Tag Archives: Backpacking

Arenal Hostel Resort, La Fortuna, Costa Rica

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Well, after a run of fabulous hostels, we were bound to have a dud eventually. It’s not that this place was that terrible but, it just wasn’t our cup of tea..Let me explain

sloth friend at the entrance

sloth friend at the entrance

During our time in La Fortuna we stayed at the Arenal Hostel Resort. This hostel is tucked in behind the main strip of La Fortuna.

From the front, it certainly doesn’t look like much of a hostel, in fact it looks more like a zoo! A cement sloth hanging from fake trees acts as an archway to welcome guests. As you enter the hallway thing continue to be a little bit different. Concrete statues of frogs and lizards sit suspended on the walls, while real flowers dangle over you from the roof on which they are growing. I was pretty stoked when I saw all this. Totally funky, cool, and right up my alley

More like entering a zoo then a hostel!

More like entering a zoo then a hostel!

The whimsy continues as you enter the property. Large concrete trees have been erected throughout the resorts small green space. Multiple hammocks are suspended from each one. Palm trees dot the lawn with multi coloured rope lights wrapped around them.

The pool is small but perfectly located right next to the bar. They offer a full drink list, and a small food menu. There is a buffet breakfast each morning at an additional cost.

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Shaun and I had our own room, with two double beds, ensuite bathroom, and TV. Shaun  was happy, as this was the TV he ended up watching the Superbowl on.

Now at this point, I guess it’s pretty clear that I wanted to like this place.. It had all the makings for a really good time. I’ll get into the reasons why I didn’t like it in a second, but I should preface this by explaining where Shaun and I were at.

At this point in our trip, Shaun and I were in desperate need of a battery recharge. We had been travelling pretty intensely over the past couple weeks, so we were pretty antisocial during our stay here. Not meeting anyone new, and keeping to ourselves might have had an impact on our perspective of the place.

Outside of our room

Outside of our room

Also, because there isn’t a whole lot you can do or see in the heart of La Fortuna, we found we were often sitting around the hostel waiting for our next activity. This also might have contributed to our opinon.

Either way, there were a couple things that irked me about Arenal Hostel Resort, mainly having to do with the tours they offered.

At least there was towel art

At least there was towel art

The reception if the hostel is more like a tour agency then a hotel.There is obviously a commission to be had here. We were assured that all the prices in town were the same, so there was no point going to look around. In our previous experiences in Costa Rica, this tended to be the case. So we booked our first few tours at the front desk.

This was an error. I found a place that offered my first tour for 35 dollars cheaper, and most places were offering it for at least 15 dollars cheaper. I was choked at first, because you want to feel like you can trust the people at the place that you were staying. I decided just to let it go and chalk it up to being lazy and not going to look for myself.

Obviously my lack of enthusiasm towards this place is showing since I have no more pictures to show!

Obviously my lack of enthusiasm towards this place is showing since I have no more pictures to show!

Then we explained to them that we wanted to see the volcano, and relax in some hot springs. They booked the volcano tour, and then told us they’d heard of problems with some of the other hot springs, and recommended we relax at Baldi Hot Springs.

Things didn’t quite go as planned…

Our Volcano tour ended up being a nature hike. We actually never even went into the park itesef. Then our trip to Baldi was definitely not the relaxing experience we were looking for. Althought Baldi was fun, it was more like Disneyland then a spa.Lots of kids, thumping music, that sort of thing. I found out later that Baldi is the only hot springs that offers commission for booking for them. That made a little more sense…and how we ended up on  a nature hike instead of a volcano tour, I have no idea.

Anyways, these experiences with the tours, combined with our introverted attitude, and the fact that we were bumming around the place for so long, really tainted out view on Arenal Hostel Resort.

La Fortuna is so touristy that there are TONS of options out there for accommodation. Take a look around and I’m sure you’ll find something that suits your fancy.

Have you ever found that your mindset has changed your perspective on a place? Or do you have any bad accommodation stories?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

La Fortuna Waterfall, Costa Rica

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If waterfalls had personalities, La Fortuna would be an attention seeking drama queen.

It is easily accessible, and insanely dramatic.

For most visitors to La Fortuna, a trip to see the waterfall is a no brainer. It’s much closer to town then many of the other attractions, and with only a $10 entrance fee, it is one of the more affordable activities you can do in the town.

Heading to the falls

Heading to the falls

Shaun and I decided to venture out to the waterfall early in the morning. The waterfall can attract over 400 people a day, so we wanted to beat the rush.

Although the falls were only 5km away from our hostel, we decided to take the $7 cab ride. We were sure glad we did, as the entire ride to the falls was uphill. Not exactly a leisurely stroll for first thing in the morning.

