Panama Adventure Vacation

Seasons in Bocas del Toro Panama

2007-08-06T11:48:00.000-05:00

When should I take my Panama vacation? Are there specific seasons to consider? Well here in Bocas del Toro Panama we have two seasons. Warm and a little rainy and warm and more rainy.

When are these two seasons? Generally speaking, February through May each year is warm with a little rain. We are in the middle of the rainforest so in order for us to have this lush vegetation we have to have rain, but the amount of rain we get in these four months is on the low side of our average. Then again for September and October we have drier months.

The season of warm and more rain coincides with surf season most of the time. When we have a bit more rain we also have more swells. So in the summer, July and August, we may have more rain and some nice riding waves. December and January are also considered to be wetter months and the surf can get BIG. Check out these photos – most of them are from January 2007 which was pretty good size.

The months of June and November are shoulder months. Some years they side with the warm and a little rain season and some years they side with the warm and more rain season.

Really, when you should take your vacation to Panama boils down to this – when is the best time for you? How much time to you want to allocate for this adventure vacation? Is there a time during your year that is better for you? Pick that time. Our weather and our seasons afford you the opportunity to do whatever it is that you want to do just about 365 days a year.

Bonefish

2007-04-13T13:50:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to the beach with my husband, my son, our business partner’s wife and son and a few friends. As we arrived at the beach we took the boat down the edge of the island to scan for fish. My husband was certain they would be there as he encountered them several times at this same beach over the last month. As we were about to reach our preferred parking spot, Jim spotted the bonefish. They were swimming near the water’s edge directly off of a small point.

We parked the boat, disembarked and the guys took off to cast. About thirty minutes and about 4 fish later, they returned for lunch. They enjoyed a quick bite and talked about what it was like to catch the fish in such an idyllic setting.

The sun was high and the water was beautiful. The sky couldn’t have been any bluer or the clouds any fluffier. The sunshine shone through the water allowing them to watch the bonefish and determine the exact location to cast the fly.

They went in and out of the water casting the rod to the fish most of the afternoon. My son and his buddy had their first bonefish experience at the tender ages of three and four. My son is already talking about what it is going to be like when he gets to catch the bonefish. Talk about a family adventure.

Hike to the beach

2007-04-09T16:55:00.001-05:00

Today my husband took a couple on a hike through an indigenous village, the jungle and out onto the beach. They left here this morning around 9:00 am in one of our boats to travel over to the indigenous village. At the village they depart from the boat and walk around a bit.

We have been working with the village to build and maintain a trail which goes from one side of the island to the other side through the jungle on the edge of Bastimentos National Marine Park. So, one of the members of the village accompanies our group along the trail. Along the way they encounter a variety of different plants and animals. Red frogs, sleeping bats, sloths, various reptiles, and maybe even a monkey or two. As they near the end of the trail they enter into an area which resembles more of a lake or a river rather than an ocean lagoon. In this area there are waterfalls and other natural attractions.

After walking through the lagoon they walk a bit further and they access a beautiful beach called Playa Larga. The hike out to Playa Larga from the indigenous village takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The guests are welcome to hang out at the beach and take in all that the island has to offer for a number of hours. Then they begin the return trip back to the indigenous village and the boat. On the return trip they might see something they missed on the way out to the beach. Either way they have had an experience of a lifetime.

What's for lunch?

2007-04-07T15:57:00.000-05:00

Most of the time when you go on an excursion you are not thinking about what you are going to be eating for lunch when you begin the day. We pack a great lunch for our guests leaving on one of our excursions. Since we have asked about our guests' preferences in advance we are familiar with what it is that they like and try to incorporate those requests into the to go lunches we prepare each day.

Our lunches usually include a sandwich on freshly made bread, fresh fruit such as watermelon, pineapple and apples, a crispy snack of some kind, homemade cookies (Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Biscotti, among many others), and then for those who request it a salad or other special item. We have had guests with a variety of allergies or food preferences and we take each of these into consideration as we prepare the meal for those guests each day. We pack all these items into an igloo and have them ready to go for our guests when they get hungry. We also pack an igloo full of sweet rainwater and other beverages to quench your thirst.

So after the first day that people go out on an excursion, I am not at all surprised when at breakfast they ask me, “What’s for lunch?”

