Monthly Archives: May 2022

Coming to Bocas del Toro is the ultimate vacation destination in Panama. Good weather, jungle, ocean and great food is what made our time here so enjoyable. A lot of the houses are built on stilts in the water, which reminded me a lot of the Maldives. And of course since Bocas del Toro are a bunch of small islands, the main way of transport is by boat. It was actually quite fun having to take a boat everywhere. Although we were only there for three nights, we quickly became regular customers at Tres Palmas Cafe going there three times in a row ahah. The islands are also known for their partying in particular the huge island hopping party Filthy Friday. This of course we could not miss, so on Friday we spent island hopping and dancing all day long. Looking back on the trip to Panama, Bocas del Toro is definitely a place I would love to go visit again.

Who would’ve ever thought that Panama City would have such a modern skyline! It is definitely not the first thing that would pop into my mind thinking about Panama. When looking at the city from the plane window one is kind of reminded of New York or Chicago. Overall, I really enjoyed the capital. The city is filled with restaurants and bars, giving you the opportunity to go out for a Flamenco show on a Friday night or having a freshly brewed coffee in the morning. We stayed in the old town area Casco Viejo, an area filled with colorful houses and LOTS of restaurants to eat at (as you can see in the photos haha). On my Instagram I’ve put together some more recommendations. Of course it’s also possible to go into the downtown skyline area, where you’ll find a lot of expats. This is another great part of town to be in with lots to do, cool rooftop terraces and pools (check out the one at the JW Marriott). We stayed for two nights in the city and it was the perfect amount!

The most beautiful beach! I don’t think I’ever seen one that was more perfect. The crystal clear water and white sand actually makes it one of the prettiest beaches in the world. Since it is so remote, you need to take a boat to get there, which does mean all the nature is preserved. If you bring some goggles along and swim along the rocks you can see an array of colorful fish living in a healthy ecosystem. The beach Bahia de las Aguilas is located at the other end of the Dominican Republic close to the border of Haiti in the Pedernales province. We took this opportunity to actually drive up to the Haitian border and came across lots of weird looks and little children asking for money. Feeling quite uncomfortable, we did not stay for long. The drive from Santo Domingo to Bahia de las Aguilas takes along lots of pretty spots. This includes Playa San Rafael and Laguna de Oviedo where you can see flamingos. Despite being quite far and a six hour drive from the capital, this trip was totally worth it. Theres barely any tourists around this area and you get to go visit parts of the country that mostly only has locals.

A second trip to the Samana province took me to Las Galeras. A small beach town with beautiful nature around. You can visit Playa Rincon, Playita and basically spend all day at the beach. I also went on scuba diving here, which was my first time doing it in 7 years! I can proudly say I managed quite well and really enjoyed going back down into the ocean. I’m hoping to do the advanced PADI next year and up my qualifications. Also I really need up update my diving ID, since it is a photo from when I was 12…not my best haha. What I really enjoyed about Las Galeras however is that although it is touristy, it is not crowded so you have a lot of beach to yourself. It’s the perfect vacation spot.

Lots of palm trees, pretty sunsets and beaches is where I am happiest. Las Terrenas in the Samana province was my favorite place to visit. I spent a short two nights here and kept myself busy with a hike to the waterfall El Limon and a visit to Playa Bonita. Nightlife is great here as well, with lots of beach bars, dancing (and dance instructors that will show you what to do!) and live music. You can go out for nice lunches and dinners as well, like this delicious pizza I had at Playa Bonita. It was so big, it didn’t fit on my plate haha. I stayed at Manty’s guesthouse, the ideal place for a solo traveller. You’ll get to meet lots of other travelers who will gladly go explore the surrounding area with you. The best way – and the funnest way – to get around this area is by motor taxi. It might not be the safest option ahah but the drivers are quite experienced and will take you anywhere you ask. My best memories were made during a night out, zooming through the empty streets of Las Terrenas and seeing what place we will go dancing next. The motor taxi drivers always try to get a bit more money out of you than the trip is really worth, so taking these will also improve your bargaining skills :D.

My first trip in the Dominican Republic! It was a short 18 hour one to La Romana since I had to work at the hostel, but I managed to go in-between a morning an evening shift the next day. La Romana is only about a 2 hour drive from Santo Domingo, so it is easy to reach. From there you can take a boat to Isla Catalina, a small island just off the coast, and ideal for doing some swimming in the ocean. This trip was my first time getting around the DR by bus and it definitely an experience haha. You arrive at the bus terminal, say which place you want to go to and are then put on a bus. Usually you have no idea what is going on and just got to hope that you’re going to end up at the right place. Up until now, that has always worked out for me :). When visiting La Romana, we pretty much were the only tourists and as always the walking attraction around town. Especially as two women you can expect to be called and looked at, however it is something you simply have to get used to. To sum up this short trip, it was the ideal mix of enjoying food and cold beers at the beach and taking a short little boat ride to a new island.

The capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, is what I’ve been able to call my home for the past two months. I spent 7 weeks working at a hostel there whilst taking the days off to explore the island. However, Santo Domingo in itself has a lot to explore and I really did enjoy living in the big city. I spent most of my time in Zona Colonial, the first settlement in the Americas actually. It reminded me a lot of Spain (of course haha) and was by far the prettiest and cleanest part of town. Lots of fun cafes and bars around and always music to be heard at every corner. From day to night you will always find drinking and dancing in the park. The capital also has a business district, one filled with tall buildings and malls. This part of the city feels more like Miami. I also love this area, with all its restaurants bars and rooftops. It makes you forget that you are in a Latin American city, so it is the ideal place to spend time if you miss your European home haha. Of course it’s important to remember that my photos don’t portray the reality of the DR. The country, as well as the city, is haunted by corruption, poor living conditions and lots of trash. As a visitor you do get to experience this while traveling around the city and island. It does really remind you of the fact that everything has two sides to it.

Overall, I can only recommend to visit Santo Domingo. Take about two days and you’ll have enough time to explore the historical and culture area, and go for an evening dinner and drink downtown!