Shaun the climber

Shaun the climber

We got to the park, paid our entrance fee, and started down the steep slope to the falls. You may have read, that I kind of really love waterfalls, so my excitement level was growing by the minute. We stopped for a couple of quick photo ops along the way, including one for my Brother, the rock climber. See Sean, Shaun rock climbs too!

Yes they have the same name… I like to keep things simple.

So powerful

So powerful

We finally made it to the falls, and it was everything I had hoped it would be.  I sometimes find that when I’m faced with these powerful wonders of nature I get a little wobbly. My knees felt weak as I was faced with the intensity of the water falling right in front of me. It’s a feeling I’ve never experienced before visiting this country.

We poked around for a bit, climbing rocks, and watching a few very brave souls jump in the water for a swim. No one that I saw got even close to the waterfall as the current would just push them away. Regardless, I was not remotely tempted to take a dip.

I told Shaun about a picture I’d seen of Beyonce at these falls. We decided that my own photoshoot was in order. So I climbed onto a rock, and Shaun started snapping away. Here are a couple of my fave shots.

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I feel so vain, but hey, it is not often you have your own personal paparazzi present.

After about an hour we started the climb up the stairs. Although we tend to think that we are pretty fit, we had to take a break at the half way point.I didn’t mind, it gave me one last chance to see the falls before leaving.

Once we got to the top, we decided to save our $7 dollars worth of cab money, and walk the 5km back to the hostel. Much easier going downhill then up!P1020384

If you are heading to the La Fortuna Waterfall here are a couple tips:

  • Go early, this place can get really busy!
  • Wear good shoes, there are lots of rocks to climb over near the bottom
  • Bring your suit if you feel brave, unlike many of the waterfalls we’ve visited, swimming is allowed here.
  • Embrace your inner tourist, and get those corny waterfall photos… we did!

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Another tour down, many more to go!

Have you ever seen something in nature that has had a big impact on you? Lets hear about it?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

5 Items I’m So Glad I Packed

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As many of you know, I spent A LOT of time planning my packing lists. I even gave a full run down of everything I brought here and here.

I think I did a pretty good job too. I would probably have packed more underwear, and less dresses, but other then that, everything else has worked out well.

All my stuff has been pretty essential, but there are a couple items that stand out from the rest. Things that I often think to myself “Oh man, I’m so glad I packed my…”

So without further ado, here is my list of 5 things that I am SO happy I packed:

P1020680Electric Toothbrush– I have my friend Shauna to thank for this one. She recommended this cute little toothbrush to me, and I’m so glad I listened. It’s battery operated, and keeps my pearly whites, pearly white. The fact that they come in all sorts of funky colours is an added bonus.

Yes, mine is zebra print…jealous? I also feel I should point out that the brush head is not as yellow as it looks, its just the lighting. Stop judging.

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Hat- I was on the fence as to whether I was even going to bring this hat. It’s hard, and doesn’t pack well, which means I have to carry it whenever we are travelling. I decided at the very last minute to take it, and that I would ditch it if it proved to be a problem.

Well, I am SO glad I did. I literally wear this hat everywhere (as I’m sure you can tell from my photos). It keeps the sun off my whole face, and breathes well so my head doesn’t get all sweaty. It’s getting pretty beat up these days. It’s full of sand, and some odd stains, but I love it, and just hope it lasts me the whole trip

P1020682Old Navy Bag- This little shoulder bag looks like It’s gone through a war. It has a huge rip on each handle, there is gum stuck in the pocket, and marker leaked on the inside so there is a giant green stain covering the entire bottom. Yet it just keeps on trucking.

I originally bought this thinking I would use it just as a beach bag. You know, throw in a towel , and a book and head out the door. Well, it has become so much more. We literally use it for everything. It’s my grocery bag when going to the store, it’s my purse for going out, and most importantly, it is the bag we use to lug all our food around in. It’s been through so much, and is in such rough shape. If it actually makes it to the end of the trip, I feel like I should frame it.

P1020681Lots of Sunscreen- I think in total we brought 6 containers of sunscreen with us. All of which were various strengths, and types. Although this may seem excessive, I’m so glad we did. Sunscreen is uber expensive down here. If it’s between lugging around an couple extra containers, or spending 18 dollars on a new bottle, the decision pretty much makes itself.

The real test will be whether or not we can make what’s left last the next two mos!

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Towel- Some of us packed a towel (me), some of us didn’t (Shaun). This was actually a seriously stupid point of stress for us at the start of the trip. One our first hostels didn’t supply towels, and we were both sharing mine. Every day I would say that we should go find Shaun one of his own, but it took over a week before it happened. By that time my towel was rank. I would find myself glaring at him every time he came back from a surf session, and wiped himself off.

