Bocas Town

Welcome to Bocas Del Toro Panama known locally as just Bocas. Bocas Del Toro translates to, Mouth of the Bull. Some say the name comes from the last indigenous Cacique that had been named, Boka Toro. Others insist that Columbus named the area from the sounds of the powerful waves smashing into the volcanic rocks, making sounds mimicking that of a roaring bull.

Bocas del Toro Panama : Pristine tropical rainforests slope towards the Talamanca and Central mountains. The province is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Veraguas province to the east, Chiriqui province to the south and Costa Rica to the west. Offshore lay wait to a wonderland of coral reefs teeming with marine life surrounded by an Archipelago of mangroves and white sandy beach Islands and some surf. Here is a surf video from bocas del toro. .

The 1,684 square mile/ 4,632 square kilometer province is made up of primarily four main towns Chiriqui Grande, Changuinola, Almirante on the mainland and Bocas del Toro Town the province Capitol. Bocas province population of 90,000 represents a more diverse mix of ethnicities and nationalities than anywhere in the country outside of Panama City. The islands have long been home to four indigenous tribes the Ngobe, Bugle, Bri-Bri and Naso. Due to Bocas rich history of Spaniards, pirates, banana plantations and now burgeoning expatriate community the ethnic mix also includes banana and canal worker descendents from Africa, Columbia, Jamaica, and the French Antilles, and an International Expatriate population that was tallied in 2003 to include 50 Nations.

One is more likely to hear English spoken here than in any other Panamanian province, however predominantly Spanish is spoken and some Guaymi and Teribe from local Indians lending to a unique Bocas slang. This unique melting pot of food, music and cultures creates a laid back Jimmy Buffet, Paradise.
 
Previously only know by some Panamanian tourists, adventuresome surfers and a trickling of a few brave backpackers, Bocas has become the hottest new tourist spot in panama. Where have 12 countries filmed their Survivor series including France, Spain, Italy and Russia? The answer is the exotic Bocas del Toro Archipelago. During the last few years bocas has seen an explosion of new settlers from Europe and the US, establishing a new infrastructure of quaint hotels diverse restaurants and exotic resorts. The Investment opportunities have been amazing and will continue to draw both Entrepreneurs and those desiring a near perfect retirement option for years to come. CLICK HERE FOR BOCAS NEWEST PROJECT 

 It is an outdoor lover’s paradise with diving, fishing, boating, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, horseback riding and white water rafting. This region, considered the most geographically diverse in the Caribbean, is also a nature lover’s dream come true. Bocas del Toro Panama is one of the few places in the world that can boast of being the home to a fully functional research facility owned and operated by the Smithsonian Institution. that Eco-tourism is coming of age in Bocas del Toro Panama Eco-tourism is coming of age in Bocas, and why not, with unspoiled coral reefs, a magnificent rain forests and miles of unspoiled beaches within close proximity. If nature is your thing, you will find quality jungle tours, river tours, island tours, bird watching and turtle watching expeditions.

The charm of Bocas del Toro Panama is found not only in the people and the aquatic paradise but also in the laid back life style it affords. The all wood structures many weathered by age bring you into a world both Jimmy Buffet and Humphrey Bogart would fell right at home in. Bocas offers a true flash back in time when life was simpler with fewer stresses and no problems man. If you’re looking to do nothing or be very adventuresome you have found your perfect spot. Bocas is one of Panama’s top tourist attractions and with good reason. Where else can you enjoy beautiful beaches with scarcely a soul in sight and rainforests so fine Lonely Planet Guide calls them “a biologists fantasy”.

 SOURCE: panama-travel-bureau.com

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ChiriquiThe people of Chiriqui are some of the proudest. They boast that this region “has it all” and they may be right. Chiriqui does offer the highest peak and some of the longest rivers with over 20 world class white water rafting runs in a 2 hour drive. The region still offers old growth forests and more exotic birds and near extinct creatures of the jungle than arguably anywhere else in Central America. The dark rich volcanic soil produces bountiful coffee, fruit, and vegetables. Just offshore its coast, Chiriqui is home to some of the Pacific Tropics most developed corals banks. Even financially Chiriqui ties for number one with Boquete Boquete tour (for a virtual tour courtesy of VTours) whose growth rivals Bocas Del Toto as a visitor’s boom town.
 
Panama’s Chiriqui province is the western most province on Panama’s Pacific Coast bordering Costa Rica. A rich agricultural region and a land of eternal spring where bright flowers grow everywhere .The climate ranges from the hot lowlands near the Pacific to the high mountain valleys and Volcan Baru, which has an elevation above 4000 meters at its summit. Although there has been much deforestation, the higher elevations still contain some of the original mystical drifting cloud cover forests, and are one of the best places in Central America to view exotic wildlife, such as the resplendent quetzal.  

There is an almost magical quality to the Chiriqui highlands. This is a land of peaceful vistas, rushing rivers, gigantic flumes of rainbow covered waterfalls, terraced farmlands and rolling misty hills. The Highlands has a sense of aristocracy with all the new thoroughbred horse breeding stables being built by the influx of retiring Europeans. One can only imagine the poetic vista of majestic peaks surrounding emerald carpeted pastures with galloping herds of horses racing through wild flowers towards a trickling brook.

The Lowlands are dry and hot even stifling at times. The lack of wind in the area lends to a feeling that the earth’s moisture is being squeezed out and steam is actually wafting up your legs. .

SOURCE: panama-travel-bureau.com

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The fourth most popular Province is steeped in a rich and colorful history. The Province curves along the Caribbean coast from Darien west to Veraguas and Cocle and Panama Province and Cocle Province along the southern side. Colon Province covers almost 5000 square km, slopes from the coast up to a height of almost 1000 meters, and is home to over 200,000 inhabitants the majority residing in Colon City.

The capital of Colon province is Colon city, which is located at the entrance to the Panama Canal on the Caribbean side. It is a bustling port city of around 200,000 residents and Panama’s second largest city, Colon was founded in 1850 when the Panama railroad was constructed connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts includes a new cruise ship terminal, and is also famous for it’s Free Zone. The city of Colon remains essentially an industrial area.

The province of Colon is also famous for the port city of Portobelo, which was named by Christopher Columbus in 1502, and means “beautiful harbor”. Portobelo National Park also lies within Colon Province. There are two Spanish forts to visit in Portobelo. The Santiago de Gloria Fort protected from pirates the Customs Building ,where gold was kept before it was shipped to Spain. The Fort of San Lorenzo perched high on a cliff at the mouth of the Chagres River, frequently came under attack by pirates, including the infamous Captain Henry Morgan, and British war ships. Its crumbling ramparts contrast against the lush green jungle foliage. Just offshore from Colon is the lush tropical island of Isla Grande. Known throughout the region for its coral reefs and excellent snorkeling and scuba diving, this pristine island caters to day-trippers.

Colon is most famous for the “Free Zone”.The Colon Free Zone is a major distribution center at the Atlantic gateway to the Panama Canal, primarily dedicated to the re-export of an enormous variety of merchandise to Latin America and the Caribbean.The success of the Colon Free Zone is reflected in the more than 400 hectares and 1,800 established companies and 250,000 visitors a year. Most of the goods originate in the Far East and Europe. Tourists are allowed to shop duty free when presenting their passport.

SOURCE: panama-travel-bureau.com

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