Love at First Sight - Isla Boca Brava
Trip Start
Feb 25, 2008
1
10
18
Trip End
Mar 18, 2008
Isla Boca Brava,
Panama
Friday, March 7, 2008
We had a bit of a travel day today to get to an off the beaten path place, called Isla Boca Brava. The Purple House could arrange getting to Isla Boca Brava by taxi for $45, but we said, with the help from the Lonely Planet Panama guide, we can just do this on our own much less expensively. So off we went. Took a $1.50 bus back to David. Then a $3.00 bus to Horconcitos. From there to the tiny village of Boca Chica on the coast, the road requires a 4 x 4 truck taxi, and it usually costs $15. Our good fortune prevailed and there was a Boca Chica local and his daughter on the Horconcitos bus. We shared the truck taxi so it only costs $7.50. As we road through Boca Chica, a guy jumped on the back of the pickup
Dog riding atop a bus
. He turned out to be our water taxi captain. We road across the 200 meters to Isla Boca Brava for $2. So the $45 taxi ride that we did on our own costs $14. Let me digress for a moment and capture some "snapshots in time" of our traveling today. In the David bus station, while waiting to depart for Horconcitos, Fred and I saw where there were only 4 lug nuts in the driver's front wheel of a bus waiting to leave. We kind of joked about better check our bus to be sure we have all our lug nuts. Well, the joke was on us as neither of our front wheels had all 5 of their lug nuts either. So maybe 4 out of 5 is the standard around here. No quality control??? The next memorable moment - the guys were loading and tying down luggage atop the bus next to us. Someone on the bus was traveling with 3 small dogs. Well they each got tossed up to the handler atop the roof, and their leashes, whether of string or chain, were lashed down. So the dogs got the best seat in the house, riding atop the bus. Hope they made it to their destination okay.
While riding the water taxi across to our "home" for the next few days, Fred took a picture of 2 boats that ran aground. One sail boat was completely laying on its side. Don't know if the captain just didn't count on the tide going out or what
High and Dry
. After a full morning of traveling by differernt means, we arrived at Isla Boca Brava, located in the Gulf of Chiriqui. There is the Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquq here and also protects Isla Boca Brava. The park is a national marine park with 25 islands , 19 coral reefs, and abundant wildlife. Our Isla Boca Brava has 280 different bird species, monkeys, and nesting turtles. There are trails that lead from our hotel.
Our hotel is Restaurant and Cabanas Boca Brava, which is located on the point of the 3000 hectare island. We paid $22 for a room with private bath. The bed mattress was set upon a tile platform and the room was clean. We could see the water through the trees, through our windows. The restaurant area was wonderful. It was entirely open air and had 3 different levels. We mostly set up a flight of stairs to enjoy the ocean breeze. Because it is on a point, we could see the waters on 3 sides, and watch the tide go in and out. There is the 3rd level, where you ascend a ladder to the observation deck. There is an appropriate sign that states "no drunks allowed" One false move off the platform and if you're lucky you land in the water, but if the tide is out you land on the craggy rocks.
Stairway from the dock to Cabanas Boca Brava
Lovely mature groves of bamboo surround the restaurant and great birds, even hummers flying about. You can seen various islands, even a small one with sand and palm trees, that it seems like you could swim to. The owners of the restaurant have 2 parakeets that keep the customers entertained.
So it was Love at First Sight (just like when I met my wonderful husband, Fred) - ocean breeze, water, islands, birds, great food, monkeys, rainforest, trails, -
There is a white board announcing all the various fish, that was the catch of the day. I enjoyed Mahi Mahi and Fred had tuna. We tried fried yucca root, it's like a giant french fry and actually quite yummy. Very popular in Panama, along with fried plantains. Fish dinners were $4.
While reading in the room, before going to sleep, I looked up at the window to see a cute little gecko lizard traveling on the outside of the window screen. If he was on the inside, I wouldn't have thought him so cute. In the morning, we awoke to the sounds and sight of a family of monkeys in the trees outside our windows. There was even a little baby monkey. It is really great to be enjoying monkeys in their home and environement, instead of in a zoo.
We popped and had a great breakfast of tropical fruit and pancakes. We met a young man from New Jersey, I call him "Jersey Jay." He is a surfer and spear fisherman and loves the water. We enjoyed talking with him and then set off for a hike through the rainforest
Multi level open air restaurant
. The trail went to a couple of small beaches and meanders throught the rainforest, with multiple species of birds. In fact, there a some girls who have been on the island for several months, studying all the different species of birds. It is very hot and humid. As I am walking the trail in front of Fred, I hear this very close, loud, screeching, growling sound, which startled me so much, I ran back into Fred's arms. He, being my brave hero, walked in front to investigate what animal made this sound. I was sure it must be an angry jaguar, when in fact, it was a howler monkey. Howler monkeys, we learned in Guatemala, sound exactly like jaguars, REALLY!. There were about 20 howler monkeys swinging in the trees above us, males, females, and yound ones. It was very cool. After having a refreshing cold shower (no hot water), we sat in the restaurant reading the Lonely Planet, planning our exit strategy for tomorrow. Next stop will be Santa Catalina, also on the Pacific Coast. This is a famous surfing beach. The high waves are world class, and have been compared to the waves on Oahu, so many surfers come here. Now we aren't surfers, but enjoy watching them and the crashing waves. So we will take a bus to Santiago, then to Sona, then to Santa Catalina. Okay, the plan is set, we leave tomorrow.
Wait, what is this? Just 5 minutes after our decision is cast in stone, Julio the German waiter comes to us to ask if we want to join other travelers going on a snorkling tour tomorrow, aboard a "catamarran" (really a motorized pontoon boat) to an island 45 minutes away
Crow's Nest View
. Snorkling gear and lunch is provided and there will be beer and soft drinks to purchase. It took us just 5 minutes to decide to join them. This is why we don't make reservations ahead of time, our plans are always subject to change!There were 10 travelers from young twenty somethings, to Anana, who is probably 70 something, and us in between. It cost $22 for the day. On the way to our island, we pass many other islands. Dolphins frolicked about our pontoon, including getting under and jumping ahead of the boat, from under the middle in between the pontoons. It's so magical to see dolphins play. I love it. The beach was a perfect white sand curved, private beach, with palm trees swaying in the wind. Coral pieces dotted the sandy beach. Big pieces of conch shells could be found. There was a reef to snorkle through. The captain and Julio and anyone else who wanted it, played frisbee. We stayed all day and had a great time.
Okay, now we are really leaving tomorrow for Santa Catalina.
Island Girl,
Jane
