas Blended: is an old school bus transformed into a to-go restaurant. Located right next to Mondo Taitu and in front of Rip Tide. The menu includes smoothies, sandwiches, wraps, etc. Great options for vegetarians too!
www.facebook.com/pages/Bocas-Blended/227577776497
- Casa Verde: is a hostel with one of the coolest bars on the water. The hostal has a very good and inexpensive drink and food menu, with a special reduce price dish per day. A good place to see live bands or meet new friends!
- Albertos Pizzeria: is the best pizza in Bocas. The menu has delicious gourmet options and premium ingredients, as well as the classic favorites. Be patient since this place is slow, especially if it is full.
- Rana Azul: located out in the dark lands it is usually an experience to get out here, the place is only open on Saturday and Sundays. A local hang spot, makes amazing pizza and Austrian food, including delicious home made pretzels.
- Super Gourmet Deli: the cutest Caribbean super market you have ever seen! This is a great place to eat or buy supplies. They have sandwiches and other munchies you can eat on the spot or to go.
www.facebook.com/pages/Super-Gourmet/110547952296005
Written May 29, 2011
Address: Isla Colon and Careneros Bocas
Phone: 757-7277
Website: www.bocaspanama.com
Helpfulness
There is also another option that I noticed which was on the Island of San Cristobal. They are one of the closer islands to Isla Colon (the tourist hub) and they offer a medicinal trail with authentic Ngobe community food. I went there in Janurary 2010 and would highly recommend it. It is a place to get the real authentic indigenous feel as well as a different experience. You just need a boat driver to take you to San Cristobal. It is pretty inexpensive and there is artisan work for purchase on the island.
Written Jan 16, 2010
Address: Bocas del Torro
Website: http://www.discoverbocasdeltoro.com/attractions/communities/item/comunities/san-cristobal.html
One of the best things that we did during our stay in Bocas is go to the indigeious community of San Cristobal. They have a medicinal plant trail that you can walk through and then the women of the community cook a traditional lunch. In addition, you can go shopping for little artisan crafts that the ladies make. The area is gorgeous and it is amazing to see how these people live, it is a life completely different from ours. The whole community is very warm and welcoming and it is just an amazing experience all together. It only costs $20 to go and you have to reserve a day in advance, but it is an experience that you should definitely not miss out on!
Written Jan 16, 2010
Address: San Cristobal
Helpfulness
All tour operators in Bocas offer standardised tours to the outlying islands. This is one of the most popular ones. It goes to Dolphin Bay where they attract the dolphins by making big circles with the boat so the dolphins follow them on the wake of the circles. Snorkeling and lunch at Coral Cay follow, which is built above unbelievably clear water with large colourful fish swimming underneath. But as for snorkeling, the bottom is absolutely bare with no corals at all.
Food prices are not too high. Mains are at about 10$, shrimps at 12$ and my delicious lobster was at 13$. After a pleasant short walk through the jungle path of Bastimentos island the Red Frog beach is there for a refreshing swim with the waves. Punta Hospital is the last stop where snorkeling is possible although the corals are completely destroyed and colourless, there are very few fishes, and visibility is not very good.
The price of this tour is 22$ including only snorkel and mask. Bring your own food if you are on a low budget because the food is at least 10$ more.
A more expensive tour includes Cayos Zapatillas with a great beach but with strong currents which makes snorkeling difficult.
The tour lasted from 9:30 until 5:00 and all in all it was satisfactory.
The tour operator was 'J & J Transparente Boat Tours' on Calle 3rd.
Updated Aug 12, 2009
Phone: (507) 757 9915
Helpfulness
If your looking for a great way to spend the day in Bocas Del Toro, Catamaran Sailing and snorkeling tour is the way to go. Go green and experience the reefs and dolphins in a slow breezy style, sailing!
The dolphins seemed familiar with the catamaran and they were excited when the boat arrived in Dolphin bay, performing a great show for all of the people on the boat.
The snorkeling was exquisite and the Captain was extremely knowledgeable about the area.
Highly recommended.
