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Planning a Week-Long Vacation in Panama
When visiting Panama, most people travel between Panama City, Boquete and Bocas del Toro. And why not? They are accessible and they represent much of what is Panama. A complete vacation—especially if you only have a week to 10 days to do it.
Even though this itinerary is common, it can still be tricky to plan. Message boards are full of questions about how to navigate these three destinations in a limited span of time. The purpose of this entry isn’t to write tour book descriptions of each stop: You’ve done your research. We’re strictly talking logistics.
The order of this itinerary is by design—a key factor is availability of flights (at this time, there are no flights between David and Bocas del Toro). Add or subtract days in each location depending on how many days you are in Panama and the time your international flight takes off.
DAY 1: Panama City. Most tourists enter and exit via Tocumen Airport. Depending on when your flight lands, you can cover a lot of Panama City on your first day.
Must-sees:
• Casco Viejo: Beautiful architecture, rich history, excellent restaurants and great photo ops. This is also where you want to buy your souvenirs. The Kuna Indians sell beautiful jewelry, molas and crafts here and the prices are reasonable
• Amador Causeway Great place to dine out. Breathtaking views of the city and of the ocean
• Panama Canal
• Panama Viejo
DAY 2, 3, 4: Boquete
• Take a regional flight from Albrook airport to David (Air Panama or Aeroperlas)
• Rent a car (this will allow you not only to explore Boquete, but surrounding areas). Thrifty Car Rental is your best bet, as they also have a Boquete location. This will come in handy later
• Stay at Boquete Garden Inn! It is the perfect home base to explore Chiriqui province
Day trips:
• Volcan/Cerro Punta
• Caldera
• Las Lajas
• Las Olas
(Boquete Garden Inn provides maps for each of these day trips—ask at our front desk!)
• Return your rental to the Boquete Thrifty location
• Take either a shuttle bus ($40 per person) or a private taxi (about $130 for 2 people) to Almirante. There you will catch a water taxi to Bocas. (There is currently no surcharge for picking up your rental car at the David Airport location and dropping it off at the Boquete location. But that could change!) Boquete Garden Inn can book the shuttle or taxi for you – just ask!
DAY 5 and 6: Bocas del Toro
• Island tours
• Snorkeling
• Scuba Diving
DAY 7: Fly from Bocas del Toro to Panama (Albrook airport)
• Whatever you couldn’t fit into day 1, do it on day 7
• Afternoon heat buster: Some people are turned off by the idea of going to a mall on vacation, but if you find the heat of Panama City oppressive, malls provide great cool-down time
• Try the steak at Leños y Carbon!
• Have a mocha batido at Gelarti
• Get a seated massage…20 minutes for only $10!
Boquete is the perfect home base to explore Chiriqui. From the comfort of our beautiful little town, you can visit the mountain towns of Volcan and Cerro Punta, Pacific Ocean Beaches (Las Lajas and Las Olas) or experience the healing hot springs in Caldera, Chiriqui’s very own Marlboro Man country.
Last week, we took a day trip to Volcan and Cerro Punta, trying out the new road that links Potrerillos to Volcan (which will be extended to Boquete this year).
A visit to Volcan is not complete without stopping in to see Arte Cruz. He is a skilled artist, turning pieces of wood into incredible works of art. He is happy to demonstrate his technique and give you a sneak peak of the pieces he is currently working on! When you are at Boquete Garden Inn, just ask us for a Volcan and Cerro Punta map…we’ve highlighted all the must-see places!
If it seems like I just wrote a post on Patriotic happenings in Boquete…it’s because I did! There not one - but two - independence celebrations in Panama in November. This time around, we are celebrating independence from Spain.
There are a number of events and parades taking place all weekend. Here are some of the highlights:
Friday November 26
Inauguration of the pedestrian sidewalk in downtown Boquete. This one’s a bit controversial: a number of parking spots were lost to the walkway and - for the time being - there’s not much to see when you stroll around the square. But nevertheless - it will be celebrated! There will be performances and fireworks. As of 2:00 pm this afternoon, they were still laying down parts of the sidewalk.
Saturday, November 27
2:00 p.m. - Horse Parade through Boquete’s main street. Watch where you walk!
7:00 p.m. - Torch Parade that starts at the Los Naranjos Gym and ends at the Boquete Fire Station
Sunday, November 28
8:00 a.m. - Ceremony commemorating Panama’s independence from Spain. Takes place in front of the municipal building, across from the central park. School bands, folkloric presentations from Veraguas Province and more.
1:00 p.m. - Parade!
There is also a disco set up across Cabanas on the Feria road. Lots of bass-pumping action Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Every conceivable street meat available, washed down with an ice cold cerveza.
