Puerto Viejo Vs Bocas Del Toro

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica and Bocas del Toro, Panama are both well-known beach destinations along the Caribbean coastline of Central America. Both destinations are on the main backpacker route between Mexico and South America (so certainly not off the beaten path), both are easy to access and offer a range of accommodation options, many suitable for families.

If you're considering a beach getaway beyond Mexico or the Caribbean, both Puerto Viejo Costa Rica and Bocas del Toro Panama are excellent options. When compared to Mexico or the Caribbean islands, you'll find a more unique and authentic experience in both Puerto Viejo and Bocas del Toro. And in many cases these destinations are also less expensive.

But if you're trying to decide where to visit, it's important to consider a few things. Here are some facts to help you choose between Puerto Viejo vs Puerto Viejo for your next beach vacation.

About Puerto Viejo Costa Rica

Puerto Viejo Costa Rica is a laid-back stretch of coastline that includes about 10 miles of beach, one main town and several smaller clusters of hotels and restaurants heading south from the main town of Puerto Viejo. The beaches here are excellent for surfing, and there are a few that are safe for swimming (but not all).

Accommodations in Puerto Viejo are mostly eco-resorts. While everyone'd definition of "eco" is different, here Eco Resort typically means is no air-conditioning, the main living space tends to be open air and you can't flush paper down the toilets. They tend to be relatively inexpensive (you can easily find someplace to stay for under $100 per night) and they are all "boutique" properties (between 6-10 rooms usually).

In Puerto Viejo Costa Rica there is one main road, Highway 36, which runs along the coastline. While in some places the ocean is only a few feet away from the road, in others there is a larger distance of jungle between the ocean and the road. While there are some buildings in this median between the road and the beach, apparently they are not legal. This means you won't find any hotel worth staying at directly on the beach. They are all located across the street, some right on the road and some set back into the jungle.

We loved this jungle experience, and in fact experiencing the jungle was one of the main reasons we came to Puerto Viejo. Listening to frogs and monkeys in the evenings, and looking out into the rich, green, dense jungle was all part of the experience for us. We wanted to learn about and see the jungle first-hand.

However, if you're looking for a beach destination where you can sleep right on the beach, you won't find that in Puerto Viejo Costa Rica.

There are several fantastic restaurants in the area, and most of the hotels also have kitchens, which is great way to save money by eating at home for at least on meal per day. You'll find plenty of standard Latin food, Italian and a number of fantastic vegetarian options as well.

The beaches in Puerto Viejo are definitely unique. For starters, the water is bath water warm. I've never felt ocean water as warm as this. The beaches have beautiful, clean sand and plenty of shade from the palm trees that create a border between sand and jungle. However, not all of the beaches are safe for swimming far out into the water. If you stay near the shore, knee deep or so, you're fine. But there are dangerous rip tides in the area.

We loved Pay Arricefe for kids, as there is a reef near shore that protects kids from the rip tide. And for a great bonus, there is a restaurant right on the beach and shaded picnic tables just steps off the beach! No beach here is ever crowded, and each one has its unique benefits. During a one-week stay you could enjoy a different beach every day for a totally unique experience.

In addition to enjoying the beaches, there are many other adventures to be had in Pueto Viejo. Visit the Jaguar Rescue Center, learn about Cacao production in the region, or view the once-extinct Green Macaws in the wild.

Puerto Viejo town can best be described as eclectic. You won't find anything mass produced, and there aren't many local Costa Ricans who live here. It's a town of expats living the Pura Vida on the beaches of Costa Rica.

And finally, Puerto Viejo is near the end of a long road, several hours drive from San Jose. Spending time here gives you travel cred, just for making the effort to get here.

We loved Puerto Viejo and if you are a true beach lover looking for something a little different, I'm confident you will also love Puerto Viejo Costa Rica!

Where to stay: La Kukula Lodge or Pachamama.

About Bocas del Toro Panama

The first thing we noticed in Bocas del Toro was how Americanized everything is in Panama. The US Dollar is used as currency in Panama, there are Americans everywhere and restaurants offer the most American menu items we experienced in Central America. Bocas del Toro a very easy place for Americans to travel.

