Many people ask me about living in Boquete and options for a different venue than the mountains or the Pacific Coast.  Most people do not realize that we can drive over to the Caribbean coast in less than two hours and be on a water taxi in Almirante in three hours headed to Isla Colon and Bocas Town.  That is just what we did last weekend as rainy season had started and my son was in town on vacation.  Of course, we did face a little challenge high up in the mountains where you approach 7,000 feet and the rain was coming down.

One thing we do need badly is a lot of rain so I did not mind the slight delay it caused.  I was soon to see what all the talk has been about with the lack of water in our main reservoirs that feed the hydro electric plants.

We passed over the ridge and as we headed down, Fortuna Dam and the lake came into view, or what was a lake.

There was hardly any water in the lake and most of the streams that feed it were barely filling it.  We need more rain quickly to fill these reservoirs.

Anyway, the weather guide was right and the blue sky started to appear as we descended to the Caribbean side.

The road down to Almirante takes you past a lush tropical setting that is completely different from the other side of the mountain.

Soon we were in the town of Almirante and ready to get on the water tax to Bocas Town.

About a half hour later we round the tip of Isla Colon and the familiar colors of Bocas come into view.

We arrived at our hotel only 4 hours from having left our home in Boquete and we were ready for an adventure.  Our hotel would be the Palma Royale, which  is probably one of the best hotels in Bocas Town and has luxurious rooms.

The Penthouse is to die for and worth the few extra dollars.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to be in the heart of town but not necessarily having to spend the night above an all night bar and disco.

The restaurant was quite good and breakfast was included in the room rate.  Happy hour was also a great way to start the evening with half price drinks.

Service was excellent and the people really took the time to make sure that all of our needs and wants were met.

That night we were in for a show on main street. While we dined in an outdoor cafe on the street, performers started coming by in a parade.

THE DIABLOS WERE BACK IN BOCAS!!

The next day we headed to Starfish Beach and had our own private boat for the day.  You can stop off at the market across from the water taxi building and get your drinks and snacks to take with you.  Don’t bother with more food as you can get lobster cooked right on the beach.  They come fresh out of a wire cage sitting in the water.

Nice place to visit and very easy to spend most of the day snorkeling, chillin in the water  and resting under a palm tree.

We return to the Palma Royale for as short siesta before we repeat the activities of the prior evening and head back to Boquete the next morning after an enjoyable 3 day road trip to Paradise.

Please contact my friends at Palma Royale and give them the code “brymer” for a 25% discount being offered over the next 60 days.  Here is the link to their site and click on the Reservations Tab to reserve now.

Overlooking the ocean on the main island of Colon, the Palma Royale has all the trimmings of luxury without the super high price tag. Located right off Isla Colon’s main avenue, this 4-story hotel offers the tranquil environment of an isolated retreat but with all the conveniences of this colourful town just steps away.

The Palma Royale offers 14 deluxe suites and 1 stunning penthouse. There are a few different suites available to suit your choice of style and budget. The ground floor ‘Economy’ suite features a standard hotel room with a comfy pillow-top queen-size mattress, marble bathroom with an oversized rain-shower head and hot water, satellite-equipped plasma tv and a patio with a lovely garden view. The Studio is the ‘Economy Suite’ with a living room. The Deluxe Suite offers a separate living area, fully equipped kitchen, and a private balcony. Similar to the Double Suite, the deluxe suite has all the same amenities but offers 2 queens sized beds and a little more room for the extra guests.

For those who have the budget and want to splurge a little, there is the Penthouse Suite. This spectacular room has two private bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room complete with satellite-equipped 47” plasma tv, iPod docking station, and Bose sound system. The real charm of this suite is the panoramic ocean-island view you get from the furnished wrap-around balcony. This suite also comes equipped with a washer and dryer.
All suites come equipped with ceiling fans, a/c, a bar fridge, coffee maker, freshly roasted Panamanian whole bean coffee and grinder.

Breakfast is served at the Under the Palma café where you can also enjoy lunch, dinner or drinks. The best part of staying on Isla Colon is incredible options of great food and drink located just steps down the main street.