Written Jul 24, 2009
Address: Next to Hotel Dos Palmas
Phone: 507 757 9710
Website: www.bocassailing.com
If your looking for a great way to spend the day in Bocas Del Toro, Catamaran Sailing and snorkeling tour is the way to go. Go green and experience the reefs and dolphins in a slow breezy style, sailing!
The dolphins seemed familiar with the catamaran and they were excited when the boat arrived in Dolphin bay, performing a great show for all of the people on the boat.
The snorkeling was exquisite and the Captain was extremely knowledgeable about the area.
Highly recommended.
Written Jul 24, 2009
Address: Next to Hotel Dos Palmas
Phone: 507 757 9710
Website: www.bocassailing.com
If your looking for a great way to spend the day in Bocas Del Toro, Catamaran Sailing and snorkeling tour is the way to go. Go green and experience the reefs and dolphins in a slow breezy style, sailing!
The dolphins seemed familiar with the catamaran and they were excited when the boat arrived in Dolphin bay, performing a great show for all of the people on the boat.
The snorkeling was exquisite and the Captain was extremely knowledgeable about the area.
Highly recommended.
Written Jul 24, 2009
Address: Next to Hotel Dos Palmas
Phone: 507 757 9710
Website: www.bocassailing.com
If your looking for a great way to spend the day in Bocas Del Toro, Catamaran Sailing and snorkeling tour is the way to go. Go green and experience the reefs and dolphins in a slow breezy style, sailing!
The dolphins seemed familiar with the catamaran and they were excited when the boat arrived in Dolphin bay, performing a great show for all of the people on the boat.
The snorkeling was exquisite and the Captain was extremely knowledgeable about the area.
Highly recommended.
Written Jul 24, 2009
Address: Next to Hotel Dos Palmas
Phone: 507 757 9710
Website: www.bocassailing.com
Helpfulness
Northwest of island Colon is the beautiful Bocas de Drago beach. When Colombus first came to the island Colon he named it Isla del Drago. So the name remained. To get there you should get on the public bus or collectivo from the main square ( 2$- 1 hour). If you prefer to keep your privacy and comfort take a taxi – or water taxi – and get there in 30 minutes. Mid way you will pass Beach Bluff suitable for surfers.
When the bus drops you off you should walk on along the beach. First thing you meet is the restaurant Yarisnori. Breakfast or late lunch when you come back from the beach here is not a bad idea. Then walking along the fine beach shaded by mangroves and palm trees takes you around to the far end where Drago beach is, and the Starfish point. As you have already guessed it is full of big orange-red starfish. Please don't be tempted to take one home. Each one is important to keep the natural balance. It was not created for the decoration of your room...
It is a wonderful beach with excellent crystal clear water and a lot of vegetation. They say snorkeling is good here...I haven't tried.
An upmarket resort was being constructed near the pier and some rooms are available around the area but they are usually booked up.
Careful with shoes! There are small slivers that get into your foot skin and you can't walk anymore. I had to take them out later one by one. They are not very painful but really annoying. So don't walk barefoot!
Click on photo
Updated Aug 25, 2008
Helpfulness
Frogs have bright colours because that's how nature indicates threat . So they may be bright orange, yellow, green, purple or red with spots or without. Colour differs according to the location the frogs live in. In fact these tiny creatures carry toxins so strong that have attracted scientists from all over the world to try to find out if they can be of any use to Medicine. Recently their research gave fruit as they manage to manipulate one toxin and produce a pain killer that is a hundred times more powerful than morphine!
After the eggs have hatched the mother frogs take their tadpoles one by one and puts them in small pools of water on big leafs. But they don't abandon their offspring yet . They come periodically and nurture each little tadpole with an infertile egg they deposit into the pool. The tiny tadpole are begging for food every time a frog comes to their leaf by waving its tail...But mothers feed only their own offspring as they can memorize the location of their own 'children'!!!
(information from Kyle Summers an eminent professor and researcher in the fields of Evolution, Behavioural Ecology and Genetics)
Red frogs gave their name to the famous beach on Bastimentos.
They say they are not a threat to humans because the poison has to be injected into the blood as it cannot penetrate the skin. So don't worry. Local children capture some of them and show them to tourists for a minimal tip.
Updated Aug 18, 2008
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