Bocas Villas

The view and the water were the only things we liked. The cabin is far from everything, and getting to activities outside the house cost us a lot. Mosquitoes ate us alive, and no repellent worked on them. The plumbing didn’t work at all, so we couldn’t properly use either the toilet or shower. The hosts hardly replied to messages and weren’t available during the stay. The place looked old and uncared for, and a lot of the furniture was damaged. Even the kayaks were full of water and sank immediately when we tried to use them. We couldn’t have been more disappointed, honestly. Save your money and book somewhere else around there. At least you might get a working toilet, and it’ll probably cost less to reach by boat.

The houses are too old, and the hosts are very negligent. I’m pretty sure there were cameras spying on us in our cabin too. You can’t lock your own cabin, so all your belongings are up for grabs. Save yourself the trouble and book somewhere decent and well kept, with decent, honest hosts.

We paid $300 for 2 nights after booking through Airbnb. The place was clean and had most of what we needed to cook. Buy raw food before you travel there, since the water taxi costs $30 one way for 2 people. It’s very far from the main island, but the view is beautiful. There’s no key or lock, and this villa is connected to 3 others. It’s the second to last one. A step was missing from the broken stairs, so we couldn’t get down. The wind can blow clothes off if you leave them out to dry. The Wi-Fi was awesome, and it was quiet. We brought our Alexa. Kitchen pipe pressure is horrible and the water doesn’t drain quickly. There’s no AC, just a fan, and they gave us 1 when there should be 2. The living room fan needs to be pressed every so often to keep it running. At night, so many lizards and geckos come out that it was stressful. I couldn’t sleep well at all because they were everywhere, even in my bags. Mosquitoes will eat you alive around the trees, and apparently these were resistant to bug spray. The water is clear enough for snorkeling, and gear is at the back or side of the villa. Some villas have paddle boards and some don’t. It’s not a bad price, but a lock, window screens, and another fan with higher speed would help.

We stocked up on enough food to stay in the villa the whole time. It has dishes, utensils, pots, and pans, so you can cook just about anything you bring. The appliances are limited to a fridge and gas stove, with no microwave, so plan around that. It’s remote, and the only way to get there is by boat. The hosts offer a daily trip into the city and try to arrange a good time, though we didn’t take them up on it. We couldn’t tear ourselves away from the peaceful setting and spent all 4 days relaxing there. The villa stands on stilts over the water at the edge of a beautiful shallow reef. You can sit on the deck and watch fish, or step straight off to swim or snorkel with them. Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards were available for us. On the island’s west side, the water is usually quite calm, though it can get choppy when it’s windy. That makes water activities really relaxing. It may not suit everyone, but we thoroughly enjoyed it.