How to snorkel

2007-04-05T14:28:00.000-05:00

Bocas del Toro Panama is a great place to snorkel. We have many people come down to visit who have never gone snorkeling before. Here are a few of the instructions we give to them when we prepare for their first encounter:

1. Test your mask and snorkel together to make sure they workd well together.

2. Try on the mask and snorkel on your face to determine fit and comfort.

3. Generally you position the rubber strap that attaches the snorkel to your mask so that the snorkel is just above your left ear. Most snorkels are right handed, but if you are using a special left-handed snorkel, you will attach your snorkel to be just above your right ear.

4. Once you are in the water, take a deep breath, bite down on the mouthpiece and submerge your head in the water.

5. Purge your snorkel of any water that may be in the snorkel shaft by exhaling sharply.

6. Breathe gently using the snorkel at first in case any water remains in the snorkel. Purge the snorkel a second time if needed and do so anytime there appears to be water in the snorkel shaft.

7. Move gently on the surface of the water. Any rapid or abrupt movements may fill the snorkel shaft with water.

8. If you want to dive down and see something a bit closer, then inhale and hold your breath so that you do not take in any water from the snorkel itself. Dive down and explore the ocean below you.

9. As you complete your shallow dive, ascend. Once you are sure the end of the snorkel is above the surface of the ocean, then purge to clear the snorkel shaft.

10. Breathe gently and make sure the snorkel is completely cleared of water before you begin breathing normally.

11. At any time that you are uncomfortable, you can lift your entire head out of the water and breathe. Once you are ready, you may begin the process again.

Sea Turtle Nesting Basics

2007-04-04T17:59:00.001-05:00

We have Leatherback turtles nesting right now in Bocas del Toro Panama so here is some basic information on nesting for all sea turtles.

Female sea turtles instinctively return to the same beach as they were born to nest each year. Sometimes they even emerge from the ocean less than one hundred yards from the spot in which they were born.

Eggs are generally laid one month after mating and almost always during the cover of night on a deserted beach. Any light other than natural moonlight and starlight can be seen by the turtles and will cause the turtle to turn back to the sea to wait. Even the most subtle match strikes can be detected.

Sometimes a turtle will abandon a nest if she encounters an obstacle or if the sand does not have the right consistency or moisture content. Another turtle may nest regardless of what else is going on around her. If a turtle fails to nest and returns to sea it is referred to as a “false crawl”

Most females nest at least twice during a given season although certain turtles may nest only once and others may nest as many as ten or eleven times.

Because of their size, each turtle uses a different method to move on land which allows researchers to determine species without actually seeing the turtle.

Raptor Migration

2007-04-03T18:07:00.000-05:00

Various raptors fly over Panama as part of their migration highway. Here each Fall we get to experience a small portion of this migration as part of or our day to day voyeurism.

In the Fall of 2004, the first intercontinental migration count of raptors was completed along the Panama Canal. They counted the birds ocean to ocean. Both professional and volunteer conservationists descended upon Panama to record the flight of over more than three million birds of prey. There are turkey vultures, broad-winged hawks and Swainson’s hawks in these migrations.

I cannot tell you how many of these same birds we had the opportunity to observe here in Bocas del Toro Panama but what I can tell you is that it is so cool to see. These large groups of big powerful birds fly together and then do acrobatics as they drift on a thermal.

“An ocean-to-ocean count of raptors traveling through central Panama has long been the ‘Holy Grail’ for raptor-migration scientists and conservationists,” explains Dr. Keith Bildstein, Hawk Mountain’s director of conservation science. “Until now, the lack of human willpower and financial resources has forestalled this ambitious and important project.” In the Fall of 2004 they made the dream a reality.

The initial record of raptor migration in Panama was made by a Spanish historian named Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, who, writing in1526 noted in the Darien of eastern Panama in “Some years in the month of March, I have seen over the space of 15 or 20 days . . . the sky covered with birds almost morning to night. . . They . . . cover the whole sky from north to south and a wide section east to west. Apparently most of these birds are eagles and many large species of other birds of prey.”

Raptors fly only during the day and then only during good weather. So they require safe havens for nighttime and rainy day roosting. The Bastimentos National Marine Park includes protected forest which gives these birds a refuge and resting place during their migration.

Do everything, do nothing

2007-04-02T17:02:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when you plan an eco adventure vacation you have intentions of doing something active each day of your vacation. Sometimes you plan on taking a day or two off in between your excursions. It all depends upon where you are personally prior to your vacation and then where you end up once you get there.

The beauty of choosing a Panama vacation is that you can plan one vacation and then make changes as you go along. You may plan on going to the beach each day. Then once you get here you see that it might be a lot of fun to do some river kayaking as well. So you drop one of the beach days for a day kayaking down the rivers on the mainland.

