Bocas del Toro: Panama’s Pocket-Friendly Caribbean Paradise

Salt on my lips and in the air. Sunkissed skin and wind-whipped hair. There’s nothing like the free and happy feeling I get when I come here. It spreads through me like the heady warmth of a sweet Caribbean rum. If I could bottle it, I’d call it Bocas Bliss.

We speed along, water splashing in our wake, the breeze snatching at baseball caps and straw hats. Vivid greens and blues surround me to kaleidoscopic effect. I could live on this tiny boat, in this technicolor moment, for all eternity.

It’s not hyperbole. Bocas del Toro, Panama—Bocas for short—is both smile-evoking and thought-provoking. People visit and see that the living is good. And then they think up ways to stay.

I’ve officially lost count of how many times I’ve been here. Outside of home, it’s my favorite spot on the planet. (I live at the beach, on Panama’s other coast. Yes, I am spoiled.)

Today I’m on a purple panga—a small fishing boat with an outboard motor. The clear, tropical Caribbean reflects poofy white clouds in the sky and pastel-painted homes on stilts.

We pull up to a yellow and green casita with a thatched roof. My host is there, waiting barefoot on her over-water deck. There’s a hammock swinging cheerfully in the breeze, and a soft orange tabby cat with eyes like the sea.

Anne-Michelle Wand lives on Isla Solarte with her husband, Douglas Marcy. Like Isla Carenero and Isla Bastimentos, it’s a short boat ride from Isla Colón, the main island in the Bocas archipelago.

Their home and septic is off-grid, with solar and rain catchment providing for most of their needs. The land behind their house is like one big exuberant tropical garden. There are palm trees and happy, healthy mangroves. Also planted here: vanilla, pepper, turmeric, avocado, lime, pineapple, papaya, passionfruit, guanabana (soursop), banana, coconut, cacao, lemongrass, jasmine, and ylang ylang.

I skirt around crabholes, little ant hills, and a web containing a large, colorful spider. These things (and many more) come with the territory in the tropics. I sample edible hibiscus (lemony!), spot a spinachlike leaf I’ve had in town (it’s called katuk), and learn about shampoo ginger (really… you can wash your hair with it).

Imagine never having to buy produce…or shampoo…again. Anne-Michelle is well on her way. This corner of the Caribbean is ideal for people who want to live more sustainable and self-sufficient lives.

That doesn’t mean it’s all farmsteads and fishing holes. It’s also a certified party destination. And it’s not just tourists boogeying down in Bocas. Expats and locals of all ages join in the fun.

Case in point: Next to Anne-Michelle’s property is a secluded little beach. Her neighbor plans to put in a tiki bar. “He said people come in here with their kayaks anyhow, he might as well sell ‘em a drink,” she laughs.

As we continue our walk, we come to a cluster of pretty statues. They were specially crafted for Caribbean Coral Restoration, the non-profit Doug founded to help regenerate the reefs. This illustrates another point…

In Bocas, giving back is a big part of daily life. Expats here tend to be very involved in the community. Many are also physically active. Given that medical care on the islands is limited—there’s a small but newly renovated public hospital on Isla Colón—it pays to take care of your health.

Anne-Michelle typically snorkels several times a week. Doug’s coral-restoration efforts are paying off, so there’s plenty of marine life to see. There are dolphins, stingrays, nurse sharks, lobsters, angel fish, parrot fish, and more.

“We’re seeing tropical fish that inhabited these waters 20 or 30 years ago,” she says. “Certain times of the year it isn’t as clear, because of the rain. Then I might go out in my kayak instead.” She says she is 71, but she looks about 20 years younger. Maybe it’s Bocas.

Bocas Is Perfectly Imperfect

Though it is idyllic, life here isn’t perfect. Panama’s Caribbean coast gets less government funding and attention than the Pacific and mountain regions. For that reason, there’s a lot of untitled ROP or “Right of Possession” property in Bocas. I don’t recommend buying unless you’ve lived here a while and truly understand the risks.

The upside: Bocas is a fantastic place to rent, with small, simple digs going for as little as $500 a month. Where else in the world can you pay so little…and live walking distance from a sparkling white-sand Caribbean beach?

Food and wine are a little more expensive than on the mainland. But lately small shops have proliferated on Isla Colón, offering better variety and better prices. I found a nice wine for $13 at the new Duo Market by the police station. I paid close to $17 for the same wine last time I was in town.

Anne-Michelle and Doug spent just $1,500 the previous month—including their caretaker’s salary. They own their property, so they don’t have to pay rent or a mortgage. “We spend about $6.40 a month on propane. Fuel is one of our bigger expenses because we get everywhere by boat, so that’s about $400 a month. We spend close to $500 a month on food but we eat really well.”

“We used to spend more than double in the U.S., easy,” she says. “We don’t have a car, but maintenance costs on a boat vary a lot. We bought ours, used, for around $12,000 and it was a full five years before we had to do anything major. A new engine costs around $10,000 but will last 10 to 15 years.” They have a gas-efficient fourstroke Yamaha.

If you live off of the main island, you’ll probably want your own boat. Expats in “Bocas Town” on Isla Colón can get around easily in a multitude of ways—on foot, bicycle, bus, or taxi. Many have electric bicycles, motor scooters, and even fourwheel carts.

The local population is a diverse blend of foreigners and locals. The latter includes the Ngäbe-Buglé (of one of Panama’s largest indigenous groups), the afro-panameño community (locals of African-Caribbean heritage), and many chino-panameños (Panamanians of Chinese descent).

Foreigners come from all over…the U.S., Canada, France, Israel, India, the UK…you name it. Bocas is a welcoming place for one and all. A place where many single women and people of color (I fit both those categories) live safe and happy lives. It’s incredibly social, with great nightlife and restaurants. I’ve made friends here—good friends—even on short visits.

The colorful local culture makes me feel at home. Bocatoreños are known for speaking their own English patois—a legacy from thousands who came to Panama from Jamaica and other former British colonies. Don’t expect to understand it, but don’t worry. You’ll hear more standard forms of English and Spanish spoken all over the islands—this is a very easy place to communicate.

Just remember your Caribbean manners. During interactions with strangers it’s customary to start with a “good morning,” nd chat for a while. Time moves slowly here—that’s a fact—so don’t rush. You can’t bottle Bocas Bliss. You can only live it.