Becky was visiting for a couple weeks, and although I was working during her visit, I decided to take a few days off for us to go on a bit of a getaway from Gamboa. After discussing options (Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui highlands, Caribbean coast), we decided the best place would be to visit Isla Grande, which is an island close to the coast of Panama on the Caribbean side. We, fairly spontaneously, hopped on a bus to Colon (2nd largest city in Panama, at the Caribbean entrance to the Canal – not my top choice of places to go in Panama, quite sketchy!), then another bus from Colon to Portobelo, then yet another to La Guayra. At the end of the road, we stepped off the very crowded bus and immediately grabbed a water taxi to the island (only a few minutes by boat). It was a long day of sitting on buses, but we were finally there.
Isla Grande has a small population of locals, a couple resorts and numerous cheap places to stay. We found a room at the Super Jackson Cabanas for $20 a night. There were restaurants, bars (including one dedicated to Bob Marley) and a tribute to the Nazareno, the Black Christ, out in the water. Apparently there is good snorkeling near the island, but unfortunately we did not see any signs for where to rent gear. We enjoyed the island regardless... beautiful scenery, fresh air, the Caribbean Sea, and a relaxed atmosphere (we were two of only a small handful of tourists as it was mid-week).
On the bus to La Guarya, we met a german guy traveling through Central and South America. He was staying in a hostel on the mainland (but near the island), and the next day he came to the island with a couple other guys from the states. We hiked up to a lighthouse with them that gave spectacular views of the island. The weather was mostly cloudy during our time on the island (but no rain), however, during the time on the lighthouse, the clouds turned to white and the sun came through, it was perfect. That afternoon we swam in the sea, collected seashells for Becky, and walked the strip, taking photos and being your typical ‘tourists’. Hoping to try different restaurants at each meal, we ended up eating at the same place 3 times because nothing else was open! Oh well, it was delicious anyways.
After 2 nights on the island, we headed back to Gamboa by bus, making a stop in Portobelo to check out the Fort ruins. Portobelo was named by Christopher Columbus, meaning “beautiful port”, and the area has a history of attack by Henry Morgan (namesake for Captain Morgan’s rum). Apparently there are a few different locations that have ruins in Portobelo, but we just managed to see one of them (the 18th century Santiago Battery). It overlooked the bay in Portobelo, where you could imagine tall ships with cannons firing at the mainland. The sun had come out by then, and even though our stay was short, I’m glad we made the stop, it was worth seeing. We also ran into the guys from the states we had met the day before, who had also stopped to take photos and see the ruins, and they offered us a drive back to Gamboa. That sounded far more pleasant than taking the bus so we graciously accepted (thanks guys!). The trip was short but I think we made the most of it!
After 2 nights on the island, we headed back to Gamboa by bus, making a stop in Portobelo to check out the Fort ruins. Portobelo was named by Christopher Columbus, meaning “beautiful port”, and the area has a history of attack by Henry Morgan (namesake for Captain Morgan’s rum). Apparently there are a few different locations that have ruins in Portobelo, but we just managed to see one of them (the 18th century Santiago Battery). It overlooked the bay in Portobelo, where you could imagine tall ships with cannons firing at the mainland. The sun had come out by then, and even though our stay was short, I’m glad we made the stop, it was worth seeing. We also ran into the guys from the states we had met the day before, who had also stopped to take photos and see the ruins, and they offered us a drive back to Gamboa. That sounded far more pleasant than taking the bus so we graciously accepted (thanks guys!). The trip was short but I think we made the most of it!
No comments:
Post a Comment