Your family adventure may have included only a day or two of planned excursions but after your first excursion you determine that you and your family want to do more. You can add excursions on to your adventure vacation at any time.

This vacation does not have to be do everything or do nothing. You can find the perfect balance for you and your family so that you experience both the exhilaration and relaxation we have here in Bocas del Toro.

Tread lightly

2007-04-01T21:11:00.000-05:00

When you head out on an eco adventure what does it mean to tread lightly? Should you use motorized equipment? Can you visit places where you must use only your own power to get to and from such a location? Or can you use a combination of motor power and muscle power?

We try to use a combination of both motor and muscle to fuel our eco adventures. There are places within the Bocas del Toro archipelago that are absolutely incredible, but if you were left to sheer muscle power to reach them then you wouldn’t likely get there. Some of the places we visit are a 45 minute ride in one of our motorized boats from our central location. However, once we reach our destination there are precious ecosystems which should be protected from motorized equipment if at all possible. Thus the use of muscle power begins.

We will likely walk or kayak to tour these locations in order to reach the most pristine of locations without disturbing nature any more than necessary. Some of our excursions include a walk of about 10 to 15 minutes and then once at the launching point you might also kayak or swim to get a better view of the island in total. If we tread lightly we are at least doing our part to preserve the area for the future.

Majestic Trees

2007-03-31T17:05:00.000-05:00

Majestic Trees. One of the joys of walking through the jungle here in Bocas del Toro Panama is to encounter the different kinds of trees. Some of these trees stand as tall as a high rise building in the middle of the concrete jungle. Here, however the concrete, if any, is limited to minimal walkways.

Walking amongst these trees, which can stand hundreds of feet above the ground, makes one realize how small our dimensions are. Here in the rainforest each of the plants and animals has its own place in the life cycle. There are the trees which grow tall quickly to provide shade to some of the other plants which cannot handle the full sunlight. Once the early bloomers have served their purpose they may fall over to make way for sunlight which then permits other plants to take their place in the forest.

The termites and other insects which feed on the different plants in the jungle also help the natural order of things to continue. When they termites feed on a tree for an extended period of time, it ultimately falls making space for the next round of growth. The ants may feed on the fallen tree or upon other plants near the forest floor.

Each time I think about how nature keeps this process going I think of The Trees by Rush where you have the maples asking for more sunglight and the oaks ignoring their pleas. Ultimately, a hole will open up and the maples will get more sunlight as that is just the way things work in the jungle.

Sea Turtle Facts

2007-03-30T12:11:00.000-05:00

Bocas del Toro Panama is the nesting ground for a number of sea turtles. Here are some basic facts about sea turtles:

Sea turtles do not have teeth, instead they have a beak like jaw which they use to tear, crush and bite at the food in their diet.

Sea turtles do not have ears. They have an inner eardrum covered by a flap of skin and they hear best at low frequencies.

Sea turtles have an excellent sense of smell. Their vision is good underwater but they are nearsighted when on land.

Sea turtles can remain submerged underwater for an extended period of time if they are not exerting themselves. For example, routine activity requires oxygen replenishment every four to five minutes, but they can sleep underwater for several hours at a time without the need to replenish oxygen.

They have flippers shaped like paddles for easier navigation in the water. The front flippers are used to propel themselves and the back flippers are used for steering. Their shells are more streamlined for speed and efficiency in the water.

Due to their immense size, sea turtles cannot retract their heads into their shells. Their skulls and necks are not armored. Sea turtles cannot right themselves if they are turned upside down. They also cannot back up in water or on land.

Because the sea turtle is a reptile, it cannot regulate its own temperature. When they are too cold, they become lethargic and seek warmth. At warmer temperatures they risk overheating. A rapid rise in body temperature can cause a deadly heat stroke which is one reason they nest at night.

14 Day Family Adventure Vacation to Panama

2007-03-29T21:35:00.000-05:00

Day One:
Arrive Panama City. Overnight Panama City.

Day Two:
Tour Panama City and the Miraflores Locks.

