New Hotel Hot Pick! Island Plantation – Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Colon Island

This eco-luxurious property is located on the eastern cost line of Colon Island in Bluff Beach, just an approximately 25 minutes/8km from Bocas Town. You will travel along an uneven paved and sandy road that will take you along the coast and through jungle areas before reaching your final destination, Island Plantation.

Carefully placed on a 23 acre forested property is the perfect place for nature lovers who want to be away from buzz of the city life. This informal barefoot hotel has a pool with an ocean view, yoga/meditation platform located on a hill above the hotel where you can hear the soothing sound of the ocean and nearby waterfall and organic herb and vegetable garden. Island Plantation is off the grid, operating on solar energy, practicing permaculture techniques and using water catchment methods.

8 spacious king bed suites, including a two-bedroom suite with 1 king and 2 twin beds.

• Double pillow-top mattresses
• Organic bathroom products
• Open air private guest showers
• Television free property
• Complementary WiFi and basic phone service
• Natural ventilated rooms with ceiling fans, no A/C
• All rooms are strictly no smoking
• Partial views of the garden and ocean
• No children permitted under 10 years of age

Food – Onsite fine dining restaurant offering carefully crafted a la carte options made from the garden, local products and select imported products to maintain the highest level of quality and consistency.

Bluff Beach area is known for sea turtle observation (February – September), surfing and swimming when nature permits. Enjoy beach combing, walking, hiking, biking horseback riding or relaxing and gazing in to the Caribbean Sea.

For for more information and rates, contact us info@ecocircuitos.com

 

Article from Transamerica: The Hippest Neighborhood in Central America

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We are not allowed to publish this article to promote Panama in our web.  The authors banned us from publication in our blog for violation of copyright.  We thought we were advertising their web and authors.  Anyway, for those interested in reading it, please check their website directly at http://trans-americas.com/blog/2014/07/casco-viejo-panama-city/

 

Carnivals in Panama: An Amazing Experience

Music

Carinval in Panama

by Amber Platschorre- Dutch intern

Being for the first time in Latin America I had no idea what to expect of Carnival. I heard before that it is an amazing celebration and people look forward to this the whole year. I have been in Panama now for 3 months and people cannot stop talking about the Carnival. You will hear it on the radio, the taxi drivers will tell you about it and you hear the music everywhere. Since there is a lot of commotion about this celebration I started to wonder how it would be and I have as much looking forward to it as the Panamanians do.

Finally, there was the weekend of Carnival. I could notice it everywhere. Panama-city is very empty and many people go out of the city to celebrate Carnival in other places (interior towns) that are known for the Carnivals. I heard a lot about the places Chitre and Las Tablas because there, the celebrations must be really big. I preferred to go to one of these places to see it myself.

I left Panama City by car around 5 in the morning to make sure we would be ahead of the traffic jams, but lots of people thought of this idea and the roads were crowded early. Once Arrived in Chitre around 10 in the morning the party had been started in the city already. I could hear the people scream: AGUA, AGUA, AGUA. I saw people everywhere, soaking wet and having lots of fun. Panamanians celebrate carnival with lots of water, music, drinks and floats they have been working on the whole year. The city was totally packed and a mess, although this did not influence the atmosphere…

During carnivals the Panamanians party all day long. The party starts at different places in the city during the day. At the end of the day around 5 the music stops and people go for something to eat. Everyone takes a rest and when they are fit enough again they will party during the night. This can be in the streets or in clubs. People are partying everywhere and having an amazing time. I was surprised that the next day people had still lots of energy left to start the party again like they did the day before. I think this party was even better!

For a tourist like me this has been a great experience since Carnivals is very important for the Panamanians. These few days when celebrating carnivals I felt part of their culture. I was partying side by side with the Panamanians and created some amazing memories during these few days.

New Hotel in Casco Viejo

Recently  in Casco Antiguo, a stylish new hotel open it doors:. Casa del Horno, a boutique hotel located on Avenida B in the Colonial District in Panama City.

Casa del Horno (The Oven House) is a majestic colonial property built by the French colony in the 1850s that served as a bakery. The building has been renovated with modern elements and keeping the original colonial architecture.

Casa del Horno is a sweet haven for those who love art, wine and simple pleasures.  Built with Calicanto stonewalls and finished with delicate wooden details, each of the 8 suite is equipped with state of the art bathrooms, imported Italian kitchens, top of the line wine fridges, LCD TVs with Satellite, Sony IPod docks and L’Occitane bathroom amenities, differencing each other only by size and specific amenities.

This fantastic new hotel is a jewel in Casco Viejo and .