It was around this point in the trip that I realized I have a serious emotional reaction to dirty laundry. After that, I made sure my laundry was done regularly, and Shaun went and bought his own towel.

Also…I should point out that these are not our towels. I forgot to take a photo, and am too lazy to go back to our room to do so. It would be sweet if these were our towels though!

What are your travel must haves?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Rio Celeste, Tenorio National Park, Costa Rica Part 2

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Now where were we…

The view from the mid way point of the stairs, lots more to go.

The view from the mid way point of the stairs, lots more to go.

There are five different things to see during the Rio Celeste hike: the waterfall, the lookout, the hot springs, the blue lagoon, and the river mouth.

When we left off, we had just arrived at the staircase down to the waterfall. The stairs are well maintained, but there are A LOT of them. Many guidebooks I’ve read suggest skipping the waterfall at first, and visiting it on your way back. The idea is that the will tire you out for the rest of your hike. I disagree. I was so tired by the end of the hike that I don’t think I would have fully appreciated the sight of these majestic falls at the end.

Killer boots man

Killer boots man

As I made my way down the steep slope, and caught my first glimpse of the water, I knew going on this tour had been the right choice. Never in my life had I seen water that blue. It didn’t even seem real. Jessica was kind enough to take a picture of me, and my wicked boots.

The famous tapir photo

The Blue Lagoon

After spending some time enjoying the falls, we made our way up the zillions of stairs, and back onto the trail. We had about 750m to go until the lookout. Jessica was right in encouraging me to rent the gumboots. I watched so many people trying to dodge the puddles and thick mud. It was so nice to be able to just trudge right through the muck, and not have to worry about getting dirty.

The next stop was the lookout. On some days you can see the volcano mountain range in the distance, but today it was too cloudy. It was however, a good vantage point to catch my first look at the wispy rain of the cloud forest dancing through the trees, a sight I would become all too familiar with in the days to come!

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The famous Tapir photo…to be clear, this is not my photo!

Another 250m down the trail, and we arrived at the Blue Lagoon. Jessica asked me if I’d ever seen the Blue Lagoon movie, because it was filmed here. I totally believed her until she started laughing. Silly tourist. I could hardly imagine Brooke Shields trudging through the mud every day to get to set.

While we were there Jessica told us a story about the infamous Blue Lagoon Tapir photo. A Tapir is an animal that sort of looks like a cross between a gray pig, and an ant eater. They live around Rio Celeste, but are fairly elusive. Seeing one on this tour would be like striking gold. I had noticed in the advertising for the tour that the photos of the blue lagoon have a Tapir front and centre. I assumed it was photoshopped, and was used to lure tourists into thinking they would see one.

Well apparently the photo IS real (see above) and was actually taken by one of the women who works at the soda we had lunch at. She was hiking the trail one day, got to the blue lagoon, and there was a Tapir, taking a dip.

Egg Salad anyone?

Egg Salad anyone?

Luckily she had her camera with her, because now this photograph is famous, and used all over Costa Rica!

Not far from the Blue Lagoon was the hot springs, a bubbling corner of the river that wafted the smell of sulpher into the air. I knew I was getting hungry as it made me want an egg salad sandwich really bad!

Although everything we’d seen was really neat, I thought the final stop was the coolest.

Wonder if Shaun thinks this is up to code?

Wonder if Shaun thinks this is up to code?

We crossed over a couple rickety bridges, and came to the river mouth. This is where two rivers converge, and the chemical reaction that creates the colour occurs.

Okay, so here is my attempt at a chemistry lesson, bare with me:

People used to believe that the colour is caused by a chemical reaction between Sulphur, which is emitted by the volcanic activity, and Calcium Carbonate. This is the information you will find all over the internet, but it is wrong. A study completed in September of last year found that the colour is actually an optical illusion.

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If you look at the photo, you’ll see two river intersecting, one straight, and the other off to the right. Take a look at the whitish hue that covers the rocks on the bottom of the river. This is a combination of Aluminun, Oxygen, and Silicon, and its suspended in the water. When the sun hits it, it creates the illusion of the celestial blue waters we see with our eyes. That’s why if you take the water out of the river, it looks clear.

Clear as the mud on my boot eh? You can read more about it here.

I much prefer the legend which believes that when God painted the sky, he used Rio Celeste to dip his paint brush into. A much lovelier sentiment if I do say so myself.

After taking it all in, we started the big hike back to the van. Although the trail is only 2.5km both ways, the terrain is challenging, and with the rain it made for a long haul. By the time we got back, washed the mud off us, and got in the van I was exhausted, and SO ready for lunch.

I did bring my camera to the restaurant, but was so hungry by the time it arrived I snorfed it up before remember to take a photo. It was salad with fish, and vegetables.  After lunch we got back into the van for the 2 hour drive back to La Fortuna. I’m pretty sure all the guests, including myself, napped the whole way.