Day Three:
Transfer to Bocas del Toro. Dockside activities & afternoon trip to beach number 1

Day Four:
Dad & Son – early am fishing off the dock
Family – trip to beach number 2 with guide

Day Five:
Dad & Son – early am fishing off the dock
Family – snorkeling trip throughout the archipelago to different reef formations

Day Six:
Family – trip to beach number 1 – guide returns afternoon to pick up

Day Seven:
Family – morning activities from dock
Afternoon – trip to beach number 3

Day Eight
Dad & Son – early am fishing from kayak
Family – morning boat ride to Dolphin Bay
Afternoon – activities from dock

Day Nine:
Family excursion to indigenous village and beach number 4

Day Ten:
Dad & Son – early am fishing from kayak
Family – trip to beach number 1 – guide returns afternoon to pick up

Day 11:
Dad – river mouth fishing for tarpon
Remainder of family – trip to beach number 1

Day 12:
Dad & Son – early am fishing off the dock
Family excursion to beach number 1 – guide returns afternoon to pick up
Entire family catches bonefish on fly rod

Day 13:
Mid day transfer back to Panama City. Overnight Panama City.

Day 14:
Return Home

Adventure Defined

2007-03-28T15:12:00.000-05:00

What is your definition of adventure? When I did a quick search of the internet here are a few of the definitions I found:

A wild and exciting undertaking.
Participation in hazardous or exciting experiences.
Taking a risk in hopes of a favorable outcome.
A remarkable occurrence

We see an adventure as an activity or an excursion that is undertaken for the sake of physical or emotional exhilaration. Obviously most uses are in reference to physical activities. Many of the basic definitions require that the activity have some risk of danger. We do not believe you need to endanger yourself to go on an adventure. Adventure tourism is generally believed to include one or more of the following components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction, and engagement with nature.

While we find most adventurous activities are undertaken for the purpose of recreation, we also find that they can lead to a gain in knowledge. Many of our excursions permit you to learn more about the plants, animals and people which inhabit our beautiful Panama Islands. Adventure education is generally believed to be some form of organized outdoor excursion. We try with our excursions to include a variety of elements of each of the different definitions of adventure.

Bocas del Toro Fishing

2007-03-27T16:51:00.000-05:00

Why do they call it fishing and not catching? I think this is an age old question. Today a group of four guys went fishing. They left around 6:20 am and returned at about 4:30 pm. They made their way to the honey hole and tried to catch some fish. They saw a bunch of fish and hooked one. They got that one close to the boat, but in the end he got away.

So they spent part of the day collecting sand and shells to take back to their families. They decided they would take one more pass and see what happened. One guy hooks a tarpon at the front of the boat and brings him in. He is a good-looking fellow so they decide to go after another one. The next guy in the rotation is feeling a bit peaked so he passes on his turn. So the next batter steps up. He has gone saltwater fishing on four other occasions on other vacations but thus far he hasn’t hooked anything.

He hooks about a 60 pound tarpon. He fights him for an extended period of time and works with the fish to get him to the boat. He says it was one of the hardest things he has ever done. He smiles and says he knows that for a tarpon he wasn’t a huge specimen. But the fact that on his fifth trip out he brings a fish all the way to the boat – that is a smile you can’t wipe off of his face. So while the group spent most of the day fishing, they did do some catching.

Punta Valiente

2007-03-26T15:48:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite excursions is to go to Punta Valiente. There we visit one Ngobe Bugle village and then walk across a trail created by another to one of the longest stretches of beach in Western Panama.

The Ngobe Bugle is a combination of two separate groups which were joined together when the Ngobe Bugle Comarca was created. The villages we visit are a part of this comarca. The Ngobe Bugle are Panama's most numerous indigenous peoples with a population of about 190,000. A comarca is a protected area that governs itself comparable to a reservation in the USA.

The majority of the Ngobe Bugle live in small communities or villages like the two that visit. They live in huts raised off the ground with a penca or thatch roof. The primary handcraft of these Ngobe Bugle is the chacara. The "chacara" is a type of woven bag made by the women that displays their numerous ancestral legends, mimicking the skin and colors of their animals and the landscape of the comarca. These bags are made using fibers from the pita and cabuya plants.

When the children are in school we visit the village school and bring different items for the children. We also take photos of the different villagers. We print copies of the photos and take them back to them on the next visit. All the children gather around to find one of the photos of themselves to take home.

Jellyfish Kayak

2007-03-25T16:04:00.000-05:00

What would you think if I told you that you could go for a kayak and then get out and snorkel and check out an entire bed of upside down jellyfish? Would you be intrigued or a bit freaked out? We have had clients that go either way.

