Panama y Costa Rica: There's Something About Sidewalks and Hot Showers

    Check out my new blog: https://adventuresoffoxintheforest.wordpress.com/ for more adventure and travel ideas!

When you travel you learn. You experience. You live. I spent a lot of the past week thinking about what drives me to travel. I spent a lot of time trying to pinpoint what it was that draws me into the unknown. I gave up on trying to seek an answer I can put into words. I love it, so I do it and that's that.

     I recently decided on a whim to escape to Panama and Costa Rica for a week. Leave it all behind. No phone, no tablet, not much aside from a few changes of clothes, a bathing suit, earplugs (any seasoned traveler knows this as essential as toothpaste), my camera, journal, and my better half.

     I debate whether or not to make this post more about reviews or my experience and I couldn't decide so I decided to take a more photographic approach, and include some notes from my journal.

    Basically, if you are in need of information about these countries my best advice is to just go. Everywhere we stayed and the companies we used to do things were wonderful. Adventure awaits. Get out there and grab it.

Red Frog Beach. Bocas del Toro, Panama

   Before I get going I'll give you a brief idea of what we did. We flew into San Jose, a city that, contrary to what many may tell you is not as dingy and dirty as you might think. There isn't much to do, but it is civilized and I never felt unsafe. I decided to stay slightly outside of town - at In&Basic which was clean, nice, and has one of the greatest hosts we've encountered. We then traveled via Cessna on Nature Air to Bocas del Toro, Panama. Here we walked from the airport to Case Verde (easy 5 min haul) and hopped a boat from Bocas Town to Red Frog Beach. We spent two cloudy, rainy, and damp nights at the Palmar Tent Lodge. The lodge is great, the food is decent, but the volunteers are pretty lame. They all just did their own thing and didn't run any trips or tours while we were there which I thought was pretty rude. However, we chilled with some Aussies and made our own fun. We then traveled overland across the boarder to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. This consisted of taking a water taxi then an actual taxi through some beautiful country where the boarder itself out of Panama consisted of a sweaty man browsing our Passports in the middle of a banana plantation. You then get dropped off at a bridge - which you cross on foot into Costa Rica. Puerto Viejo was alright, nothing much to write home about with the exception of the black sand beach. Lots of party and what not. We stayed at Casa Caribe - which was lovely, quite and complete with your own hammock. The absolute highlight of the trip was rafting the Pacuare River for 2 days. Simply amazing. Just us, another couple from San Fran, and our two guides. The place we stayed at (Pacuare River Lodge) was nestled in the mountains with a view to the river below. The cabinas had floor to ceiling views of the river. It was heaven on Earth. We booked the trip through Exploradores Outdoors. I would HIGHLY recommend splurging for the 2 day tour, much more personal and you see a lot more.

     Photos and excerpts from our travel journal...

The cool breeze from the cloud forests soothes the busy streets of San Jose.

Well, we aren't in Asia, but with a little effort, you can find good food here. Pictured: Smashed Plantains with fixins

I had high expectations for Palmar Tent Lodge, and the setting was right, but the volunteers were a bit off. However, I will never forget the few hours we spent playing volleyball with the locals as the tide rolled in.

Nothing beats a jungle path

The sun finally reared it's head! Followed by a full moon.

Coffee and a walk in Paradise 

Livin on lazy island time

Muelle 25

Nothing quite says hello there like a hammock and a coconut 

La Playa Negra 

Quintessential

When you lose your Tevas at sea, simply make new ones

Jungle Paradise

I will never stop exploring.

-M

    Check out my new blog: https://adventuresoffoxintheforest.wordpress.com/ for more adventure and travel ideas!

When you travel you learn. You experience. You live. I spent a lot of the past week thinking about what drives me to travel. I spent a lot of time trying to pinpoint what it was that draws me into the unknown. I gave up on trying to seek an answer I can put into words. I love it, so I do it and that's that.

     I recently decided on a whim to escape to Panama and Costa Rica for a week. Leave it all behind. No phone, no tablet, not much aside from a few changes of clothes, a bathing suit, earplugs (any seasoned traveler knows this as essential as toothpaste), my camera, journal, and my better half.

     I debate whether or not to make this post more about reviews or my experience and I couldn't decide so I decided to take a more photographic approach, and include some notes from my journal.

    Basically, if you are in need of information about these countries my best advice is to just go. Everywhere we stayed and the companies we used to do things were wonderful. Adventure awaits. Get out there and grab it.

