Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Casa Acuario
Southeast side of island 757 9565,
casaacuario.com
.
This delightful
wooden structure built over the water, has five spacious rooms (fan, a/c and cable TV) with
vast windows. The best ones at the front have their own hammock and deckchairs
and
there's
a wraparound deck and communal kitchen-dining area, ideal for lolling about on.
$88
Hostal Gran Kahuna
Southeast side of island 757 9038,
grankahunabocas.com
.
Right on the beach, this is a solid budget option, attempting green practices, with four dorms
containing lockers and surf-board storage space, and two private en-suite rooms - all with a/c
at night and great mattresses. Nice garden and social area to chill in, with comfy sofas and
hammocks f
acin
g the sea
. A
lso a moderately priced bar-restaurant and kayaks and SUPs for
rent. Dorms
$14
, doubles
$55
Isla Bastimentos
The sprawling and beautiful 52 square kilometres of
ISLA BASTIMENTOS
boasts the mel-
low, Afro-Antillean fishing community of
Old Bank
, lush inland
forest
inhabited by straw-
berry poison dart frogs and marble-sand
surfing beaches
. Most visitors are day-trippers:
some come independently to tuck into tasty Creole seafood in Old Bank or to hike across the
island to the surfing beaches; others visit with organized tours, which generally cut across the
western arm of the island to the much vaunted Red Frog Beach. If you want to escape the
unashamedly tourist-oriented scene in Bocas, Bastimentos is a good place to hang out and the
place where you're most likely to hear Guari-Guari, English patois embellished with Spanish
and Ngäbere.
The island's two Ngäbe communities of
Bahía Honda
, in the crook of the bay of the same
name on the island's south side, and
Quebrada Sal
(Salt Creek), over towards the eastern
end by Punta Vieja, both welcome visitors.