Upside down jellyfish are quite an unique sight. They live in shallow water and frequently in the mangroves. They reach 12-14 inches in diameter. They reproduce sexually in one part of their life and asexually in another part. They have lacy frilly ruffles. They appear to glow in the dark. They contain symbiotic golden algae. Most of their food is produced by the symbiotic algae. These same algae produce oxygen which allows the jellyfish to survive in oxygen poor water.

Upside-down jellyfishes have more than 40 mini mouth openings. They are invertebrates and their bodies are 95% water, 3% salt, and 2% protein. They usually lie on the bottom of the water and can be mistaken for the sea anemone. They have a sting, but it is minor and they do not sting often.

The jellyfish starts out as free swimming organism, and as soon as it reaches 2 centimeters long it inverts its bell and goes to the bottom of the water where it lands upside-down.

Chocolate as an adventure

2007-03-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

Chocolate. Who knew it could be an adventure? It has been traded as currency. It has been used for its medicinal properties. It has been considered as a food for the gods. The main ingredient in cocoa and chocolate is cacao.

Cacao beans grow within the football shaped fruit pod of the cacao tree. Cacao trees grow in tropical climates within twenty degrees of the equator. Panama is at 9 degrees so it is perfect for cacao farming. The trees grow best under a canopy of taller trees. There is a slippery gelatin like membrane that encases the beans inside the pod. This membrane tastes similar to a sweet tart candy.

The beans are removed from this membrane and then allowed to ferment for some period of time to begin the development of the chocolate flavor. Once fermented, the beans are placed in the sun to dry. Larger chocolate production uses another method for drying the beans. The dried beans are then roasted. Roasting cracks the beans a bit into small pieces. These pieces are then sifted. The resulting nut is called a chocolate nib. The chocolate nibs go through a process similar to grinding called conching which transforms the nibs into a liquid. This liquid is chocolate liquor.

Commercial chocolate production continues on with additional processes which add sugar, milk and other ingredients. The chocolate is tempered to develop its sheen and then placed into molds and wrapped.

Lure of adventure

2007-03-23T15:10:00.000-05:00

The lure of adventure. What is it for you? Do you want activities to keep you busy morning, noon and night? Do you want to rest and relax and have a dose of adventure on the side?

You can order your family adventure either way. One family we know does a bit of both. The dad and the son get up and go fishing off the dock each morning beginning around 7:30 am. Mom and daughter sleep in a little bit and they all meet up for breakfast in the main lodge building around 9:30. After breakfast they head out to one of the nearby islands for a day of sun filled adventure. We pack up boogie boards, kayaks, snorkeling equipment and lots of sunscreen. We send a picnic lunch made to order and various other snacks to keep them satisfied as they work up an appetite. They return from the beach early in the afternoon and escape from the sun for a few hours either inside their cabana or on the porch in the hammock. After the brief respite from the sun, Mom and Dad take some fruity cocktails back to their room for a bit of quiet time. The children come over to the main lodge building to play with our kids for a couple of hours. They enjoy a delicious dinner together before heading back to the cabana. At the cabana they stargaze briefly and then head off to sleep in order to rest up for the next day of their adventure vacation.

Life cycles

2007-03-22T12:02:00.000-05:00

Life goes through cycles. Fashion, food, and family adventure each seem to have a cycle with slight variations each time the cycle begins again.

I was in a mall in Panama City not too long ago and I noticed that all of the clothes were a scary reminder of Madonna as a material girl and Cyndi Lauper. Now of course there was a twist – the colors seem to be more vibrant than I remember, but the basic lines were way too familiar.

In food, we have had coffee, tea and now chocolate become the focus. I am blessed to live in a location where we have access to delicious coffee grown less than 100 miles from my home. We have organic chocolate grown and processed by hand by dear friends of ours just a short boat ride away. Chocolate has been a fascination of many different generations. Now it is being touted for its health benefits.

When I was a child the family adventure we took each summer included lots of time in the family car. Now families are taking an adventure vacation that may include a global getaway of some sort. Young children have passports. They learn to snorkel and go kayaking. I got to swim in a hotel pool in the middle of the United States. I think the kids now definitely have it better.

Diverse interests unite

2007-03-21T21:05:00.000-05:00

So you want to take your family on a family adventure vacation. Do you all want to do the same things when you go out to explore the area? Are there competing interests that need to be fulfilled each day?

Generally speaking you can fulfill multiple areas of interest each day when you visit Bocas del Toro Panama. Because the archipelago has so many diverse opportunities there are ways to make sure that even a family where each member wants to do something different can spend time together.

