Bocas del Toro Getting there from Puerto Viejo

[csenig]

Any suggestions for getting to Bocas del Toro in Panama from Puerto Viejo? We would like to visit for 3 or 4 days.
Can we get buses from Puerto Viejo? Are there water taxis?
We will have a car. Does anyone have suggestions on a safe place to leave it?
Any info on Bocas places to stay, eat, drink or things to do would be appreciated?

Buttean

[crhomebuilder]

I have done the Bocas Del Toro trip from Puerto Viejo several times. I’ve driven down to Sixaola and left my vehicle with a trustworthy man named Felix. It’s a small town, so if you ask for him in the local “Pulperia” you should be able to find him quickly. Once you’ve arrived at a price for him to take care of your vehicle, based on the duration of your trip, he will walk you to the customs office at the border where you get your passport stamped out of CR. Then you walk across an old bridge to the Panama customs office where you get stamped in. Then you take a taxi to Changuinola,
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/Panama/Changuinola/tpod.html
where you pay to take a water taxi to Bocas. It’s a fun trip as long as the weather isn’t real windy and rainy. The water taxis are not the most stable vessels when crossing the shallow bay to Bocas. I’ve been there in rough weather and it was a wild ride. Having living here for over 15 years, I’ve yet to hear of anyone that has been capsized or injured.
There’s another alternative, and that is to ask for a taxi driver in Puerto Viejo named “Bull,” who can help you get to Sixaola, while leaving your vehicle in Puerto Viejo. Pura Vida!

[csenig]

Thanks for the info. We are looking forward to it.

Buttean

[FountainsGuesths]

crhomebuilder, how much were each of these taxi’s/parking? How much did you tip him to help you at the border or is that included in the parking price? Did you pay him up front for the parking or …?

If you’re not driving, I SERIOUSLY welcome people to take the Changuinola bus that first stops at the CR Immigration office (Note, when I went to get my passport stamped on the CR side a couple weeks ago, I don’t recall paying anything to leave (via airplane it’s $26) takes DRIVES you OVER this horrible rickety bridge (with wood slats in between where you can look down to the water below. NOT recommended for people with luggage with wheels!! [I swear I must have died off a bridge as I have little fears in life other than rickety bridges!!]. When I arrived on the Panama side, I would normally pay $13 Entrance tax at the Bocas del Toro airport but I only had to pay $5 when walking in) and into Changanola. It’s only a few dollars more (from San Jose I believe it was just $3 and the taxi is from the border to Changanola is about that if memory serves me).

I’m going to be doing a MUCH more detailed report of the various ways to enter into Panama soon on my new Bocas del Toro blog I’m creating but in the meantime, let me say I do NOT NOT NOT see myself taking the bus/boat combo any time soon from SJ to Bocas as it can be a 8-11 hour L-O-N-G excursion (all depending on boat connections/boat showing up). I am glad I did it once to be able to say I did it but NEVER AGAIN!!! Been there, done that!!

For me, from now on, no matter how fiscally challenged I may be at the time, I’m FLYING to/from Bocas (55 beautiful, comfortable minutes!!) on http://www.NatureAir.com from Pavas Airport!!!

[jamesgoshen4]

I made the trip in Feb. I took the bus from Limon and it stopped in Cahuita & Puerto Vijo & Bribari. After crossing the border took a cab to Changinola, the cab driver called ahead to get us a reservation on the boat. Keep in mind that the time when you cross the border in Panama is 1 hour a head. I suggest that you get to the border as soon as possible so you are not stuck in Changinola for the night. I think the last boat is 5 – 5:30???? Awesome boat ride that was fairly cheap.

[Author]

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