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Bocas Del Toro borders the the Carribean sea to the north. It consistes on mainland and 9 main islands. I flew in the morning to Bocus Town Isla Colon from Panama city. Its a small island , though my hotel was walkable , there were minibuses which provides shared transfer. I availed one of those and reached my hotel Barrbra B&B over sea. My first day was bit of wash out. It was raining really heavily and I could not really do much except walking around , visiting Bocus town and hearing insistent sound of rain.
I woke up in the morning and enjoyed the serenity of the surrounding for a while and then had my breakfast which was included in my stay.
Post breakfast I left for the island hopping day tour to get some glimpses and taste of the area in one day. This area is home to the beautiful beaches and reefs . I walked couple of miles to my boat riding point. The first highlight of our tour was the resident dolphins greeting our lancha boat as we glided effortlessly past them towards our first destination. As we arrive at a small mangrove forest, you will be able to saw sloths lounging on tree branches, enjoying their life to the fullest.
We continued on to Cayo Coral, famous for its coral gardens and a perfect snorkel area. It’s time to put on your snorkel mask and plunge into the balmy ocean to marvel at the colorful world below the surface. As I was floating weightlessly surrounded in the turquoise ocean, witness hundreds of reef fish go about their daily business in their coral and anemone homes.
Our next destination are the famous Zapatilla cays, named after their shoe-like shape. This is group of two uninhabited islands, surrounded by a coral reef, located east of Bastimentos Island. North Zapatilla Cay is only 14 hectares, while to the south, the other Zapatilla Cay is much larger, with 34 hectares. The Zapatilla cays are famous for its spectacular coral reefs, and its crystalline waters, teeming with marine life. The islands are covered with mangrove and surrounded by fine white sand, palm and coconut trees. From March to September, on the west side of the island one can observe the migration of turtles that come to lay their eggs on these beaches. The local legend is that the islands were formed when God stepped on earth, and that is why the islands have the shape of his shoes.
We enjoyed this unique paradise. I walked along its beaches, relaxed in the shade of a palm tree and by now weather was looking much better. Bastimentos Island is one of the two national park in the area.
At lunch time we headed back to Cayo Coral, where a tasty and freshly prepared meal was waiting for you in the Sea restaurant.
We finish our tour with a visit to the “Hollywood” natural pool, having earned its name from the multitude of starfish in the area. Then dropped back to the same place and this wraps a nice day . In the evening I went out for food and saw some procession for Chrismass celebration.
Next morning after breakfast I walked to the town and took my trasportation to Boquete. This was a combination of Bus and Ferry ride. The Ferry took me from Bocas to Almirante and then the bus picked me from Almirante ferry station to my hotel in Boquete. It was a short time in paradise with not so great weather .. but still I am glad that I came all the way.