You may want to go fishing, but your wife is more a sleep in kind of person (I am very familiar with this situation from personal experience). You can get up and go fishing in the morning and meet her back at the lodge building for breakfast.

The kids like to play on the beach either snorkeling, building sand castles or kayaking. So after your breakfast you can take a boat over to one of the many Panama Islands and set up your base camp for the day. Mom can hang out on the beach enjoying the serenity of the islands. The kids can do their thing together or a part. Dad can bring along a rod and do some wadefishing. Then you all can convene for lunch together and possibly a walk along the beach.

Jungle Music

2007-03-20T16:26:00.000-05:00

When it comes to music, there are a number of songs about the jungle and Panama. There are also artists when you listen to their music you feel as if you are either in the jungle or on an island. I thought I would list a few of the ones which come to my mind when I think about it.

Panama, Van Halen, 1984
Panama, Various Jazz Artists
Panama, Crosby, Stills & Nash, After the Storm
Going Down to Panama ,Shorty & Slim, Going Down to Panama

Jungle Man, Red Hot Chili Peppers, What Hits!?
Welcome To The Jungle, Guns N' Roses, Appetite For Destruction
Jungle Love, Moris Day and the Time
In The Heat Of The Jungle, Chris Isaak, Heart Shaped World
Jungle Gym, G. Love & Jack Johnson, Sing-a-Longs and Lullabies
Jungle Love, Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits
The Bare Necessities, Jungle Book, Soundtrack
Jungle Boogie, Kool & the Gang, Pulp Fiction Soundtrack
George of the Jungle
In the Jungle, Hugh Masekela
The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Tokens
Jungle Strut, Santana
Jungle Fever, Stevie Wonder

Brass Monkey, Beastie Boys
Tweeter and the Monkey Man, Traveling Wilburys

Jimmy Buffett – just about anything he has recorded, but especially Don’t Stop the Carnival

Jerry Jeff Walker, Bathing Suits & Cowboy Boots

Panama Birding

2007-03-19T17:15:00.000-05:00

Panama is roughly the size of the state of South Carolina and it has over 900 recorded bird species. The vast number of birds is due to two factors: Panama's location in between North and South America and the narrow girth of the land bridge.

Panama has both species found in North and South America and many endemic species of avifauna. Of the known species, 10 percent are restricted range species having a global range of less than 50,000 square kilometers.

The Caribbean slope of the Talamanca range, which is our backyard, is home to roughly 600 species of birds. In the areas we explore from our eco adventure laodge the altitude ranges from 7,000 feet to sea level, and nearly 500 species of birds can be found.

Isla Bastimentos which is only 20 square miles has an amazing variety of tropical birds. Parrots, herons, ibises, boobies, frigate birds, terns, jaegers, birds of prey, dove, owls, hummingbirds, kingfishers, barbets, woodpeckers, wrens, tyrant flycatchers, cotingas, manakins, warblers, tanagers, finches, and icterids all can be found on Isla Bastimentos.

Panama Vacation

2007-03-18T12:10:00.000-05:00

Come to Panama to play. Each day in your day to day life includes plans and a schedule. When you come here you are on vacation. Remember that. Live by it.

Enjoy the beach. Enjoy the jungle. Enjoy the sunshine. Enjoy the different plants and animals. Enjoy the view. Enjoy the stars. Enjoy the food. Enjoy the ocean. Enjoy the exhilaration that accompanies the different excursions in which you participate. Enjoy the hammock. Enjoy the quiet. Enjoy the moonrise. Enjoy the privacy. Enjoy the sleep. Enjoy the lively conversation. Enjoy your seclusion. Enjoy your book. Enjoy the lack of a schedule.

We understand that you are on vacation and that you have to make all kinds of decisions and plans on a daily basis in your life. So here, we help you relax. We plan your meals for you based upon the preferences you have given us in advance. We let you sleep as long as you want to do so. We ask you what your interests are and then make suggestions for your excursions for the day. We give you time to play and we give you time to relax. We take you out of your everyday so that when you return to it, you are refreshed.

Panama Outdoors

2007-03-17T09:59:00.000-05:00

What can you do from the dock? You can go fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, or swimming.

We keep a few fishing rods rigged up with small hooks for people to catch and release fish on the dock. Kids enjoy catching crabs along the dock and putting them into a bucket to be used for bait. The fish are plentiful in the morning as they are used to a morning feeding. We save all of the food remaining on people’s plates each night for the fish. The fish along our dock have grown in size and number ever since we began the morning feeding. We have a wide variety of fish cruising the dock looking for a tasty meal. Our guests have snagged snapper, barracuda, and others with the crabs. We ask that they release the fish back into the ocean so that they may be enjoyed by other guests in the future.

