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  • How to get from Puerto Viejo (Costa Rica) to Bocas del Toro (Panama) cheapest way possible, latest update, step by step
March 14, 2020

How to get from Puerto Viejo (Costa Rica) to Bocas del Toro (Panama) cheapest way possible, latest update, step by step

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How to get from Puerto Viejo (Costa Rica) to Bocas del Toro (Panama) cheapest way possible, latest update, step by step

Getting from Puerto Viejo to Bocas del Toro cheapest way possible

There are several web pages regarding the trip from Puerto to Bocas that we found online, but what we also found is that not all of them show the cheapest solution and it looks not all have been updated with latest information. Some things changed but also it looks like some people compromised with a “not so cheap but direct” bus from the border to Almirante. It is a fairly easy trip and it will save you around 20-25$ per person, we did it with a 3 and 1/2 years old boy and a baby + stroller and 5 backpacks.

Complete list of busses/walks/boats you have to take is next:

  • Puerto Viejo – Sixaola (bus)
  • Border (walk)
  • La Paz – Changuinola (bus)
  • Changuinola – Almirante (bus)
  • Almirante – Bocas (boat)

Getting to the station and buying tickets

It seems that some people think this bus goes from Lemon or Manzanillo, important is to know that it doesn’t pass on the main road, it goes from the main station in Puerto Viejo.

Bus goes hourly and the schedule changes frequently so its best to go one day earlier and to check what exact time it leaves for Sixaola. Bus ticket price at the time of this blog is 1835 colon per person (3.2$).  Bus company is called MEPE and the ticket office doesn’t take debit card payments only cash in colon, so since you are leaving Costa Rica just plan to have this much money in colon on you for the ticket as it is likely it will be your last Costa Rican expense.

From PV to Sixaola and passing the border

When you arrive at the border bus will leave you pretty close to the bridge. On the left side you will have a small counter that says tax and it will have a sign 9$ on it. We read on several places it is 7$ and that you can pay with the card for additional 1$ but it is not, it is 9$ for cash only, so don’t get surprised. 8$ goes to the government and 1$ goes to the retailer. There is no way paying it differently or directly and saving that extra buck (we are family of four so it is actually 4$) I have asked several policeman and border officials. You will get a receipt and with that piece of paper you go to one of several immigration boxes that will be on your left – around 20 meters down the road, on the beginning of the bridge. There you will get a stamp, there is no special room to take your baggage to inspection, like on exit from Panama to Costa Rica in Paso Canoas, I guess if you look suspicious the officer will ask to show your bags content, but nobody asked us to show content of ours. There was no waiting on immigration, but we did wait for around 10 minutes to pay the tax, as there was a bit of a queue. In any case you will pass this fairly easy. Once you get your stamp you just continue further as there is around 200 meters of no-mans land on the bridge over the Sixaola river. It is an easy walk, don’t listed to the spoiled little backpackers online stating its a “difficult walk in the sun”.

Once you pass the bridge first you go to the customs officer, he is on the left, everything is on the left side of the road. There you will fill a form basically declaring you are nor entering any food , diseases and large quantity of money  into the country. There was no queue and it took 5 minutes to finish this. If you are a family like us you will only sign one for for all of you. Important thing to know is that there is no 4$ tax on the Panama side, I am not sure when was this cancelled but we didn’t have to pay anything. After the customs you just go 50 meters down to the immigration. This was the only place where there was a bit of a queue and the waiting time for us was 15-20 minutes. You get your stamp and you move on. Some people get asked about duration of stay and some similar information but we haven’t been. We just showed the passports, got stamped and moved on. The place on this Panamanian side of the border is called La Paz

La Paz to Chinguanola

After you get your stamp you will have a group of driver jumping you and offering a “direct shuttle” to the Almirante, price is 10$ to 20$ depending how many of you are there. If you are true low budget traveller like us you will just move along and just across the main road that continues from the bridge there is a place the local bus for Chinguanola will stop. I read online people call it “chicken bus” and “not very comfortable” which is very… well let me call it misleading. Bus is ok, not high class but pretty comfy with A/C working. There are a lot of indigenous people in the bus, a lot of their beautiful children, so it is actually a very positive experience not another way around. Bus driver will be kind to put your things into a trunk (which is actually back side of the bus). Ride to Chinguanola lasts around 45-50 minutes and it costs only 1$! Cheap, cheap, just the way we like it! Also the bus frequency seems to be every 10 minutes, we didn’t wait at all as if left immediately.

