Santa Catalina to Kombutal

We spent two weeks total in Santa Catalina and had a pretty amazing time. For the first week we were right on the point and a short walk for me to get to the beach break. Away from town our days were spent surfing, cooking, eating, sometimes yoga and reading. It was definitely the good life and I started going down the line for the first time which was a huge booster for me.

We loved the spot on the point but we had issues with the manager so we had to leave for a different hostel which wasn't as close but was very luxuries for Nicolas and me. There was A/C, private bath and a mini fridge. We both commented how nice the TV was when we showed up but there was no cable to use it so it was a joke whenever someone came into our room to point out the "great" TV.

Our luxury room. 

 While in Santa Catalina Nicolas was able to take out his pole spear for the first time and caught us dinner! When he left to go out I was really worried he would come back disappointed because he had never gone spear fishing, before but I was very impressed with he returned with the parrot fish. I made a coconut curry with pineapple out of it and it was amazing.

Nicolas's first catch. 

I'm sure Nicolas has a bunch to say about the amazing waves in Santa Catalina but I'm trying to get the blog up to date so I'm just doing short posts about each place we stopped out with a few photos.

We left Santa Catalina for Kombutal but we didn't really know that when we left. We can never seem to decide what we are doing until we are on the bus so sometimes our fate is dependent on which buses show up first. For me this is a lot of fun and I love the surprise of the adventure.

Kombutal is a small little fishing village but so beautiful and friendly. Before here we didn't experience the friendliest of locals and were a bit over Panama but the people in Kombutal couldn't be friendlier. As I sat on the side of the road with all our bags every person waved and said hello as they passed me. When Nicolas came back he was very excited about showing me the spot he found.

We stayed up a small hill at Kombutaleko which was such a beautiful and relaxing place. Every morning they brought us a fruit salad and coffee while we listened to the birds and howler monkeys. The place was full of wildlife and a bunch of guava trees that we checked on daily. This was one of my favorite spots of the trip but the power was very finicky and whenever it rained the power would go out. Since it was the rainy season the power was out the majority of the time while we were there which didn't matter too much until the night when we needed the fan.

The surf was pretty good but a huge swell was coming the spot was maxing out so after about a week we took off for our next adventure.

Monkeys in the trees near our room. 

Our little hang out area. 

Friendly kitties. 

Beautiful garden area. 

View of the ocean 

Bocas del Toro

We arrived in Bocas via boat taxi during Semana Santa which is the busiest time for Central America. All the hostels were full and prices inflated. I sat at a café guarding our bags while Nicolas walked around looking for a hostel. The café was super cute and I ordered this amazing veggie wrap that had olive oil and vinegar as dressing, super fresh. Nicolas came back saying that he found a room but it was going to cost us $20 each. This is probably the most we have ever paid for a hostel but there weren’t many options.

Boat ride, being careful not to loose my life out the side of the boat.

First meal in Bocas. 

You walk through a bar that has fun drinking games and a ton of fans in order to get to the hostel. It definitely had a chill vibe with murals on the walls, hammocks hanging in random spots and nice little garden area for sitting. Our room was very basic but there was a lockbox and a fan which are two of the most important things for us. There was also a kitchen which was good because the majority of the spots to eat are very expensive.  

After unpacking our stuff we asked where the closest beach was and took off in that direction. Although the beach itself was pretty dirty with garbage and seaweed I was so excited to see and feel the Caribbean that I didn’t care. We swam and had a good time watching someone take a surf lesson then headed back to the hostel. Later we found out that they call that beach shitty beach because it’s the nastiest one in the area. 

Bocas del Toro is a party town, with the island vibe and travelers from all over the world that creates an amazing feel while walking around town. I loved seeing the bicyclist and it made me miss my bike but we never had a chance to rent them for the day. I would say it’s a bit gringoey and I don’t normally like the spots where everyone flocks to, but it was just so beautiful you couldn’t help but love the town.

We spent about a week in total on the island and ended up switching spots to Hostel las Brisas which was right on the water. It was $25 for both of us with AC and amazing WIFI. A few of the nights we went out and had a good time dancing but after one long night we called it quits. We also went to a few of other spots like Red Frog Beach and Starfish Beach. Normally while we travel in Latin America we constantly drink coconut water but it wasn’t till we visited Red Frog Beach that we found our first coconuts. It was perfect with our Easter lunch of egg salad sandwiches.