If this is a hike you are interested in doing, here are a couple tips:

  • Wear long pants, and bring rain gear, regardless of the season there will be mud
  • Rent the boots, not having to deal with muddy shoes when you get back to your hotel makes it well worth it
  • Bring a snack, an apple of something small will help keep you stamina up during the long hike
  • Although bugs weren’t a huge problem, it’s probably good to have some bugspray handy just in case.
  • Get a good guide. Jessica was amazing, and I would highly suggest requesting her from Canoa Aventura.
  • Ask your tour company about the conditions of the river before booking your tour. You want to make sure it’s in its brilliant blue form.
wowza!!!

wowza!!!

So there you have it, my first big epic tour adventure. I’m so glad I went, as it was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Rio Celeste, Tenorio National Park, Costa Rica Part 1

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With our adventures in Panama fading into the distance, our journey continued inland to La Fortuna, which, in my opinion, is the busiest tourist hub in all of Costa Rica.

After an early morning shuttle from Puerto Vijeo, we landed safe, sound at our hostel. I wasted no time in booking my first tour.

It has become clear to me that the following day Shaun would be glued to the boob tube watching the Superbowl. As appealing as eating greasy pizza in a hostel while watching Spanish dubbed football on a grainy TV sounded, I figured I would embark on a solo adventure. So, I booked a tour to see Rio Celeste, a waterfall that had landed on my bucket list ever since I read about it in our guidebook.

Rio Celeste is in the Tenorio Volcano National Park, about 1.5 to 2 hours away from La Fortuna depending on traffic. What makes this attraction so unique is the colour of the water. Looking at pictures of it, the light blue colour of the river makes it seem like something you would see in Oz, or Neverland. It was a sight that I just had to see to believe.

Despite its majestic nature, experiencing the wonder of Rio Celeste can be tricky. There is actually only a small window of time that the water emits its brilliant blue hue. During the rainy season, the water can be a muddy brown colour. The best time to visit is in dry season (December-March). That being said, with enough rain, the colour of the river can change at any point throughout the year.

I would suggest asking the tour company about the condition of the river before booking as the tour will still happen regardless of the colour. If it the wrong season, or if it’s been really rainy, you might run the risk of hiking all the way just to see a muddy brown river. Believe me, I’ve heard from people who it happened to, not fun.

I was told that the river was in good shape, so I booked a full day tour that would pick me up in the morning, drive me to the park, have a guide tour me through hike, and drive me home. Oh, did I mention a typical Costa Rican lunch was included? That was a pretty big selling feature!

My tour started bright, and early the next morning. I left Shaun snoring away, and went outside our hostel to meet up with my guide Jessica from Canoa Aventura. Together with three other guests, and our driver Ronadl, we set out on the drive to the Tenorio National Park.

There is a toucan WAY up top of that tree...don't worry, better toucan pics to come in later posts!

There is a toucan WAY up top of that tree…don’t worry, better toucan pics to come in later posts!

Throughout the drive, Jessica pointed out key features about the area, including fruit plantains, history, and other interesting facts. We even stopped on the side of the road when she spotted a toucan in a tree. All of the information we were getting made the ride fly by.

We arrived at our lunch destination first to pre-order our meals, and to rent gumboots if we wanted to. I had worn runners, and I asked Jessica whether she thought it was worth it. She said it was up to me, but the mud could get pretty deep in some areas.

I know you are jealous of my style!

I know you are jealous of my style!

The thought of getting back to the hostel, and having to deal with washing and drying muddy runners seemed like no fun at all, so I forked out the 3 dollars, and got to sport these stylish boots.

Now, I must point out, I don’t know what compelled me to wear my jean shorts to hike through the rainforest, especially when I had a perfectly good pair of dry wick zip off pants at the hostel. I blame to much sun giving my beach brain. I would highly suggest long pants for this trek, especially if you are going to be sporting the stylish gumboot number. At least I had a waterproof rain jacket! (thanks Mom)

The park ranger office. Don't forget to pay before you go in!

The park ranger office. Don’t forget to pay before you go in!

So, once we were all geared up, we were off. A short 2km drive brought us to the park entrance. Jessica paid our park entrance fee of 10 dollars, which was included in our tour package. Just as we started up to the trail, the rain started to pour, luckily we were headed into the forest where we would be covered by the trees.

I really tried to remember the name of this bird, but It's gone.

I really tried to remember the name of this bird, but It’s gone.

The forest of Tenorio National Park is considered a transitional forest. This means it is half rain forest, and half cloud forest. Although you get the heavy rains of the rainforest, the distinctive wispy mist of the cloud forest becomes more apparent as you most higher up the trail.