Changuinola to Almirante

There is no more than 50 meters of walking and no waiting, this bus also goes every 10 minutes or when full. It is a smaller bus, more like a minibus but it is also possible to put your luggage in the back, just be kind and don’t be cocky with the steward 🙂 Price of this bus is 1.5$ and slightly longer ride – up to an hour. We left immediately upon arrival. What is cool to know about is that the shuttle to Almirante costs 25$ or 32$ with the boat included. We payed total 5.7$ which is almost four times less! And we came faster to Almirante because the shuttle bus had to wait for the whole group to pass the Panama border as it was on person at the time. Also what is good to know is that in Almirante there are two terminals, one for Chinguanola and David are not the same. Terminal for buses from Chinguanola is close to the taxi boats, you don’t need a taxi cab to drive you there. You have to go back the way you came 200m and then turn left. There are several boat companies that will take you to Colon Island at Bocas del Toro

Almirante to Bocas

One way is 6$ and the round trip is 10$. I am not sure all the companies offer this, one that we took offered, the “guy” (there is always a “guy” right?) said they are the only company with the deal but I am pretty sure they all offer the same. In any case you can buy the round trip ticket because the boats go at half an hour. The ride to Bocas Town is around 30 minutes. The last boat to go to Bocas is around 6pm so be sure you leave for Sixaola 10/10:30 max in order to make the whole deal without being stressed if you will make it. In Bocas Town, if your accomodation is not close, ours was 20 minutes walk you can pay a cab – pickup taxi, it costs 1$ per person. Same price locals and foreigners.

For us it was around 5 hours 30 minutes door to door so its doable in half a day. You can start early like us (we took 8:15am bus) and still make it to one of the beaches. Our suggestion for day 1, especially if you are in old town or close, is to take a taxi boat to Carenero Island – its just across the way 1 minute ride costing 1$. Then you can walk around the track for 15 minutes to get to the beach. That way the day is not lost.

Carenero Island

Bojan Simisic

Bojan Simisic

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Junior nomad family

Junior nomad family

We are trio family who loves to travel and dive!

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Latest Post

How to get from Puerto Viejo (Costa Rica) to Bocas del Toro (Panama) cheapest way possible, latest update, step by step
How to get from Puerto Viejo (Costa Rica) to Bocas del Toro (Panama) cheapest way possible, latest update, step by step
March 14, 2020
Jordan sa bebom od 2 meseca
Jordan sa bebom od 2 meseca
Jordan sa bebom od 2 meseca
January 14, 2020
Traveling Brazil and Argentina while pregnant with a two year old boy
Traveling Brazil and Argentina while pregnant with a two year old boy
Traveling Brazil and Argentina while pregnant with a two year old boy
Traveling Brazil and Argentina while pregnant with a two year old boy
April 11, 2019
(Srpski) Jedrenje Egejskim morem sa bebom od jedanaest meseci
(Srpski) Jedrenje Egejskim morem sa bebom od jedanaest meseci
September 1, 2017
Juniornomad in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, traveling with a seven month old baby
Juniornomad in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, traveling with a seven month old baby
April 20, 2017
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jelenajasi

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦🌍🌎🌏
👣 Visited over 45 countries, over 30 with kids.
🔹Traveling on a budget
🔹Love: cat,sea,travel,sail,dive...
🔹Blog: How to travel with kids

𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚍 '𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚖 𝙹𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚊
Za ovu našu Srpsku Novu godinu želim vam svima čistiji ovaj naš srpski vazduh i zdraviju životnu sredinu!! Da li ste znali da ne postoji mesto u Srbiji koje nije zagadjeno, vazduh, voda, zemlja sve je u velikom problemu i mislim da je ove godine krajnje vreme da stvari počnu da se menjaju. Ova naša zemlja ostaje njima, našoj deci a mene je trenutno sramota šta im ostavljamo.
Prve slike sa snegom pa još sa protesta 😁💚💪 Protest za bezopasan vazduh odrzan je u nedelju 10.01. u Beogradu. Procenjeno je da je bilo od 2000 do 5000 ljudi koji su došli da iskažu svoje nezadovoljstvo zbog situacije u kojoj se nalazi Srbija što se tiče zagadjenja i nebrige ljudi iz vlasti da taj problem priznaju i reše.
Pošto mi je Crkva Svetog Marka jedna od dražih u Pošto mi je Crkva Svetog Marka jedna od dražih u Beogradu, na Božićno jutro smo otišli baš do nje. Ovo je trebala biti ustvari jedna prava zimska slika sa snegom koji je prekrio krov crkve ali i ovaj dan je bio lep.

Crkva ne samo da je impresivnog izgleda i što se nalazi u najlepšem beogradskom parku Tašmajdan već ima bogatu i zanimljivu istoriju. Crkva Svetog Marka krije mnogo više nego što mnogi Beograđani mogu da zamisle. Crkva se gradila od 1931. godine do 1940. godine. Sagradjena je po ugledu na manastir Gračanicu a izgradnja je prekidana nekoliko puta pa je dugo bila potpuno ne oslikana. 
Još 1930. godine, na prostoru gde se danas nalazi crkva Svetog Marka, postojala je stara crkva koja je nosila isto ime. U tadašnje vreme, Beograđani su je zvali i “grobljanska crkva”, jer se nalazila uz Staro groblje, koje je do 1886. godine zauzimalo prostor današnjeg parka, pre preseljenja na Novo groblje. Sećeam se da mi je tata pričao još pre 15ak godina da su pored Glavne pošte nalazili ljudske kosti kada su menjali vodovodnu mrežu, tako da verovatno nije sve prebačeno na Novo groblje. 🤷‍♀️
Crkva Svetog Marka spoljnim izgledom može da parira svetskim verskim građevinama a pored toga ostavlja veličanstven i snažan utisak kada se kroči u nju, odiše nekim posebnim duhom koji nikoga ne ostavlja ravnodušnim.
 Duga je 62 metara, a široka 45 metara, dok je visina glavne kupole do krsta neverovatnih 60 metara. Može da primi 2000 vernika. 
Ono što dosta ljudi ne zna je da se sa desne strane, uz južni zid nalazi bakarni sarkofag u kojem počivaju ostaci cara Dušana, prenete iz njegove zadužbine, manastira svetog Arhangela kod Prizrena.
Na severnoj strani je grobnica od belog mermera u kojoj su sahranjeni ostaci patrijarha Germana Đorića a u a u kripti crkve su sahranjeni poslednji kralj iz dinastije Obrenovića, kralj Aleksandar Obrenović i njegova supruga Draga Mašin, pa je crkva smatrana za grobnicu porodice Obrenović.
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Hristos se rodi! Srećan Božić ♥️🎄Neka na Hristos se rodi! Srećan Božić ♥️🎄Neka nam je svima mir u duši i ljubav u srcu. 