When you first arrive in Bocas Town you'll notice that the archipelago of Bocas del Toro is strikingly beautiful. There's something calming about being on the water, but having no beaches or waves in the immediate archipelago. It's like being in Lake Country. Still, calm and quiet.

In addition to the water taxis that zip around the islands, you can see fishermen, sail boats and even the odd SUP paddleborder tooling around in this head.

Bocas Town is much livelier than Puerto Viejo. Here you'll find a community of Panamanians living, going to school and working. My kids loved strolling around town, away from the restaurants and hotels, for a truly authentic look at life in Panama. On the tourist side of town, expect to see plenty of bars, restaurants, backpacker hostels and surf shops.

Head to Bastimentos Island for the best beaches in Bocas del Toro. In fact, aside from one or two nights on Isla Colon, you'll want to enjoy most of your time on this island.

Red Frog Beach is considered to be one of the best beaches in the world. The hazy beach again features beautiful sand lined with palm trees. In addition to Red Frog Beach Resort's restaurants, there is the Red Frog hostel, which features tents on the beach and at least one great restaurant on site there. Plan to grab a meal or two at these restaurants, but also be sure to bring groceries with you from Bocas Town and cook at home as much as possible.

There aren't many inhabitants on this island, so expect plenty of tourists from the resort, hostel, and those who have arrived by boat from the marina.

Again, not all of these beaches are safe for swimming. You'll be directed to the safest areas, but again riptides can be a problem. Stay in the shallow areas where kids can literally splash in the waves for hours.

In addition to enjoying the famous Red Frog Beach, you can also book a Zipline experience at Red Frog Beach Resort as well as a number of excursions to other beaches and for snorkeling.

Where to stay: Red Frog Beach Resort, Palma Royale

Palma Royale Hotel Review / Why stay in Bocas town?

I was prepared to hate Isla Colon and Bocas Town.

Before we left on our trip, as I was sharing our itinerary and plans with friends and other travelers. Those who had been to Bocas del Toro before kept telling me how uninteresting Bocas Town was. They said it was dirty, loud, and unsafe.

When we first arrived we had a quick transfer out to Bastimentos Island and Red Frog Beach Resort, so I didn't have a good opportunity to look around the main island and Bocas Town.

At the end of our stay in Panama we had one night booked on the main island, called Isla Colon, and Bocas Town, the main town of the Bocas del Toro archipelago.

After checking in at the Palma Royale hotel right on the main street of town, we strolled around, mingling with the locals out and about in the town square on a lazy, Sunday afternoon. It was hot, so we retreated to the air-conditioned hotel for a little siesta.

The Palma Royale was perfect for our family of four. Complete with two separate sleeping rooms, a comfortable sitting area and much-appreciated air conditioning, this was an excellent home base for our last night in Panama.

We emerged after the heat of the day had passed to discover the town waking up. As the shadows grew long, people pulled chairs outside and sat out in the middle of the streets, music poured out from the houses and children laughed and played all around.

However the level of poverty was significant. Most of the cinder block homes were dark and dirty. Scrap metal rested up against the houses, things generally looked to be in a state of disrepair.

This was the one and only opportunity we'd had to see a real Panamanian town. While ensconced in the Red Frog Beach Resort we certainly enjoyed ourselves, but didn't exactly have an immersive experience or opportunity to look beyond the walls of the luxury resort.

After making our way slowly around the island, stopping in at a local market for a cold drink, we stumbled upon the best restaurant in Bocas town, and possibly the best one we'd visited in Central America yet.

La Buga is a must if you're in Bocas Town. Part surf and dive shop, part restaurant, you can grab home-baked muffins and sweets for breakfast at La Bugita and big bowls of ceviche for only $6 for lunch and dinner when the larger kitchen opens at La Buga. Drinks were 2×1 until 9pm and the scene was light and friendly. If you're staying at Palma Royale, it's right across the street on the water.

Over dessert at La Buga we asked the kids what they thought of the town, of what they had just seen. While they had a difficult time verbalizing how they felt and what they saw, I know this experience will impact them in some way. Being so close and seeing the dramatically different way people live around the world is the power of travel. This has the power to transform.

Consider spending a night in Bocas Town before heading further in to Bocas del Toro if you want to see true Panamanian culture and have your family experience life in Central America beyond the walls of a resort.

Have you spent time in Bocas Town? What did you think?