As we carried along the trail, Jessica talked to us about various plants, and birds. Never in my life did I think I would become such an expert on ferns, but l could tell you a thing or two! (I won’t, but if you are interested just ask 😉 )

We hiked for about an hour before we made it to our first stop, the waterfall…and  I’m going to park it there for now, otherwise you’ll be reading this post for days!

I won’t leave you empty handed though, here is a little teaser of what’s in store tomorrow!

wowza!!!

wowza!!!

I know right!

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

5 Tips for Booking Tours in Costa Rica

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Over the past week or so Shaun and I have been travelling in La Fortuna, and Monteverde, some of the busiest tourist towns in all of Costa Rica.

These areas have lots of sights to see, but all of the attractions are pretty spread out. When you add up transportation costs, park entrance fees, and guides, the cheapest way to see everything you want to see is by booking a tour.

We put on our tourist hats and dove into the world of tours, and tour companies. Throughout our week we went on some amazing tours, and went on some real stinkers.

Here are a couple tips we’ve picked up along the way to help make your tour experiences a level 10.

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5 Tips for Booking Tours in Costa Rica.

1- Shop Around: The amount of tour companies in tourist towns such as Monteverde, and La Fortuna can be very overwhelming. There are people calling out to you on every street corner trying to sell you a tour. Your own hotel will likely be trying to do the same thing.

In some towns we visit, we find that everyone offers the same tours, at the same prices, yet here in La Fortuna, we noticed big differences in many of the tours costs.  So before you commit, just take a look around. If you are on a budget, shop around to the various tour company’s, talk to them, and don’t be afraid to barter. Some companies are jacking up their prices, hoping that tourists will just commit without doing their research.

2-Don’t Sacrifice Safety For Price: Although finding a good deal is important, safety should always come first. It may be tempting to save some money by booking the cheap white-water rafting tour with the guy on the side of the road whose “buddy” has a boat, but don’t sacrifice your safety for a bargain. Adventures are called adventures for a reason, they often involve some risk. Make sure that your guides have the proper training, and insurance to keep you safe, and protected.

3-Do Your Homework: As much as we’d like to do all the tours, the costs can really add up. So, take the time to figure out what your priorities are. Read the guidebooks, check Trip Advisor, and ask around to find out what things you really want to see, and what you can pass on. I recently graciously passed on the opportunity to take a tour to some snake and bat exhibits. Such a sacrifice I know.

4-Make Sure The Tour is Right For You: Have you had both knees replaced? An intense four hour hike might not be for you. Have a crippling fear of water? White-water rafting might not be your bag. We all have limitations, and as much as we want to experience everything, sometimes we can’t. A reputable tour company will be honest about what a tour entails, and it is in your best interest to listen. I’m speaking from experience on this one, I recently took La Fortuna’s second most difficult hike with a four year old in the group. *sigh*

5- Invest in a Quality Experience: Imagine waiting your entire life to tour the Arenal Volcano, just to have your guide pick you up in an old dented van, and have him only speak a couple words of English. Or finally getting to see the Cloud Forst of Monteverde, only to have your guide read from a guidebook the whole time.

The best tours we’ve had have been from reputable, long tenured companies. You may not get the screaming deal you’ll find from the guy on the side of the road, but you are going to end up with a higher degree of safety, and quality and ultimately end up with a more memorable experience.

So there you have it, a couple tips on booking tours while in Costa Rica. I have so many great recaps coming your way about all the adventures we’ve had over the last week or so. Stay Tuned!

Do you have any tips for booking tours?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Exploring Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

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I certainly can’t write extensively about Puerto Viejo, as we only stayed there on two separate nights, before, and after our trip to Panama.

That being said…During our stay I pretty much had the coolest looking coffee I’ve had in all of Costa Rica, and to not write about that would be a crime!

Kids playing on a rope swing, off a tree on an abandoned boat.

Kids playing on a rope swing, off a tree on an abandoned boat.

Every thing we read about the Caribbean Coast said that we would be in for a culture shock. The laid back surfer beaches of the Pacific, would be replaced by a Jamaican inspired rasta vibe. Although we did hear our fair share of Bob Marley during our two days there, I think we were expecting something more drastic. It certainly still felt like Costa Rica, but maybe with a few more dreadlocks.

The surf competition.

The surf competition.

Pretty much all of Puerto Viejo is laid out on an 13km road. Although once one of Costa Rica’s secret destinations, it’s now a pretty busy little surfer town.

The first day that we were there, there was actually a surf competition going on. It was pretty neat to be able to see some pretty high calibre surfers catching some waves.

Shaun checking out the waves (as usual!)

Shaun checking out the waves (as usual!)

