POST #100 This post is the 100th post at islandprofiles.com! Its hard to believe, but true. Today we finish up our visit to Bocas del Toro and focus on the food and drink of the Bocas Archipelago. The cuisine of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago is influenced by Afro-Antillean traditions, brought by settlers from Jamaica and other parts of the West Indies. The cuisine has a reputation for being hearty, spicy and filling. One dish that you are likely to…
Bocas del Toro is an unique island destination in many ways. It is a predominantly English speaking part of a Hispanic nation, with a more Afro-Caribbean feel to it than what you would find in other parts of Panama. Sometimes called the Galapagos of the Caribbean, the reefs and waters of Bocas offer unparalleled scuba diving and snorkeling. The quirky retro culture of backpackers, sailors and expats that came into existence as a result of the surfing, sailing and diving…
For thousands of years before Christopher Columbus set foot on the islands of Bocas del Toro, they were inhabited by Indians of the Guaymi, Teribe and Bokota tribes. The Ngäbe (or Ngöbe) and Buglé are subgroups of the Guaymi. They are often grouped together and referred to as the largest indigenous group in Panama even though they speak separate languages. When Columbus arrived, his ships were in need of repair and the calm waters and fertile ground of the archipelago…
Now we move on to Bocas del Toro. This group of nine main islands and dozens of smaller ones, is located off the Caribbean coast of Panama near the Costa Rican border. Bocas del Toro means “mouths of the bull” and is also the name of the province that the islands are located in. The Capital and main town is Bocas Town, located on the tip of Isla Colon, the most touristy of the islands. An Afro-Caribbean culture dominates in…