Boquete is a lovely place. But a bad man there runs a hostel called Hostal Paraiso, he may approach you at the bus stop there. His name is Pancho or Francisco. He acts friendly, but the man is a cocaine fiend, and I`m pretty sure he was selling drugs at the hostel. He stole about $30 from us (by refusing to give us our change) and attacked us verbally with threats when we argued with him about it.
The town of David is super awesome -- a good location if you want to travel for adventure and is also a great stop and go place. You can take buses to Boquete, Volcan , Bocas del Toro, Las Lajas, and so on! I had a good time.
In my opinion, David City is underrated. I almost didn't even stop there and in the end I stayed for three days! (I went in the first place because I wanted to get my picture taken in front of the "Welcome To David City" sign since David's my name!). Some of the guidebooks make it sound like the only reason you should stay there is if you get stuck there. I found it pleasant, manageable, I got a lot of practical things accomplished, and I was able to use it as a springboard for a couple of day trips, so I didn't have to keep lugging my pack around. Yeah, it's hot, but come on, it's Panama! It's hot everywhere. Most places have air conditioning anyway, so it's really not an issue. I say, make David a part of your Chiriqui visit.
I loved David, especially sugar cane juice at central park in the city center -- you have to try that with a squeeze of Panamanian Lemon, which looks like an orange.
Bocas del Toro … Try Hacienda del Toro on Isla San Cristobal.
Colón … What a sh*thole! Watch your ass everywhere you go in this city or you will be robbed and murdered.
The Purple House International Backpackers' Hostel in David … We worked in the Purple House for about a month and had an excellent time. Even while working the staff never treated us as anything more than helpers and were very easy going. Hope to get back soon.
Hostal Nomba in Boquete … Talk about a friendly and fun vibe. while I was there the staff and guests
at Nomba always had an awesome time and it really felt like one of the best environments I have been to meet great people. Not only that but the owner Ryan really has a love for his hostel and Boquete and though he was obviously busy, always found time to answer any questions people may have had. The place to be in Boquete!
Solarte del Caribe Inn in Bocas del Toro … Steve and his crew are fantastic hosts and the lodge is a treasure. We have been there 4 times and will be back again
Voyager International Hostel in Panama City … Good place, good location. Abdiel runs the show, and he is good at it. Free breakfast and use of the kitchen. Free internet also.
Davis Suites Panama Canal in Colón … I just tried this little place, slept like a baby!!! Brilliant and inexpensive, next to the panama canal, does not get any better than that.
Posada del Cerro La Vieja in Penonome … If you are an adventurous traveler, then this is the place for you! The trip from Penenome up the mountain to the hotel is winding and was a bit unnerving for us as first-time visitors; however, our initial impression of the property was one of stunned amazement. The scenery here is spectacular, with an incredible variety of plant life and views of the surrounding hills. At night, the sounds of the forest rival any "nature sounds" on tape. The cuisine was simple yet elegant in its presentation, and wonderful to the palette. (My personal favorite was the flan!!) We stayed here during the off-season and were actually the only visitors at the time, so we had incredible attention. We were told though, that the hotel is usually packed from December through March. At the time of our visit, the spa facility was not quite completed, but we did tour it and had we the time to stay more than just our one night, we would have made good use of it.
Overall, we found the Posada Ecologica del…
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