Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
meals, a tour of the farm, trip to Red Frog Beach and use of
cayucos
, with plenty of sailing,
surfing, hiking and excursions on offer for an extra fee. Gourmet cuisine, much derived from
the lodge's organic garden, makes this very popular so book ahead. Some
of t
he accommod-
ation costs go to support the Bahía Honda community development fund.
$110
/person
Palmar Tent Lodge
Red Frog Beach 6880 8640,
palmartentlodge.com
.
Simple yet
delightful private safari tents and tent-cabin dorms (two-night min stay for all) set in rain-
forest at the back of the beach with solar-powered fans, lamps and showe
rs p
lus an array of
am
enities, in
clu
ding a bar-restaurant and kayak rental. Camping (own tent)
$10
/person, dorms
$15
, doubles
$50
EATING AND NIGHTLIFE
Most eating options in Bastimentos are low-key, with local flavourings at locally affordable
prices. You're likely to find traditional Caribbean dishes such as
rondón
, a fish and vegetable
stew in coconut milk, or
pescado “Escobich”
, a spicy marinaded fish dish.
OLD BANK AND AROUND
Alvin's
Tasty, simple home cooking out over the water; choose from that ubiquitous
Panamanian staple fried chicken, rice and beans to more Caribbean-style seafood dishes ac-
companied by coconut rice and plantains.
Daily 8am-7pm.
Blue Bar
Fully renovated in 2013, the island's legendary Blue Mondays hotspot has re-
opened delivering loud sounds, cheap booze, a chance to play pool, and plenty of vibe. If
you're lucky you may catch the island's most famous musicians, the Bastimentos Beach
Boys.
Hours vary.
Roots
A Bastimentos institution that serves up cracking fresh seafood and coconut rice dishes
($4-10). Just follow the music and you can't miss it.
Noon-9.30pm; closed Tues.
Up in the Hill
Signposted up the hill from Old Bank (20min walk) 6607 8962,
upin-
thehill.com
.
Well worth the hike, this organic snack and craft shop offers fresh lemonade,
delectable brownies and numerous other goodies ($3-5) on a patio surrounded by flowers.
From town, follow the path near the police station and continue through the jungle, keeping
watch for markers.
Mon-Sat 8.30am-6pm.
THE REST OF THE ISLAND
Community restaurant
Bahía Honda 6726 0968.
A great place to sample some traditional
cuisine, such as
morongodo
, a green plantain pancake. A plate of fish and
patacones
costs
around $6.
Call for hours.
Restaurante Cayo Crawl
The original and still the best of the appealing wooden restaurants
on stilts over the water. Catering to day-trippers to Cayo Crawl, this place serves up simple
fresh fish dishes at a Caribbean pace, which you can tuck into while watching other fish
swimming below.
Daily 11am-5pm.