Red Frog Beach. Bocas del Toro, Panama

   Before I get going I'll give you a brief idea of what we did. We flew into San Jose, a city that, contrary to what many may tell you is not as dingy and dirty as you might think. There isn't much to do, but it is civilized and I never felt unsafe. I decided to stay slightly outside of town - at In&Basic which was clean, nice, and has one of the greatest hosts we've encountered. We then traveled via Cessna on Nature Air to Bocas del Toro, Panama. Here we walked from the airport to Case Verde (easy 5 min haul) and hopped a boat from Bocas Town to Red Frog Beach. We spent two cloudy, rainy, and damp nights at the Palmar Tent Lodge. The lodge is great, the food is decent, but the volunteers are pretty lame. They all just did their own thing and didn't run any trips or tours while we were there which I thought was pretty rude. However, we chilled with some Aussies and made our own fun. We then traveled overland across the boarder to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. This consisted of taking a water taxi then an actual taxi through some beautiful country where the boarder itself out of Panama consisted of a sweaty man browsing our Passports in the middle of a banana plantation. You then get dropped off at a bridge - which you cross on foot into Costa Rica. Puerto Viejo was alright, nothing much to write home about with the exception of the black sand beach. Lots of party and what not. We stayed at Casa Caribe - which was lovely, quite and complete with your own hammock. The absolute highlight of the trip was rafting the Pacuare River for 2 days. Simply amazing. Just us, another couple from San Fran, and our two guides. The place we stayed at (Pacuare River Lodge) was nestled in the mountains with a view to the river below. The cabinas had floor to ceiling views of the river. It was heaven on Earth. We booked the trip through Exploradores Outdoors. I would HIGHLY recommend splurging for the 2 day tour, much more personal and you see a lot more.

     Photos and excerpts from our travel journal...

The cool breeze from the cloud forests soothes the busy streets of San Jose.

Well, we aren't in Asia, but with a little effort, you can find good food here. Pictured: Smashed Plantains with fixins

I had high expectations for Palmar Tent Lodge, and the setting was right, but the volunteers were a bit off. However, I will never forget the few hours we spent playing volleyball with the locals as the tide rolled in.

Nothing beats a jungle path

The sun finally reared it's head! Followed by a full moon.

Coffee and a walk in Paradise 

Livin on lazy island time

Muelle 25

Nothing quite says hello there like a hammock and a coconut 

La Playa Negra 

Quintessential

When you lose your Tevas at sea, simply make new ones

Jungle Paradise

I will never stop exploring.

-M

    Check out my new blog: https://adventuresoffoxintheforest.wordpress.com/ for more adventure and travel ideas!

When you travel you learn. You experience. You live. I spent a lot of the past week thinking about what drives me to travel. I spent a lot of time trying to pinpoint what it was that draws me into the unknown. I gave up on trying to seek an answer I can put into words. I love it, so I do it and that's that.

     I recently decided on a whim to escape to Panama and Costa Rica for a week. Leave it all behind. No phone, no tablet, not much aside from a few changes of clothes, a bathing suit, earplugs (any seasoned traveler knows this as essential as toothpaste), my camera, journal, and my better half.

     I debate whether or not to make this post more about reviews or my experience and I couldn't decide so I decided to take a more photographic approach, and include some notes from my journal.

    Basically, if you are in need of information about these countries my best advice is to just go. Everywhere we stayed and the companies we used to do things were wonderful. Adventure awaits. Get out there and grab it.

Red Frog Beach. Bocas del Toro, Panama

   Before I get going I'll give you a brief idea of what we did. We flew into San Jose, a city that, contrary to what many may tell you is not as dingy and dirty as you might think. There isn't much to do, but it is civilized and I never felt unsafe. I decided to stay slightly outside of town - at In&Basic which was clean, nice, and has one of the greatest hosts we've encountered. We then traveled via Cessna on Nature Air to Bocas del Toro, Panama. Here we walked from the airport to Case Verde (easy 5 min haul) and hopped a boat from Bocas Town to Red Frog Beach. We spent two cloudy, rainy, and damp nights at the Palmar Tent Lodge. The lodge is great, the food is decent, but the volunteers are pretty lame. They all just did their own thing and didn't run any trips or tours while we were there which I thought was pretty rude. However, we chilled with some Aussies and made our own fun. We then traveled overland across the boarder to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. This consisted of taking a water taxi then an actual taxi through some beautiful country where the boarder itself out of Panama consisted of a sweaty man browsing our Passports in the middle of a banana plantation. You then get dropped off at a bridge - which you cross on foot into Costa Rica. Puerto Viejo was alright, nothing much to write home about with the exception of the black sand beach. Lots of party and what not. We stayed at Casa Caribe - which was lovely, quite and complete with your own hammock. The absolute highlight of the trip was rafting the Pacuare River for 2 days. Simply amazing. Just us, another couple from San Fran, and our two guides. The place we stayed at (Pacuare River Lodge) was nestled in the mountains with a view to the river below. The cabinas had floor to ceiling views of the river. It was heaven on Earth. We booked the trip through Exploradores Outdoors. I would HIGHLY recommend splurging for the 2 day tour, much more personal and you see a lot more.