While we were there, the weather was gorgeous, but we had heard from many people that Puerto Viejo, as well as much of the Caribbean Coast is prone to tons of rain. We felt pretty lucky that we saw none of that during our visit.

The one thing that did put us on edge a little was all the talk about Puerto Viejo’s reputation for crime.

Some gorgeous beach views

Some gorgeous beach views

Every guidebook we read had tips about how to stay safe. There is a forest trail that runs along the beach, and it was recommended that tourists don’t walk on it at night. Our hotel had multiple signs that asked their guests not to bring their valuables with them at night, and to always take a cab back to the hotel instead of walking.

We were there for such a short period of time, and never actually went out in the evening, so we certainly didn’t feel any sort of danger. Nevertheless, it was a good reminder to keep your wits about you when travelling in general.

Behold! A thing of beauty!

Behold! A thing of beauty!

So now that you’ve read my ramblings, I know you want me to get to this coffee! The afternoon that we came back from Panama, we popped into a coffee shop called Sel et Sucre. There was such a lack of good coffee shops in Panama, that I was dying for a delicious Cappuccino. Let me tell you, I got what I was looking for, and more.

Just check that out! Isn’t it gorgeous! I wanted to just stare at this masterpiece forever, but eventually, after a lengthy photo op, I gave it a stir, and dove in. It was delicious. If you are in Puerto Viejo, check out Sel et Sucre, if only to behold such a masterpiece yourself!

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Snorkel Tour, Bocas del Toro, Panama

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Well, after our disastrous first attempt, we managed to arrive, (on time), to our snorkel tour…but before we start up…lets back up a bit.

Made it on the boat...at the right time!

Made it on the boat…at the right time!

The streets of Bocas Town are covered with a countless array of tour companies offering various tours. In fact, it can be rather daunting walking by them as they they try to sell you on what they have to offer, which for the most part, is all the same thing.

There is certainly a lot to see in Bocas del Toro. Although you can take water taxi’s to the various destinations, a tour just simplifies matters, and ensures you see everything you want to see in a short period of time.

My attempt a a dolphin picture

My attempt a a dolphin picture

We knew we wanted to do some snorkelling, and go to Red Frog Beach, so the tour agency we chose suggested we take the option 1 tour (offered by most companies). It included a stop in Dolphin Bay, a ride through Starfish Beach, snorkelling, a stop for lunch, and then an afternoon at Red Frog beach. It sounded like a pretty full day, and for only 20 dollars each, we figured it was a pretty good deal.

another sad dolphin picture attempt

another sad dolphin picture attempt

After checking in, and waiting on the dock for a bit, we dawned our life jackets, and piled into our boat. We left Isla Colon, and headed out to our first stop of the day, Dolphin Bay.

The name says it all, it was a large bay full of gray dolphins. They were gorgeous, and it was pretty amazing, but I had mixed emotions about this part of the tour. It didn’t feel right to be invading the small space these dolphins live in. During our 30 minutes puttering around the bay, we would inch our way closer to the Dolphins whenever they surfaced. At one point there were about seven boats in the area.

One of the many boats crowding the dolphins

One of the many boats crowding the dolphins

I felt like our tour guide kept a respectful distance, but I noticed some boats being more aggressive. These looked like boats with people who had just hired someone in town to take them to the bay

If Dolphin Bay is something you want to see, I would suggest you hire a professional tour company, as I think their practices are a little more ethical. That being said, it’s probably not something I would do again.

But we move on…

Our lunch pit stop- time to pre-order

Our lunch pit stop- time to pre-order

After the Dolphins, we puttered around some shallow areas to look at the marine life below. The water was so clear that you could see right to the bottom. There were lots of starfish, and sea cucumbers. It was one of those moments when Shaun, and I looked at each and realized how lucky we are to be from Vancouver Island. We see these types of sea creatures all the time!

No one looks cool snorkelling...especially me.

No one looks cool snorkelling…especially me.

Our boat ride continued, and we eventually stopped in at a little soda on the water. We were asked to pre-order our lunches, so they would be ready for us after the snokelling. After about a 15 minute break, we hopped in the boat for a quick 5 min jaunt to the snokel spot.

Now, I’m not a snokeling pro. In fact, I’ve only been twice in Tamarindo. Everyone told me that the snorkelling there was lame, but I didn’t know any better. I saw a couple fish, so I was happy.

Lunch time casado!!

Lunch time casado!!

Well my friends, I think I’ve been spoiled rotten now. The snorkelling was unreal. Brightly coloured fish, coral of every shape, size, and colour, spidery looking starfish,and jellyfish. There was so much to see, you could hover over the same spot forever, and still not see it all. Shaun later said that he couldn’t get the song “under the sea” out of his head!

