Bocas Del Torro, Panama — a little piece of paradise heaven.
I rang in the New Year with my family in Panama. It was such a beautiful country and would recommend it to anyone who wants a vacation full of a little adventure, a little R&R, and a whole lot of fun. We spent 4 days off of the mainland of Panama in a little group of islands called Bocas Del Torro. After a teeny tiny plane, a bus, and a 45 minute boat ride we arrived to our hotel that was basically on a deserted island: Popa Paradise.
After being welcomed with fresh coconut water, we were shown to our little island hut and booked it straight to the beach. There were 12 different huts on the island, which means there was a total of around 25-30 people at the hotel on the island. We became extremely close with the other guests staying at Popa Paradise at the time because you ate your meals together, hung by the pool together, and at night there wasn’t much else to do besides play games, mingle, and drink since there was no TV and limited wifi on the island. Other than the hotel there was a whole lot of jungle, beach, and that’s about it on the island. Talk about being able to disconnect and refresh from your busy life for a few days. Nothing but sand, sun, and surf for the 4 days we were there. It was a barefoot paradise.
During the day there was a ton of different excursions you could go on. From snorkeling, to dolphin watching, to a visit to the indigenous people’s village, monkey island, and more, there is something for everyone. I come from a family who lives to be in the water, especially the ocean, so we were extra excited for the opportunity to go snorkeling during our time there. The coral was so colorful, alive, and undamaged. It was some of the best coral I have seen in my life.
Make sure you talk to one of the hotel managers, Zoey if you ever find yourself at Popa Paradise. She is the sweetest English girl that will truly make your stay special. She will greet you every morning with a smile and make sure you have the best day yet. Little fun fact – on New Years Eve, my little brother and I introduced her to Beer Pong, so that is now a newly added game to the hotel. Also make sure you ask for the main bartender Nica’s signature drink. It is paradise in a glass. Fresh pineapple, passionfruit, watermelon, mango, and rum. I had no joke 3 a day. They were so refreshing and yummy in the 90 degree weather and hot sun.
If you find yourself traveling to Panama, I highly recommend spending a few days at Bocas Del Torro. I could also not recommend Popa Paradise enough if you are looking for some much needed R&R.
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