Hangin’ with the Ulta-Budget Travelers in Bocas del Toro Panama
We stayed at the Tranquillo del Mar in Bocas. Notice the name isn't linked to their website. This isn't the kind of place with a website. Or a phone. Or a roof over all of the bathroom. In fact, we only discovered on the third night that this place actually had a name, other than "those rooms behind the Casbah Restaurant run by Oty". We noticed a small sign–on the water side, off the dock–there was nothing at the street entrance.
That actually makes sense here. Bocas and neighboring Bastimientos are completely orientated to the water.
Photo caption: Up for the challenge? At 50 cents a beer, a free round is not much of a reward but if we could fill the table with empties that's what we got. I'm ashamed to say that's me in the middle. A horrible picture predicating a horrible hangover to come. Photo by Jeremy Solloway.
The local beer is conveniently called Panama so if you get to drunk to remember what country you're in …
Bocas is definitely on the backpacker circuit. For most spending a few months in Central America it's the stop after Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica and near the end of their trip since most travel North to South. Therefore money tends to be tight and the desire to see new things, find new experiences or wander through cathedrals has waned in favor of working on their tan and hanging out with other travelers and have a few beers. And then a few more beers.
