Unlike any other hostel in Bocas, Casa Verde Hostel & Guesthouse has a fantastic waterfront location offering incredible mountain views and many amenities such as A/C, high speed WiFi, comfortable semi-orthopedic mattresses and mini-refrigerators in every room.  They have 3 dorm rooms and seven private rooms.

Casa Verde has gained rapid popularity through word of mouth along the backpacker trail and is always full of travelers from across the globe. One of the largest benefits for Casa Verde guests is that you can enjoy Bocas’ pristine water right off their dock. If you are not in the mood to take a trip to the beach, you can snorkel right in the back yard or use one of the large inner tubes to float and relax in the water. In addition, guests can take advantage of the newly built second story sundeck to get the best tan and best view in Bocas. Casa Verde has an eclectic atmosphere with a tranquil vibe that has been built with the help of highly creative and generous artists and musicians from around the world. The hostel also features a waterfront restaurant and bar, La Mama Loca Chill Bar & Grill where you can check out live entertainment acts and enjoy budget-minded food and drink specials every night of the week.

At least one person is dead, a union leader, and an estimated 100 injuries, 18 of those serious enough to be helicoptered out. These numbers are coming from the AP wire.

There are rumors coming from behind the lines and from web sources that four people were killed earlier today.

These rumors are unsubstantiated and we only cite them here to illustrate the potential danger of the situation. Caribe Shuttle strongly discourages anyone from trying to cross the border into Panama until further notice.

The Caribe Shuttle will not operate the Bocas Shuttle Route traveling from Puerto Viejo to Bocas del Toro until the situation is safe again. We will keep you informed of any changes. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you.

(For more information on the strike, refer to the story below: Strike in Panama Paralyzes Transportation to / from Bocas del Toro!)

The Caribbean border between Panama and Costa Rica reopened again yesterday, Friday, November 28, after a week-long closure. Extensive flooding in the border towns of Sixaola, Costa Rica, and Guaybito, Panama, and surrounding areas shut the border crossing down as of last Saturday morning, November 22, the last day that the Bocas Shuttle was able to operate.

I have never seen rain like we had in my life, and I’ve lived in rain forests for over ten years. Moreover, older residents of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca who spent their whole lives here have been telling me the same thing. This might have been “the storm of the century!” I hope so, because I don’t want to see this kind of storm again. In just the Talamanca area alone I’m told that there are nearly 4000 homeless, and Panama was harder hit than Costa Rica. Happily, things are quickly going back to normal in Bocas and Puerto Viejo, and we are enjoying our second day of beautiful sunshine. I’m going surfing!

In the mean time many communities in highlands and border areas are still cut off and suffering. Find out you can help.

Though the border opened yesterday, a lack of fuel in the area kept boats, water taxis and ferries from running, so the morning shuttle was not able to operate. All transportation on the roads leading to Bocas de Toro were shut down for a week, so all supplies including fuel, food, water and medical supplies are in short supply. Now, however, we are happy to announce that as of today the Bocas Shuttle between Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, and Bocas Del Toro, Panama is now operating normally!!

Stay tuned. Passengers on the last shuttle to Bocas before the closure are writing reports for us on their experience on their journey to Bocas and their days stranded on the islands.