#hristosserodi #srecanbozic #bozic #badnjevece #christmaseve  #nova2021  #newyear2021 #2021 #familyfun #belgrade  #christmastree #christamphoto #serbia #srbija #staysafe #stayhome #traditional #obicaji #homesweethome #travelersnotebook #juniornomad  #juniornomadsmom  #familygoal
🎞️🎄Top 5 prazničnih filmova i crtaća koj 🎞️🎄Top 5 prazničnih filmova i crtaća koje smo mi odgledali sa decom za vreme praznika, koji su im držali pažnju i zabavili ih. 
1. Klaus, 
Animirani film sa prelepom pričom o tome kako je nastala legenda o deda Mrazu. Prošle godine smo gledali ali na engleskom ove godine sam nabavila sinhronizovanu verziju zbog Relje i bio je oduševljen.
2. Sam u Kući 1 i 2,
Svi znamo priču o dečaku koji ostaje sam za praznike ali ako imate klince od 4+ ove filmove možete ponovo gledati sa njima biće im baš zabavno. 
3. Zov divljine, 
Ja sam volela i stari film ali ovaj novi smo gledali sada sa Reljom i baš mu se dopao. Baziran je na istoimenom romanu Dzeka Londona iz 1903. Roman je velikim delom nastao na osnovu piščevog iskustva. 
Predivna priča u psu po imenu Bak koji živi udobnim životom kućnog ljubimca u Kaliforniji, sve dok ga ne ukradu krijumčari i odvedu na sever Kanade gde služi kao tegljač. 
4. Grinč
Animirani film Grinč je priča o neobičnom mrzovoljnom ciniku koji kreće u misiju da ukrade Božić ali mu sve kvari jedna devojčica. 
5. Božićne hronike, 
Nakon što akcija ‘Uhvatiti Deda Mraza na delu’ pođe po zlu, brat i sestra će morati da pomognu Deda Mrazu da spasi Božić. Odličan noviji porodični film. 

🎁🎄Ako neko želi sinhronizovanog Klausa ili Grinča neka piše u komentaru ili u dm! 

Koji su vaši favoriti sa praznike? 

#top5 #bozicnifilmovi #christmasmovies #porodicnifilmovi #top5christmasmovies #newyearseve #nova2021 #novagodina #newyear2021 #2021 #familyfun #belgrade  #christmastree #homesweethome #christamphoto #serbia #srbija #staysafe #stayhome #travelersnotebook #juniornomad  #juniornomadsmom #travelingwithbaby #familygoal  #nomadfamily #travelwithkids  #putovanjasadecom #putovanjasabebom
Srecna nova 2021. godina. Iskreno se nadamo boljoj Srecna nova 2021. godina. Iskreno se nadamo boljoj novoj godini za sve dobre ljude. Svu sreću i naravno zdravlja želi vam  junior nomad porodica ♥️🎄☃️

 
Slikati se ovako u četvoro je bila skoro nemoguća misija sa aparatom nameštenim na timer al nekako uspesmo da ih ukrotimo 😁. 

#newyearseve #nova2021 #novagodina #newyear2021 #2021 #familyfun #familyphoto #belgrade  #christmastree #christamsphoto #serbia #srbija #staysafe #stayhome #travelersnotebook #juniornomad  #juniornomadsmom #travelingwithbaby #familygoal  #nomadfamily #travelwithkids  #putovanjasadecom #putovanjasabebom
Da li ste znali da su jednokratne pelene jedan od Da li ste znali da su jednokratne pelene jedan od najvećih zagađivača životne sredine? 
Jednokratne pelene raspadaju se nakon 200 do 400 godina, što predstavlja ozbiljno zgađanje životne sredine. Jedna beba godišnje potroši oko 2000 pelena, zamislite koja je to količina pelena na globalnom nivou. Ako niste spremni da pređete na perive platnene pelene razmislite o onim jednokranim ali koje su 100% pamučne. Za razgradnju pamuka  potrebno je od 1 do 5 meseci, što je mnogo bolje nego 200 godina! 
Mi vec neko vreme koristimo Evy Baby Cotton, imaju veliku moć upijanja, ne stvaraju iritaciju na koži, imaju povoljniju cenu od drugih proizvođača i dosta manje zagađuju životnu sredinu. 👍👶♻️