     Photos and excerpts from our travel journal...

The cool breeze from the cloud forests soothes the busy streets of San Jose.

Well, we aren't in Asia, but with a little effort, you can find good food here. Pictured: Smashed Plantains with fixins

I had high expectations for Palmar Tent Lodge, and the setting was right, but the volunteers were a bit off. However, I will never forget the few hours we spent playing volleyball with the locals as the tide rolled in.

Nothing beats a jungle path

The sun finally reared it's head! Followed by a full moon.

Coffee and a walk in Paradise 

Livin on lazy island time

Muelle 25

Nothing quite says hello there like a hammock and a coconut 

La Playa Negra 

Quintessential

When you lose your Tevas at sea, simply make new ones

Jungle Paradise

I will never stop exploring.

-M

    Check out my new blog: https://adventuresoffoxintheforest.wordpress.com/ for more adventure and travel ideas!

When you travel you learn. You experience. You live. I spent a lot of the past week thinking about what drives me to travel. I spent a lot of time trying to pinpoint what it was that draws me into the unknown. I gave up on trying to seek an answer I can put into words. I love it, so I do it and that's that.

     I recently decided on a whim to escape to Panama and Costa Rica for a week. Leave it all behind. No phone, no tablet, not much aside from a few changes of clothes, a bathing suit, earplugs (any seasoned traveler knows this as essential as toothpaste), my camera, journal, and my better half.

     I debate whether or not to make this post more about reviews or my experience and I couldn't decide so I decided to take a more photographic approach, and include some notes from my journal.

    Basically, if you are in need of information about these countries my best advice is to just go. Everywhere we stayed and the companies we used to do things were wonderful. Adventure awaits. Get out there and grab it.

Red Frog Beach. Bocas del Toro, Panama

   Before I get going I'll give you a brief idea of what we did. We flew into San Jose, a city that, contrary to what many may tell you is not as dingy and dirty as you might think. There isn't much to do, but it is civilized and I never felt unsafe. I decided to stay slightly outside of town - at In&Basic which was clean, nice, and has one of the greatest hosts we've encountered. We then traveled via Cessna on Nature Air to Bocas del Toro, Panama. Here we walked from the airport to Case Verde (easy 5 min haul) and hopped a boat from Bocas Town to Red Frog Beach. We spent two cloudy, rainy, and damp nights at the Palmar Tent Lodge. The lodge is great, the food is decent, but the volunteers are pretty lame. They all just did their own thing and didn't run any trips or tours while we were there which I thought was pretty rude. However, we chilled with some Aussies and made our own fun. We then traveled overland across the boarder to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. This consisted of taking a water taxi then an actual taxi through some beautiful country where the boarder itself out of Panama consisted of a sweaty man browsing our Passports in the middle of a banana plantation. You then get dropped off at a bridge - which you cross on foot into Costa Rica. Puerto Viejo was alright, nothing much to write home about with the exception of the black sand beach. Lots of party and what not. We stayed at Casa Caribe - which was lovely, quite and complete with your own hammock. The absolute highlight of the trip was rafting the Pacuare River for 2 days. Simply amazing. Just us, another couple from San Fran, and our two guides. The place we stayed at (Pacuare River Lodge) was nestled in the mountains with a view to the river below. The cabinas had floor to ceiling views of the river. It was heaven on Earth. We booked the trip through Exploradores Outdoors. I would HIGHLY recommend splurging for the 2 day tour, much more personal and you see a lot more.

     Photos and excerpts from our travel journal...

The cool breeze from the cloud forests soothes the busy streets of San Jose.

Well, we aren't in Asia, but with a little effort, you can find good food here. Pictured: Smashed Plantains with fixins

I had high expectations for Palmar Tent Lodge, and the setting was right, but the volunteers were a bit off. However, I will never forget the few hours we spent playing volleyball with the locals as the tide rolled in.

Nothing beats a jungle path

The sun finally reared it's head! Followed by a full moon.

Coffee and a walk in Paradise 

Livin on lazy island time

Muelle 25

Nothing quite says hello there like a hammock and a coconut 

La Playa Negra 

Quintessential

When you lose your Tevas at sea, simply make new ones

Jungle Paradise

I will never stop exploring.

-M