Archipilago de Bocas del Toro (Panama)

Advantages: Sun, Sea, Breathtaking beaches, Great diving and the Blue Bull Bar
Disadvantages: I don't live there....yet!

If you are to travel anywhere in your life, GO TO BOCAS DEL TORO, those images of a tranquil beach lying in a hammock and sipping a Pina Colada can be a reality. I Went to Panama last year on a four week expedition to Costa Rica and Panama being next door was our obvious choice for diving and relaxing. So flying into San Jose airport, which is an experience in itself as for some reason the planes (or our plane at least) liked to do summersaults ...
...I'd recommend staying in San Jose (or Panama city) for the night as the trip across the canal is an adventure to say the least, that and its the last McDonalds you'll see for a while, thank god! Anyway if your travelling across the border from San Jose id recommend paying one of the young lads $5 to carry ur bags across or jump in a mini bus because if your travelling heavy you will not enjoy the bridge. - a few wooden beams run along an old iron ... Read review

Advantages: Extremely cheap, friendly locals
Disadvantages: Isolated, not much to do,

Bocas del Toro: a one horse town, where you just imagine the tumble weed rolling down the main street. It seems not a lot happens here these days - you'll find a handful of dive centres but the aquatic life boast little more than sea slugs & is nothing to get excited about. Some of the locals will offer ot take you out on their boats to go snorkelling but even that requires a strong imagination. There is no beach so sunbathings' out too. Located ...
...a day & halfs' journey by bus/train/foot/boat from the Costa Rican capital San Jose. I visited the town in 1999 on a whirlwind tour of Central America as I was keen to get out of the sanitised/Americanised Costa Rica & explore a place with a little more culture & history. Sadly it was the furthest I ventured it into Panama proper. Prices were rock bottom cheap, but as there is little to spend your money on you'd probably hardly notice. The locals ... Read review