Another spot that requires special recognition was Bocas Yoga in the Purple House with Laura Kay. I took as many classes as I could with her for only $5.50 a class. I felt very welcomed at each class and learned something new each time. The studio is beautiful with light air conditioning, wood flooring and nice floor to ceiling mirrors. Laura custom made her home/studio and you can feel the love she put into it right as you walk in. She also has incenses for sell which was a nice grab for later travels when we had to deal with stinky rooms.

Another thing both Nicolas and I got out of Bocas was $100 boards. It’s so expensive to ship boards anymore so we decided before we left to buy them when we arrived, but sometimes finding the right board for the right price can be quiet a chore. I told Nicolas to believe that the right board would come and not worry and sure enough someone came to our first hostel to watch the surf contest and he happened to be selling a few boards. One of the boards was in a shop that we saw earlier for $125 but the guy said he could have it for $100 if Nicolas kept the artwork of colorful hearts on the front of the board; of course Nicolas had no problem with this. A few days later a couple from España happened to be leaving soon and they didn’t want to pay to ship the board home so they sold it to me with fins and leash for $100. The next day Nicolas took me to Black Rock which is supposed to be a beginners spot but it was a bit big for me and breaking over reef. Nicolas surfed a ton at the spot around the corner from Black Rock. I would watch sometimes but the tiny little mosquitoes were too much.

Nico going for a surf. 

We both enjoyed our time in Bocas and would definitely go back if the opportunity were to arise again.After leaving Bocas we experienced the beginning of the “surfer tax” which is where they charge you a $1/$2 extra for the boards. Sometimes you understand because they have to climb up onto the roof of the bus or van and tie it down. Sometimes it can take a bit of time so I see it as a mandatory tip to the drivers but sometimes all they do is throw the boards under the bus with everything else and don’t even help you, which is when I get frustrated. Luckily we got a free board bag and we were able to smash both our boards into it making it look like one board, so we only have to pay the surfer tax one time rather than for both boards.

Next up Santa Catalina…

The Beginning

We left the states on March 31 and landed in Panama City on April 1st. We took a taxi for $20 to the bus terminal then took a collectivo to Santa Clara.

Santa Clara has a beautiful beach but that is about it. We were planning on spending the night there before we headed out the next day for Santa Catalina. First thing we did was jump into the ocean, which was a bit colder than we imagined, and then walked around the beach trying to figure out what we were going to do for the night. Nicolas was able to find a guy who would let us put up our hammocks and put our stuff in a locked room for the night for $5. The chief for one of the only food places was missing so we ended up drinking beer and eating chips for dinner.

We woke up the next morning and Nicolas looked over at me and said “vamos a Bocas del Toro”. There wasn’t any swell on the Pacific side but there was a bit of something on the Caribbean so he decided during the night that it would be better to go there. I was pumped, seeing the Caribbean has been a dream of mine for a while and I was finally going to see the beautiful blue colors I always drooled over in photos.

So we took one bus after another to find ourselves at Almirante for the night. We didn’t see a hostel as we drove in on the bus so we caught a taxi. He took us barely 2 blocks and charged us $2. I was frustrated but held my tongue. It was late and all I wanted to do was fall asleep so I could wake up and see my dream.

I woke up like a kid on Christmas morning, super early bouncing up and down to wake Nicolas up. We bought some bread, cream cheese and bananas across the way then walked to dock where we took the boat to Bocas del Toro for $6 a piece. 

Easter weekend on the beach in Bocas del Toro

Once we arrived we realized things were a bit hectic because it was Semana Santa, Easter weekend. Everything was booked so I sat a cafe while Nicolas looked for a place to stay. He came back a bit later saying he found us a private room but was going to cost $20 each which is way above our budget but there weren’t any other options. We dropped off our stuff and ran to the water. We found ourselves at shitty beach which is full of seaweed but we didn’t care. The water was warm and we were in the Caribbean. 

Our first night sleeping in our hammocks on the beach in Santa Clara, Panama.