We snokeled for about an hour, and then it was back to the soda for lunch. We were adopted by this lovely family from Panama City, who let us sit with them. They were so lovely, and it was great to talk to people from Panama about what it is like living there.

Pulling into Red Frog Beach

Pulling into Red Frog Beach

After lunch, it was off to Red Frog Beach. If you are only in Bocas for a short period of time, this is the attraction you should see.There is an 3 dollar entrance fee to get in the park, but it was covered by the tour. We pulled up to the dock, and hiked about 10 minutes to get to the beach. It was outstanding.Blue water, white sand, and big waves, what more could you ask for.

Perfect place for a beach nap.

Perfect place for a beach nap.

There are a couple little places to stay on the beach, and a small restaurant. We opted to find a spot on the beach, and settled down for some sun time. I may have had a pretty lengthy beach siesta. When I woke up, I had one thing on my mind, a pipa! I cruised down the beach a bit, and found a lovely women nestled in the shade who hooked me up. It was the perfect end to our adventure.

Salty, and sandy, but happy!

Salty, and sandy, and smiley

We got home around 4:30, salty, sandy, and sleepy. We are so thankful that we got the opportunity to take this tour, it created memories that will last a lifetime!

Have you ever snorkelled? What did you think?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Exploring Bocas del Toro, Panama

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Things in the land of Hostels and Hot Rollers are picking up speed. With a couple free lance articles due this week, I found myself a little overwhelmed with keeping up ALL of the Panamanian themed blog posts I want to write.

I’m pretty thankful that my fabulous husband stepped up to the plate to write this post about Bocas del Toro in Panama. Shaun’s going to give you a run down about what Bocas del Toro is all about, and clear up some serious confusion about it’s name!

Take it away Shaun.

Bocas del Toro can be a bit confusing at first as it seems to refer to a multitude of places. Translated to “Mouth of the Bull”, Bocas del Toro can refer to a town, a province, and an archipelago of islands.

Bocas Town from the water

Bocas Town from the water

Bocas del Toro, the province runs along the Costa Rican border on the Caribbean side. It includes an archipelago of islands that is, funny enough, also named Bocos del Toro. There are nine main islands in the archipelago, the most developed being Isla Colon which is at times, although rare, referred to as Isla Bocas.

The town of Bocas del Toro is located on southeast corner of Isla Colon. It is also the province’s capital city and often just referred to as Bocas Town. Confused yet? Don’t worry we were too.

An example of some of the cool buildings in Bocas Town

An example of some of the cool buildings in Bocas Town

Bocas Town is sweet.  It has a few main streets and a nice downtown core with numerous bars and restaurants literally right on the water. Much of the buildings on the water side are built on piles and extend out over the water. Most have small docks so boats can just pull right up. We spent a fair amount of time during the afternoons just chilling in the bars enjoying a few beers and watching the ocean and the various boats cruising around.

The buildings are all mostly wood clapboard style built in the early 20th century. There is a distinct colonial look to them. It reminded me a lot of New Orleans, but also like nothing I have ever come across. It has that older well established feel to it that we haven’t seen a lot in our Costa Rican travels. If you are in the area, a visit to Bocas Town is well worth it.

One of the many beaches on Isla Colon

One of the many beaches on Isla Colon

The majority of the water shuttles from the main island go the Bocas Town and then you can take water taxis from there over to the neighbouring archipelago islands like Carenera and Bastimentos. I really regret not spending a night or two on Carenera which is only a short boat taxi from Bocas Town. You can apparently hike around the island in about 1.5 hours. It also has some fairly impressive waves on its Caribbean side.

On Isla Colon, we stayed about a 15 minute walk from the main town in an area called Saigon. It was perfect for us because it was nice and quiet and closer to the beaches and surf spots on the northern part of the island.

Our bike's Dolly, and Ralph. They're in love.

Our bike’s Dolly, and Ralph. They’re in love.

Our stay included bikes so we would bike all over the place. We have done so much walking this trip that the bikes were a welcome change. I loved riding all over the place. We would cruise up and down the main town streets and bike to the north side of the island where it was much less developed.

Bocas Town is only a very small portion of Isla Colon. There is a large beach called Bocas del Drago, on the west side of the island, which can be accessed by taxi or a long bike ride. There is also a road to the north, which is exposed to ocean. This is where the main surf spots of Playa Bluff, Playa Paunch and Dumpers are located.

Enjoying the surf at Paki's Place

Enjoying the surf at Paki’s Place

Kate and I biked out to Playa Paunch, and stopped in at a super chill bar called Paki’s Point. The bar was sweet, there were a ton of lounge chairs and tables facing the surf break right out front. We chilled there for a drink and watched the surf, it was a good time and well worth the trip. I think it only took us about 20 minutes on bike from Saigon. With more time I think we could have spent a whole day there.

