Welcome to the 'Ibiza of Panamá': Bocas Del Toro... home of wild parties and a haven for backpackers from all over the world. After the perfectly idyllic beaches and islands of San Blas, Bocas was never going to be able to compete, but the island of Colón does not seem have any beaches to offer and I was left confused about all the surf boards available to rent as we were surrounded by one of the calmest and still seas I've ever seen! However, despite this it was the perfect location to be reunited with the crazy French girls from my San Blas trip to help them celebrate the completion of their theses; although I'm not convinced this party hotspot is the best place in the world to come to write one!

With bars that offer such delights as free 'suicide tequila shots' (snort the salt and the lime goes in your eye), you know you're in a bad place. Normally I avoid tequila like the plague, so I definitely stayed away from these - I still think drinking the shot is the worst part of this process. However I did succeed in getting suitably drunk as there is not a whole lot else to do here, unless you have an academic paper to write of course. One night we we over to a nearby island to a place called Aqua Lounge which opens its nightclub doors every Wednesday and Saturday. This is by far the best place to go out in the area, and has the added bonus of an outdoor pool (sectioned off area of the sea), which you can jump into from the roof of the bar. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures from the night as I was sensible enough to leave my camera at home, and I was also sensible enough to go prepared with a bikini under my dress so did not have to join the throngs of girls running around in their underwear! As much fun as it was here, Laura had a nasty reaction to something in the wood of the boardwalk, and my legs were destroyed by an unidentified insect... not good or pretty for either of us.  

As there is a severe lack of beach/anything to do in the daytime in Bocas itself, you have to take a watertaxi to go anywhere as you are on an island. On a couple of days we went to a nearby island for a trip to a very small and quiet beach that we pretty much had to ourselves. It was very nice to relax in the sun, and a dip in the Caribbean Sea never goes amiss... especially when your hangover is still lingering. With hindsight I think I would choose to stay on Isla Bastimentos at a places called 'Bocas Bound' which seems to be located in a much more beautiful setting close to Red Frog Beach, a place I sadly did not get around to visiting. 

All in all I had a fun few days in Bocas, but a few days was definitely enough! It was my final destination in Panamá, and although I've spent a relatively short period of time here I've had a variety of experiences here: I am happy to report that there is a lot more to Panamá than its big smelly canal.