Eco Footprint Bocas
Once again, volunteers have come together to benefit our islands. Thanks to the coordinating efforts of people who truly want to make a different Bocas is getting cleaner all the time. But this time, it’s competitive and each province has a chance to win! Twelve concerned citizens teamed up to compete in a contest held […]
Signs of Life – Renewed: Riptide Warning Signs
By Larry Shane, Coordinator, RipTide Warning Signs Project No one — not one swimmer, has drowned in a riptide on Bocas beaches since Riptide Warning Signs were installed 4 years ago. Before, we were losing an average of 5 souls a year to our menacing waters, mostly tourists, sometimes, a local child, unaware of murderous currents […]
Updates: The Beach Bar Fundraiser
The BBQ party put on this weekend and hosted by Martin & Nicole at The Beach Bar at Bluff Beach was a huge success. They received $5178 during the fundraiser. To date there has been $23,028 pledged and $18,090 paid. They have paid out $10,541 in deposits and supplies and have raised the original goal […]
Flora and Fauna in Bocas
By Emma Button Flora Among many things, Bocas is famous for its diverse varieties of wildlife, flora and fauna that are present across the area. From the sandy beaches to the mangrove swamps, the rainforest to the coral reef, there is enough to keep the even biggest enthusiast enthralled for weeks on end. However, some of the […]
First Large Boat to be Built in Bocas in Over 150 Years
There was a time when Bocas was a bustling seaport. It started in the earliest days of exploration and exploitation after Columbus first charted these waters. Unique to the Western Caribbean Bocas’s safe harbor grew in prominence during the era of commercial sail and dominated commerce transportation in the region throughout the 19th Century. Two […]
Coming Soon: It’s Chili Time in Bocas!
The Ninth Annual Bocas Chili Challenge will be held at The Bocas Brewery, located on the beach at the fairgrounds. The date of the annual event is on Sunday, September 28. Chili teams can set up at 9am, and everything must be prepared on site. This is a favorite yearly event for both locals and […]
Attention All Bocas Residents and Tourists
Employees of Supermarket Christina, located on Third Street, Isla Colon, were apprehended August 8, for dumping waste from their market into the sea. Charges have been filed and a public complaint has been made. To keep the waters of Bocas clean and help these stores understand that they cannot continue to pollute we ask that […]
Road Party at The Beach Bar Bar-b-que!
The road to Playa Bluff continues to be in a state of disrepair. So, the The Beach Bar is donating all of 100% of sales made Saturday, August 30, to repair the road. That’s right – EVERY PENNY that you eat and drink goes towards making sure you always have a passable road to visit […]
Here and Now
By Blake Bunch Prior to this move to Central America, I had never set foot in the Bocas del Toro archipelago. I had not ventured to San Diego before moving there either, but trading beach towns in the states pales in comparison to setting up a life down here. Like most of the expats I […]
Temple of Jeo Wong Ya
By Lama Naomh Tomás It sits in obscurity between two hotels, almost invisible to those walking by. The only hints are the red banners with Chinese script around the doors. Local men, trying to enlist tourists for boat trips and information for money, sit on the steps drinking coffee and beer passing time until opportunity […]
What’s New?
Taller de Sabor New location, same delicious empanadas! New menu items include breakfast scrambles, pot pies, and new empanada recipes. Try some of Nor Ma’s lemonade while you’re there! Princesss Diana- Salon de Belleza Founded by Diana Collado, this new salon offers a wide variety of hair and nail services. Located in front of Tropical […]
Lido Isle: Bocas’ Only Original Dress Shop
Lido Isle Boutique was opened by a brother and sister team from California. Douglas Johnson was living and working in Costa Rica, and his sister Teri would often visit. Teri, diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, always found herself feeling better in the humid climate offered there, particularly as she was told that because of her condition she would not […]
Casa Tranquila: What’s New?