These same fish are great for viewing when you are snorkeling. We have coral formations right at the dock which allow you to observe both the coral and the fish in action. You can either snorkel and swim right at the dock or go for a longer distance swim which incorporates a bit of exercise into the process as well.

If you would prefer not to get directly in the water you can observe many of the underwater activities from the vantage point of your kayak. The water is clear and shallow throughout the bay so you can paddle about and check out the different coral formations.

Sustainable Tourism

2007-03-16T11:40:00.000-05:00

Sustainable adventure. How can we meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs? It isn’t easy, but it can be done with a bit of education.

Travel lightly.
Bring what you need and nothing more – but then again do not bring too much.
Take tours using your own fuel – kayaks, hikes, snorkels, etc. Limit your time in motor powered vehicles when and where possible.
Experience an area with responsible guides.
How does your guide work with local indigenous people? Do they help them develop sustainable practices to help them earn an income and maintain their habitat for the future? Do they do anything about helping these people develop land reserves to maintain life as they know it?
What kind of tours does your guide offer? Those using human power or those using extensive amounts of motor power?
Are your guides going to be in business in the years to come? The best sustainable business practice is to remain in business so that one can make a difference.
Learn from your experience.
Make a small change in your life at home. Purchase services and supplies from providers who support sustainable practices.
Show your children how other people in the world live. They will learn to appreciate what they have.

Promises

2007-03-15T17:12:00.000-05:00

How often do you make a promise to yourself that this year will be different? I will make time for myself and my family? Perhaps this will be the year we take a great family adventure vacation. Make your promise a reality.

You can go somewhere where you and your family come home with memories. You have the opportunity in Bocas del Toro Panama to experience a different activity each day of your vacation and also to teach your kids a valuable life lesson.

Say you go on vacation for one week. That gives you seven days and nights to experience all that Bocas has to offer. The first day you can go to a beautiful beach in the Bastimentos National Marine Park. The second day you may go for a kayak ride in and around some amazing islands full of rock formations. The third day you can head out to a peninsula on the mainland to tour an indigenous village and then walk across a trail they maintain to get to one of the most beautiful beaches you will see in your lifetime. The fourth day might be a trip to an organic chocolate farm to learn all about how chocolate is grown and produced. The fifth day you can go over to a river on the mainland and do some whitewater kayaking while watching the beautiful scenery. The sixth day you could take a hike through a different part of the Bastimentos National Marine Park and look for red frogs and other animals. The last day you might choose to go fishing for your dinner. Or you choose on any of those days to go snorkeling in the beautiful Caribbean Sea, spend some time reading a book or some serious time in a hammock just watching the variety of birds fly by.

Deliver on your promise – both for you and for your family.

Bocas del Toro Beach

2007-03-14T17:02:00.000-05:00

Playing in the ocean – fun for kids and adults alike. Today we went to the Zapatilla Cayes with a group of people. There were five children and nine adults. We all played in the water. We had boogie boards, kayaks and snorkeling equipment.

The crystal clear water made a beautiful backdrop for the island and its foliage as well as for our different activities. The kids, young and old, rode on the kayaks all the while pretending that one group were pirates and the other group was full of good guys. We took turns on the boogie boards to see who could catch the biggest wave. Some people swam a little further out to check out what they could find under the water.

There is a certain joy in watching a child play in the ocean at the water’s edge. They play in and out of the waves to see if they can withstand the push and pull of the waves or if the sand itself will knock them down. They go a bit further out and float in the water on a boogie board or a kayak flipped upside down. All in the name of practice for the day they will be big enough to go on a real surf board and catch some serious waves.

Bocas del Toro Island

2007-03-13T12:12:00.000-05:00

The nice thing about kayaking is it is a sport both for athletes and those of us not as athletically inclined. I am not athletic. I am not a big outdoors person. But I do like to kayak.

We use sit on top kayaks. They are much easier to maneuver or more importantly to get back onto after you have fallen off than a cockpit style kayak. Normally we have a few kayaks on the dock so it is easy to get going rather quickly once you decide you are ready to go for a paddle.

Once in the kayak is in the water, I climb on board. I release the kayak from the dock and off I go. I can paddle around the edge of the island and watch for the different aquatic life living at the island’s edge. I can paddle into open water and circle the small island out in the bay. I can head for a point nearby where I get to go through a mangrove tunnel to check out a different type of coral than we have right at our place.

