A wide range of accommodations tops out at around $80 a night for the Buccaneer Resort. In the main part of town, Hotel Swan Cay is the swankiest place, with A/C and a pricey Italian restaurant (in fact, "Italian" anything is the only thing overpriced here).
Cabins go as low as $5. A villa, resort or hotel can run from $10-$100 a night. For those who want to build or own a vacation home here, there is still some relatively reasonable real estate on several of the islands.
Several nice homes have been converted into hotels. We recommend Hotel del Parque, across the street from the park. Victorian styling, polished hardwood floors, elegant tile work, a second-floor veranda for enjoying the cool breezes -- combined with the hospitality of the local couple who own it, make Hotel Parque a bargain at $25 for two, $15 single. (They also have hot water and ceiling fans.) Phone: 507 626-7178
For $15 a night, Hotel Sagittarius has clean, cool rooms, though after two nights they can get claustrophobic due to lack of a view. Local Spanish-language TV, cold water. The newest place, Hotel Miramar, should be open by December or so. It is a two-story hotel directly on the waterfront, facing the mainland. On the island of Basimentos, El Limbo is a secluded resort that has cabins and rooms with breakfast and dinner for very reasonable prices. See Bocas hotels for more info
When to Visit
Rainy season here differs from the rest of the region. September and October are usually better than December for vacations, due to the light rain that rarely interferes with having fun. January through August are the peak periods, but for now the only time of year that the place is booked solid is for the Festival of the Sea in September.
Getting There
This is the tricky part, since Aeroperlas stopped flying from San Jose. You could fly to David, then to Bocas del Toro. Or from Panama City, Panama. However, it is worth looking into flights from San Jose, as Copas may eventually serve the area.
A local bus goes from San Jose to Changuinola in Panama, where you take a van or micro bus to Almirante on the coast. Then a 20-minute boat ride, for a 7-hour trip in total. But crossing the border into Panama on a bus is only for the adventurous. A few hustlers work the Panamanian side, offering to show you where get the stamps needed for your passport. Which they will do. And when you miss getting back on the bus, they'll be happy to take you to to your destination for $50 in their truck!!
