| > | | | | Panamanian Balboa exactly, which is to say that the |
| | | | Balboa and the dollar are used interchangeable. In other |
| Check out for more information about Bocas del Toro. | | | | words, plan on spending U.S. dollars while visiting |
| Panama's Bocas Del Toro: 10 Tips to Maximize Your | | | | Bocas. |
| Vacation | | | | 4) If your stomach is sensitive, it's best to stick to |
| Are you half packed for your trip to Bocas Del Toro in | | | | purified bottled water since these are readily available, |
| Panama? Well, before anything else, there's some | | | | anyway. Most of the water in this tropical country |
| congratulating in order. After all, you not only chose | | | | comes from collected rainwater. Although it is generally |
| one of the best vacation places in Central America, | | | | safe, collected rainwater might not always agree with |
| you also picked a nice time to go. Imagine being in a | | | | your system. Bottled water isn't expensive or hard to |
| place where you can find the most fabulous beaches | | | | find, so why risk it? |
| in the Carribean, like the well-known Red Frog Beach | | | | 5) Know the immigration policies. If you're from the US |
| (yes, there are still red frogs there, too), where you can | | | | or Canada, you don't need anything other than a |
| scuba, snorkel, kayak, and do whatever you can and | | | | passport and perhaps your driver's license if you want |
| want to do in the water, while at the same time being | | | | to rent a car (and renting a car likely isn't necessary). |
| striking distance to extreme sports arenas for | | | | The only obstacle when you arrive - you'll need to pay |
| mountain biking or just zip-lining through the jungle | | | | for the tourist stamp which is $8 to $12 U.S. dollars, |
| canopy. The nightlife isn't bad, either. In Bocas Town, | | | | depending on where you land. Extensions of stay are |
| you can find good food, dancing, and maybe a few | | | | also pretty easy to get. |
| drinks to wrap up the day. | | | | 6) Beaches are remote, so pack a lunch. The beaches |
| There's something in Bocas for everyone. After all, it's | | | | of Bocas are mostly accessible only by boat, and |
| the best of both worlds. You have the beaches of | | | | there are no convenience stores for miles around. |
| Aruba on one hand, and the wildness of the jungles of | | | | Bring food, water, Balboa (Panama's own brew), |
| Costa Rica on the other. The best part about it is that | | | | sunscreen, and whatever you think you will need for |
| you won't have to file for bankruptcy to enjoy anything | | | | the day before going anywhere. It's better to lug |
| that tickles your fancy. Judging from the "bare | | | | around a large bag, rather than to faint from hunger or |
| essential" needs like shelter ($50 for a standard room) | | | | dehydration, or crying in pain because of your sunburn. |
| and food ($20 for a decent meal for two), it's also | | | | 7) The two major languages used in Bocas are English |
| extremely affordable. | | | | and Spanish. If you speak either language, then you're |
| There is really no need to sell you on the idea of going | | | | in good shape. If you don't, a phrase book or two |
| there, is there? There are, however, some things that | | | | would be a good idea. |
| you may find useful to know if you're new to Bocas | | | | 8) You can't bring everyone with you, but you can |
| Del Toro: | | | | keep in touch. There are Internet cafes in town where |
| 1) There are a lot of picture perfect underwater | | | | you can rent a computer for about $3 an hour. Many |
| sceneries that you can enjoy, and sometimes, | | | | of them offer free VOiP calls to the US or Canada. If |
| memories just don't do these enough justice. Having an | | | | it's a really long vacation, you can buy a disposable or |
| underwater camera (even just the disposable ones) | | | | prepaid cell phone. |
| will come in handy. You might find a few being sold in | | | | 9) For bragging rights, you can drop by Costa Rica, |
| the area but these can get pricey, so it would be | | | | which really isn't all that different unless you go a lot |
| better to bring your own. It's better to be safe than | | | | further than usual the package tours that will take you |
| sorry, so bring an underwater camera. | | | | to its jungles. Costa Rica is about an hour away from |
| 2) The weather is hot (around about 90 degrees F), | | | | Boca Del Toro, so crossing the border does not take |
| and the streets in town are narrow. That means you | | | | too much time. |
| will end up doing some - okay, a lot of - walking (it's | | | | 10) Chill. You're on vacation! If a waitress doesn't run to |
| better to soak in the culture of the place that way) in | | | | you immediately to get your order, don't sweat it. |
| very unfamiliar stuffiness because the humidity is | | | | That's just the way things are in Boca Del Toro - |
| perennial. So, unless you're used to hot weather, be | | | | slower paced and more laid back. They aren't doing it |
| sure to bring a good pair of sandals you don't mind | | | | to be rude or insulting or to irk you. Besides, there's |
| taking to the beach along with some shorts and | | | | enough time to sit back and relax. Isn't that why you're |
| t-shirts. | | | | going, after all? Leave the hurry at the door, and live |
| 3) You would, of course, need money, and the | | | | the lazy island life. |
| acceptable currencies are the local Balboa and the US | | | | I really enjoyed my time in Panama, and I hope that |
| dollar. The exchange rate for that is one dollar to one | | | | these 10 tips helped so that you can enjoy yours, too. |