Casa Tranquila is a quaint 4 bedroom bed & breakfast guesthouse situated on the isle of Isla Colon in the province of Bocas del Toro. Centrally located in downtown Bocas, Casa Tranquila is just one block away from the active nightlife of Bocas yet away from any high traffic or noise. They offer secured air-conditioned […]
Rainy Day in Paradise? No Problem
When one thinks of a tropical paradise sand and sun are usually in the forefront of those thoughts. But it wouldn’t be the tropics without rain. Rainy season is here as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Now, what to do…. What’s an ATV ride without a little mud? Not as much fun that’s what. If you’re looking […]
White-Nosed Coati (Nasua Narica)
It’s a squirrel, it’s a monkey, no, it’s a White-Nosed Coati. While traveling through the Bocas del Toro region from Almirante to Changuinola one day, my taxi came to a screeching halt for what looked to be nothing more than a long tail quickly making its way across the road. Locally, the White-Nosed Coati is called “suto” or […]
Floating Doctors Floats My Boat
By Lorie Fagin “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” –Ghandi This month marks two years since I joined the Floating Doctors medical mission here in Bocas. Divorced after 32 years, uncertain of my life’s next chapter and having heard about this inspirational project I made a […]
Every Day is Earth Day in Bocas del Toro
by Dr. Tamara Romanuk Earth Day, the day the world (most of it anyway…192 countries to date) celebrates our home, the one and only Planet Earth, for its 44th year. Earth Day has grown from its grass-roots origins in New York City, to become a true global movement. Its goals? To demonstrate support for environmental […]
60 Minutes with Mayor Dr. Joe
60 Minutes with Dr. Joe With elections just around the corner in Panama, the Bocas Breeze decided to sit down with Mayor Jose Anderson to take a look back at his 5 years in office. Mayor Anderson, or better known as “Dr. Joe”, has chosen not to run again. He will step down from his […]
Bailarobics with Hilde Meyers
Hilde Meyers has loved dancing since childhood. She trained in classes of jazz, ballet, acrobatics, in-line country dancing and dance aerobics. After she moved to Bocas years ago, she began to really miss dancing, so she started learning Latin dance aerobics. After a while friends told her she should organize a class for everybody so […]
Waterspout in Bocas!
Touchdown! It’s called a waterspout. The swirling tornado-like column of water, made up of water droplets formed by condensation, rather than by sucking up water from a lake or the ocean as it is commonly thought, appeared quite suddenly near Bocas Town on April 9th, around 10:30am. Waterspouts, which occur mostly in the tropics, need […]
Horoscopes – April 2014
Aries March 21 — April 19 Doing things on your own terms is not an option but a necessity. As a leader and self starter you often find it difficult to bear up under the inadequacies of those that are there supposedly to assist you in your endeavors. This causes you to be, what some […]
Jimi Hendrix Plays Woodstock Lumber Yard
Submitted by Tony Sanders In another bizarre siting, rock legend Jimi Hendrix was spotted at our very own Woodstock wood yard. Without a word he wielded his right-footed, left strung guitar and proceeded to try to duplicate his seminal performance from the other Woodstock on August 18th 1969. As he prowled around the stage like […]
The APS Kicks off the 2014 National Surf Circuit at Paunch Beach
The Panamanian national surf circuit’s first stage was held this past weekend February 22nd and 23rd at Paunch Beach. Waves were pumping in at 4 to 6 feet and many a good waves were made the battle grounds for many different groups of competitors. Here are the results of CNS 2014 Cerveza Soberana national surf […]
Monthly horoscopes
Aries March 21 — April 19 Happy New years Aries. And just about now you should be feeling as if you can finally exhale from all the anxiety you felt December last year. Uncertainty will do that, but there’s good news ahead as your personal as well as worldview is finally coming into […]
Community Activities
Christmas Parties On December 11th ,the BELLO organization celebrated Christmas with the children of the Boca del Drago school. The ladies of BELLO served lunch, drinks, and sweets while the kids were able to participate in games and educational chats about the environment, conservation and recycling. The National Police held their 3rd annual children’s Christmas […]
Wed in Barefoot Luxury at Popa Paradise
You know, you don’t have to get married the old fashioned way in a church in your hometown. Why not tie the knot on a beautiful white sand beach on a secluded Caribbean island in Bocas del Toro? Popa Paradise is now offering a variety of elegant destination wedding packages for those who want to […]
Lionfish: Deadly or Delicious?
Most of us have heard of the lionfish, but few people really know much about them. It’s time to get the facts straight, and learn how to stop this invasive fish from overtaking our waters. Native to the southwestern Pacific and Indian Oceans, lionfish are a popular aquarium fish in the United States due to […]
Vinyasa and Aroma Yoga Blend
Keep that “get fit” resolution this year by trying out one of the many classes Bocas’ fitness gurus have to offer. This month, stop by Tennille’s yoga class for an exploration of Vinyasa Yoga. Vinyasa Yoga is the linking of body movements and breath. It’s through this connection that allows our mind to become calm […]
Monthly horoscopes [December 2013]
Aries March 21 — April 19 Hi Aries, as you know, if you know anything at all, is that it’s in your nature to be a self starter, to take the bull by the horns so to speak. Well, this month that old adage will be particularly accurate, so prepare yourself to be handling something […]
Police Activities
This month the National Police engaged in various community outreach and preventive crime activities. They are also proud to report that crime in general is down and their new ATV beach patrolling campaigns on Carenero and Bluff have been effective. The Bocas Breeze commends their continued efforts to fight crime and maintain Bocas as the […]