One of the things you’ll notice when you visit Boquete: there are a lot of dogs. For the most part they are indifferent. They go about their business, posing no threat to people. But they are often malnourished and unkempt. And they roam the streets, unconcerned about traffic. This can sometimes pose problems for the dogs and their human neighbours.
There is a great organization in Boquete called Amigos de Animales Boquete (FADAB). Their mission is to provide low cost spaying and neutering of dogs and cats and to promote the general welfare of animals in the Boquete community and surrounding areas–which includes pet adoptions and feeding programs for street dogs and cats.
You can support this great group by purchasing the Amigos de Animales Boquete (FADAB) 2011 Calendar. The calendar features cats and dogs that have been adopted through the program and pets that belong to Boquete residents.
Visit the FADAB site for more information!
This serves as a quick heads up to anyone visiting Panama in November, or for those newly settled here: November is the month of Patriotic Holidays. Independence Day. Flag day. Recovery day. Another Independence Day. It’s noisier than usual, less productive than usual, more crowded than usual.
If you’re prepared, you’ll navigate the holidays and enjoy what they have to offer (parades, parties and great photo ops). Remember: book your regional airline tickets in advance. Get to the station early if you are traveling by bus. Avoid driving in Panama City (you’ll be fine in Boquete). And keep this schedule handy:
November 1 & 2: regular hours for banks, businesses
November 3: Independence Day (from Colombia). Banks, government offices and most businesses closed (exceptions: most restaurants, tour providers). Limited taxi service in Boquete*
November 4: Flag Day. Banks, government offices and most businesses closed (exceptions: most restaurants, tour providers). Limited taxi service in Boquete*
November 5: Random Party Day. Banks, government offices and most businesses closed (exceptions: most restaurants, tour providers). Limited taxi service in Boquete*
November 6: Recovery Day. Limited hours for banks (usually 8am – noon), government offices closed, businesses open, taxi service mostly back to normal (except early morning, which is dedicated to hangover nursing)*
November 10 & 29: Banks, government offices closed
November 28: Independence Day (it’s Spain this time). Heavy on parades.
*This refers to yellow taxis. Our preferred taxi service, which does airport runs, tours, trips to Almirante etc., is available throughout the holidays
Boquete Mountain Safari is always measuring, adjusting and listening to feedback to get their tour mix just right. Guest favourites include the Wildlife/Hiking tour ($40 for half day) Caldera Hot Springs with Horseback Riding ($50 for 5 hours) and the Cloud Forest Safari 4×4 jeep tour ($35 for half day) The guides are excellent – knowledgeable and friendly.
Many people ask me if it’s necessary to hire a guide for hiking. I think it’s a really good idea if you’ve got limited time and want to see as much as possible. These guys know how to call down birds, take you to the best trails and give you a mini-tour of surrounding areas on the way to the trails.
And a new feature for Boquete Mountain Safari: ‘add a coffee tasting to your tour’…
Add a coffee tour to the Cloud Forest Safari, Wildlife Hike or Horseback Riding and it’s only $50- $55 per person for a five-hour tour. Awesome value and expertise!
We organize tours for our guests at no additional charge – it’s a complimentary service and most tours pick up at the hotel! Send us an email if you’d like more information! 
A dedicated member of Boquete Garden Inn’s feathered clean-up crew (specialty: muffin crumbs), this little lady decided to build her nest next to our reception area, cutting her commute time in half.
She is currently on maternity leave, but look for her to return in early July.
What a handsome fellow! A regular visitor to Boquete Garden Inn’s Breakfast with the Birds.
We’ve been hearing the call of the Squirrel Cuckoo for over a year now, but this is the first time we’ve been able to catch one in a photo. J is still trying to get a great shot of him…but this cuckoo is coy!
November is holiday-heavy in Panama. Great if you live and work here, but potentially disruptive if you are not prepared. Keep these dates handy if you plan to visit.
Monday, November 2: All Souls Day (Day of the Dead). No loud music, no alcohol sales. Banks open.
Tuesday, November 3: Celebration of the Separation of Panama from Colombia.
Wednesday, November 4: Flag Day (Dia de la Bandera).
Thursday, November 5: Colon Day (the city, not the organ).
Tuesday, November 10: Celebration of the Uprising in Los Santos. Los Santos declared independence from Spain first, prompting Panama City to act and declare formal separation on….
November 28, Saturday: Celebration of Panama’s Independence from Spain.
On November 3, 4, 5, 10 and 28: Banks and public and private offices closed. Grocery stores open. Roads may be blocked for parades–keep this in mind when making your travel plans.
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