Panama Expat Forum

My recent trip to Panama continued

10/23/2014 19:17 EST

I do not recall a single tour where they took a credit card though I was able to charge my big hotel in PC with a couple of tours as they were arranged through the hotel.
The museum at the Mira Flora Locks cost $15 for non Panamanians.
We flew to Bocas del Torro and spent 3 nights there. I had to pay $3 per person at the airport, a fee charged to help clean up the litter in town. An expat there told me the litter situation had already improved considerably.
I was expecting non-stop rock n roll but it was the same mariachi/salsa/reggae music everywhere though the Bocas Bamboo restaurant/bar played some excellent rock music from, I think, Argentina. Yes, I went to the Iguana Club which seemed to have some reputation as a wild place (there was always 3 or 4 police officers there at the club) but it was more salsa/reggae music and little going on.
The ocean water in Bocas was very clean and clear and full of sea life. Saw a dolphin, no big deal for me but it may thrill others. I thought Red Frog Beach was excellent, the highlight of my visit to Bocas. It was beautiful hiking through the jungle onto the beach and seeing a muddy pond full of caimans (close relative of the alligator). It cost $3 a head to visit the beach (apart from boat fare).

We took a mini-bus from Bocas (after the boat ride to shore) to Boquete and that was a gorgeous ride through the mountains and jungle.
Hats off and thanks to PanamaJames for picking us up, finding us lodging, and taking us shopping. We were most pleased with the lodging and again, James, we truly appreciate your help in this regard. We stayed in a casita owned by a friend of James, a very interesting individual named Roger whose little write-up on Panama I took the liberty to borrow from since it agreed with my own observations.
The expat community in Boquete appeared to be well organized, three planned hikes a week, a kind of swap-meet like meeting once a week (I was told hundreds attend it) and there certainly was more folks who spoke English here. Lots of restaurants as well and a 10 minute taxi ride from Alto Boquete was only 60 cents. Listened to an excellent rock band at Mike’s Grill one night and the same band the next night at the Baru?
Rented a car for a day at $48/day and drove to Volcan and Cerro Punta. Pretty drive, especially on the way to Cerro Punta which I would recommend if in Volcan anyway. A little disappointed I couldn't hike to the volcano as it is quite the challenge, but I would have loved to view both oceans from the same vantage point. Roger gave us the grand tour (3 hours) of Bouquet for which we were very grateful as it was spectacular.
More later. Forgive me for the length.

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tbh

10/23/2014 20:45 EST

Great informative messages. And don't apologize for the length, the more information the better.

Thanks!

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