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How to Budget One Week in Panamá: San Blas, el Valle de Anton and Panama City
My graduation present to myself after completing my master’s degree was a week long trip to Panamá. This trip was by no means a total “backpacker” trip but I also stayed within a reasonable budget. We stayed in hostels with a private room, splurged a little on food in Panama City, and visited the remote San Blas Islands. My husband and my sister tagged along to help me celebrate, but I’ve broken down our 3-person trip costs to what it cost per person. Accommodations: While we shared basic private rooms for most of the trip, if you divide up the room cost per person, it amounts to about the same…
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Panama’s San Blas Islands: An Adventure to the Perfect Escape
As an elementary school teacher, by the time winter break rolls around I am ready to relax and truly get away from it all! This past December, I also completed my master’s degree. I was ready to celebrate! What I needed was some serious relaxation. All I wanted to do was lay on a deserted beach, take in the sun, and forget all my worries. Panama’s San Blas Islands were the perfect remedy to all my winter woes. Getting There We booked a 3 day-2 night tour to San Blas with Panama Travel Unlimited. I paid a deposit online when booking and the rest was due the day before departure…
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Learning Spanish in Bocas del Toro
Disclaimer: I haven’t been asked or paid to write this post. I wanted to share my awesome experience learning Spanish with Habla Ya in Bocas, everything I’ve written is my honest opinion of the experience! I have always had a passion for learning languages. I’ve taken Spanish classes since the sixth grade, minored in Spanish in college, and studied abroad for a semester in Costa Rica. Fast forward five years after college, despite traveling to Spanish-speaking countries a few times each year, and I’m finding my language skills getting a little rusty. Working a full-time job in the US where I do not work with Spanish speakers, I…
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Relaxing Mountain Escape: Why you should visit El Valle de Anton, Panama
Located approximately 2 hours by bus from Panama City, El Valle de Anton is the perfect quick mountain retreat. I love the beach and the sea, but I also wanted to see some mountains and forest on my trip to Panama. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time in my schedule to make it to Boquete, however, I found my mountain fix in Panama’s small, sleepy town of el Valle de Anton. We arrived early in the afternoon after a 2 hour bus ride from Panama City. Just in time for lunch, we dropped off our things at the hostel and walked around the little town. We grabbed some lunch at a…
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How to spend a weekend in Panama City
You guys, I am in love with Panama City! This July was my second trip to Panama. And it certainly will not be my last. Making a trip to Panama usually entails flying into Panama City. While many people quickly by-pass the city and use it only as a stop-over on their way to the mountains of Boquete or the many amazing beaches, Panama City has a lot to offer. On my first trip, I spent 3 days in the city and I am still in love. This July I returned and I made sure to give myself a weekend in the city before returning home. Casco Viejo The…
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Beating the rain in Bastimentos
I got lucky my final weekend in Bocas del Toro. The rain had stayed away for three whole days. Unfortunately, on my final day it had returned. I didn’t let this stop me from enjoying one last day in paradise. I decided to visit the farm and coffee shop Up in the Hill with some friends I’d met in my Spanish class at Habla Ya. It is quite aptly named as it is literally a walk up the hill from the main town of Old Bank in Bastimentos. You might be thinking that this doesn’t sound like a great rainy day activity. Actually, the constant light drizzle made a…