@evybabyserbia 

#pelene #ebybaby  #evybabyserbia #diapers #nasazemlja #zivotnasredina #environment  #christmasbaby #environmentallyfriendly #Recyclingiscool #christmastree #newyearseve #recycling #travelersnotebook #juniornomad #homesweethome #juniornomadsmom #travelingwithbaby #familygoal  #nomadfamily #travelwithkids  #putovanjasadecom #putovanjasabebom
Posle vodopada Bledarije smo krenuli da obidjemo p Posle vodopada Bledarije smo krenuli da obidjemo prerasti reke Vratne. Ove prerasti su ubedljivo jedna od lepših prirodnih pojava koje sam videla u Srbiji. 🏞️
Od sela Reka gde je vodopad Bledarije do  Manastira Vratna ima oko 34km i put je ok. Ranije se do prerasti stizalo kanjonom koji počinje odmah iza manastira ali se sad taj manastirski posed zaobilazi i ide se okolo kroz šumu. Put i priroda su predivni, ide se malo uzbrdo-nizbrdo ali laganim hodom stiže se za 20min do Velike kapije. Prvo se prolazi iznad Male kapije ali se ne može lepo videti a ubrzo vas put vodi do Velike kapije koja ostavlja bez daha. 
U kanjonu reke Vratne inače postoje tri prirodna kamena mosta, dva u blizini samog manastira i treći, udaljeniji u dubini kanjona (Mala, Velika i Suva prerast). 
Tri prerasti nad istim rečnim tokom na samo 3km  udaljenosti predstavljaju jedinstvenu pojavu u svetu. Prerasti su relativno retka i atraktivna pojava, nama  je toliko lepo bilo ovde da smo se jedva naterali da krenemo. 

#prerastirekevratne #rekavratna #stonebridge #naturalarch #naturalbridge #nasazemlja #visitserbia #ig_serbia  #putujsrbijom  #serbia #srbija #september2020 #naturelover  #nature_perfection #traveltheworld #outdoorslife  #outdoorstravel  #canyonlands #travelersnotebook #canyontorque #canyonlandsnationalpark  #juniornomad #familyfun  #juniornomadsmom #travelingwithbaby #familygoal  #nomadfamily #travelwithkids  #putovanjasadecom #putovanjasabebom
Koliko su ljudi iz ovoga kraja ljubazni i gostopri Koliko su ljudi iz ovoga kraja ljubazni i gostoprimivi dokazuje to da su nam se na ovom poljančetu ljudi koji su bili na izletu ponudili da pričuvaju Strahinju koji je tad spavao u nosiljci 👶. Tako da smo se na vodopad spuštali bez bebaća koji je na miru odspavao dok smo mi obilazili vodopad. Kasnije su nam nahranili Relju kozijim sirom i paradajzom ♥️🍅🧀

#bledarijevodopad #seloreka  #beautifulnature #nasazemlja #visitserbia #ig_serbia  #putujsrbijom  #serbia #srbija #september2020 #naturelover  #nature_perfection #traveltheworld #outdoorslife  #outdoorstravel #babywithstyle #animallover #cawonpasture #travelersnotebook #juniornomad #familyfun #juniornomadsmom #travelingwithbaby #familygoal  #nomadfamily #travelwithkids  #putovanjasadecom #putovanjasabebom
Na još jednom putovanju od par dana istočnom Srb Na još jednom putovanju od par dana istočnom Srbijom bili smo u septembru ali nije bilo postova sa tog putovanja tako da će narednih par postova biti o istočnoj Srbiji.
Velika želja bila mi je da vidim vododad Bledarije a izabrali smo pravi momenat jer je samo 10ak dana pre nego što smo bili sredjen put od sela Reka do vodopada koji pre toga bio problematičan. Vodopad Bledarije udaljen je 4km od sela Reka i 31km od Kladova. Vodopad  je visok 7m a u jezercetu koje se formira ispod se leti može i kupati. Kao i većina vodopada i ovaj je možda lepši u proleće zbog veće količine vode ali nama se jako dopao i u septembru. Nalazi se u prelepom okruženju i svakako ga vredi posetiti.
 
Više o ovom putovanju i kako sad izgleda put do vodopada je u highlights-u pod imenom - east Serbia-

Da li ste ovo leto posetili neki vodopad u Srbiji? 

#bledarije #vodopad #waterfall #nasazemlja #visitserbia #ig_serbia #ig_srbija #putujsrbijom  #serbia #srbija #september2020 #naturelover #southeasteurop #nationalgeographic #explortheearth  #juniornomad #familyfun  #instablog #juniornomadsmom #travelingwithbaby #familygoal  #nomadfamily #travelwithkids  #putovanjasadecom #putovanjasabebom
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