Or if I was feeling adventurous I could head over to the rancho in the water not too far from our place and disembark. At the rancho I can have a picnic lunch, go fishing, go snorkeling, read a book, do yoga, or even take a nap. It all depends upon my current mood.

Kayaking can be done as a solitary activity or it can be done in a group. I can go on a single kayak or I can go with my husband on a double kayak. My three year old son loves to climb on board and take a ride.

Regardless of the excursion or companions, I always return from a paddling experience refreshed and renewed with a smile on my face.

Bocas del Toro Snorkeling

2007-03-12T14:33:00.000-05:00

Snorkeling is an easy and fun way to explore underwater life. The water here in Bocas del Toro Panama can be as warm as your bathtub all year round which makes it a great family adventure. Much of our island and the surrounding marine area are included in Bastimentos National Marine Park so water and the plants and animals included in it are a key resource.

Snorkeling does not require any special skills or exertion to stay afloat. Face down in the water and breathing through a snorkel, your body is naturally buoyant. Non-swimmers can safely snorkel using a flotation device.

As you float over a field of coral, the environment you see through your mask is a riot of color and movement. Various fish swim amongst the coral, feeding on plants, algae, or each other. Crustaceans move along the bottom of the ocean. Soft corals, sea fans, and sponges wave among.

The hard coral which forms the structure of a reef may look like colored rocks but it is actually a living creature. Many tiny polyps are found inside the calcium rocks. These polyps are generally seen at night when they are feeding. The color of the reef is dependent upon the algae which lives within the reef.

The fish which make their way in and around the reef come in a variety of colors and shapes. Some are easy to spot with neon coloration and others are well disguised so that they blend in with the reef itself. Some fish travel in schools and others are lone swimmers. Hover for a while over a coral patch and watch. You will be amazed by the show that unfolds in front of you.

How to truly experience an adventure vacation

2007-03-11T10:51:00.000-05:00

What do you need to do to truly experience an adventure vacation? Try getting a strong sense of place. How can one learn about a place in a short expanse of time?

Take a walk. When you walk along a jungle path you see and feel the enormity of being in the jungle. You see the canopy above you. You see the plants along the forest floor. You feel the change in temperature when you step into the rain forest from a cleared area. You sense the birds and animals all around you. If you walk slowly and quietly you might happen upon a troop of monkeys eating breakfast. You might see a sloth and her baby hanging out in a tree. Step carefully and you might see a red frog which is only found on Isla Bastimentos.

Go for a kayak. Kayaking along the edge of an island is perfect for your family adventure. From the vantage point of a kayak you can watch the birds as they fly overhead going from home to feeding ground or vice versa each day. You can watch for dolphins at play in the Caribbean Sea. You can go into a secluded bay and stop for a while to snorkel and check out the life under water.

Snorkel. Move slowly along the coral reef and you will experience the different colors of the aquatic life living amongst the reef. There are many different kinds of coral, fish and plants which make their home under the water near the islands edge.

Hammock. Okay so technically hammock isn’t a verb, but spending some time in a hammock allows you to take in a different aspect of island life. It allows you to gaze out at the view of the mountains in the distance over the Caribbean Sea. It gives you an opportunity to listen to the sounds of the jungle. And maybe the opportunity to take a nap – after all this adventure, it is a vacation and you deserve some rest.

Adventure awaits in Bocas del Toro Panama

2007-03-10T14:17:00.000-05:00

On your Panama vacation, there are a vast array of things to do in Bocas del Toro Panama. You should try to see as many parts of the archipelago and the province as possible because the natural beauty and variety are amazing.

You can go on a family adventure each day. There are beaches where you can go snorkeling or scuba diving, hiking and kayaking. Each island in the Bocas del Toro archipelago has a different topography which allows you to truly experience nature each day.

There are agricultural and cultural excursions for you to experience on your adventure vacation as well. Try a trip to a chocolate farm or to a native Indian village. Many of these experiences can be combined with a trip to the beach or to the jungle or both.

On any given walk you might see a variety of birds, a frog, a sloth, or even a monkey. You will also have an opportunity to check out all kinds of flowers and plants.

Because of the variety here in Bocas del Toro, you can either bring the entire family or you can come on your own. There are secluded spots which are perfect for a romantic picnic on the beach. There are locations and activities which are fit for the youngest or the oldest in your family. We have had honeymooners and families traveling with three generations have an incredible adventure vacation.