Some cool beach art work in Bocas

Some cool beach art work in Bocas

Dumpers and Playa Bluff were further down the road. I rode all the way out to Playa Bluff one morning to check the surf. It is an amazing beach. Surf was bad when I was there, but the beach was impressive. The sand seemed almost orange and the water was so blue.  I was bummed I didn’t have a camera. On a bike I would say its about a 30 to 40 minute ride without stops.

Dumpers was just past Playa Paunch. I never surfed there but it looked like a fun reef break with good lefts. Playa Paunch was the only spot I surfed. It was fun but got fairly busy.

Our time in Bocas del Toro seemed to fly by. With all the different islands to explore, the many surf breaks, the beaches, the snorkeling, all the neat beach bars, and their $1 beers, we could have handled a much longer stay.

Whew! That’s a lot of information, got any questions for Shaun?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

Border Run to Panama Part 2

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So, when we left off, we were on the bridge crossing over into Panama.

I am happy to report, that we made is safely across, and neither Shaun nor I fell into the water. Success!

The next check point was Panamanian Customs. Essentially a small room, with a man at a desk who was collecting money,and giving you a sticker for your passport. Today the fee was 3 dollars are person, but apparently these fees change frequently.

There wasn’t really a line up, everyone was just cramming their way into the room, and jostling to be next. You can imagine how fun that was with backpacks and our surfboard. We heard the guy at the desk mention something about immigration around the corner.

I had also read about this on-line. Once you’ve gone through Panamanian Customs, you have to turn a corner, and go into a separate building to go into Immigration. It would be SO easy for someone to just keep on walking, and enter the country. I’m just taking a wild guess that this would be very bad.

Once leaving customs you need to take an immediate left, and go down some stairs, and straight down the first side street. There you will find the line for Immigration. We made it there without incident, and there was even some guy there who had our names on a list. That was fairly comforting, as by this point we felt like we were flying solo.

We stood in line for another 25 minutes or so, and finally made it up to the counter. This seemed like the “big” counter. That one that ultimately decides whether you are getting in or not. We watched lots of people ahead of us having difficulties understanding what the border officials wanted. All we had were our passports, and a copy of our return flight information. We made it to the counter, and after much scrutinizing, our passports were stamped again, and we were on our way. I’ve heard that sometimes they require you to provide proof that you have at least 500 dollars cash, but today, our documents seemed to do the trick.

We exited this second line up, and a guy stopped us. He said he was a friend of the bus driver, and told us to wait with him. He was pretty aggressive, telling one of the guys in our group to give him a cigarette, and making Shaun give him an extra 5 dollars for the surfboard. As he stood there spitting, and doing pushups, we all kind of looked at each other, wondering whether we should just give up on the shuttle, and take a taxi.

About 30 minutes went by, and another man came over, and said they were ready to go. We walked down the street about 100m, and there was a van, with a couple people from our original group waiting for us. We never did figure out what the confusion was, and why we were left waiting for so long, but either way, we now had a ride.

Leaving the "ferry" terminal

Leaving the “ferry” terminal

We piled in the new van, and headed off to the boat to Isla Colon. We picked up another Panamanian man on the side of the road. He spoke a bit of English, and was obviously in charge of getting us onto the boat. After about an hour, we got to the ferry. We sat in the terminal for about 30 minutes. I enjoyed a Pipa, while Shaun went to pay the additional fee to get his board on the boat.

So happy to be on the home stretch

So happy to be on the home stretch

The boat arrived, and we piled on. It was a beautiful ride, and a welcome breath of fresh air after line ups and shuttles all day. After about 30 minutes we pulled into Isla Colon, and it looked fabulously funky. We grabbed our stuff, and trekked into the middle of town to look for a taxi to our place. It took us a while to track one down, but finally got into the back of a pick up truck.

I will laugh at this picture for the rest of my life

I will laugh at this picture for the rest of my life

A man, and a women sat in front arguing for the entire drive. I couldn’t help but take this picture. Here they are, yelling at each other with a small Yoda figure perched in the middle on the dashboard. After such along day, you have to appreciate the little things.

We arrived at our hostel, Panama’s Paradise. Although no one was home, there was a little note with my name, on the door. It had everything we needed in it to check in.

Keys on the door, thank goodness!

Keys on the door, thank goodness!

Our arrival did truly feel like paradise. We stripped off our sweat drenched clothes, and I settled in for a BIG siesta.  Before falling asleep I glanced at my phone. It was 12:30. The entire process had only taken 4 hours, but it felt like it had been a week.

Keep tuned in this week because I have some great content coming up. This week I will be recapping our entire adventure in Bocas del Toro, Panama. You won’t want to miss it, this place is AMAZING!

What are your border crossing experiences?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress