Affordable Overwater Bungalows Just 5-Hours From Chicago.

Have you ever dreamed of staying in an overwater bungalow?  You know, the ones in Fiji, or Bali?  Where you look out over the deep, cerulean water, soaking up the sun and just relaxing.  I had – and I felt it was probably not attainable in the short term. Certainly not affordable overwater bungalows. Maybe one day, on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to some very-far-away region.

One Great Night in Old-Town Panama City

We had a direct flight from Chicago to Panama City, Panama on Copa Airlines (it was excellent, highly recommend).  Our itinerary included a one-night layover in the old town of Panama City, historic Casco Viejo which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We stayed at La Isabela Suites in a beautiful 2-bedroom apartment.  Our suite had a balcony off the front to watch the busy streets of Casco Viejo and one off the back, which was much quieter.  There is so much to explore in the old-town.  It has great dining, galleries, bars, hotels and shopping.  

Of course, shopping. The area has such cute shops. If you are looking for a genuine Panama hat, and you must, the hotel staff can direct you.  I was looking for a hat like Megan Markle’s’ Panama Hat.  In the end, I didn’t buy one.  I love hats and I have too many that I don’t wear – and I didn’t want to worry about it getting crushed on our travels. 

The staff at Isabella helped us with dinner reservations and told us the areas that were safe to walk after dark. We felt very safe walking to and from dinner.  The area is so vibrant with lots of cars and people on the narrow streets.

And, Panama takes US dollars, which is quite convenient.

Next Morning, A Short Flight to Paradise

The water taxi dock stored our luggage and we walked to a grocery store to get some water and snacks for the week.  Then we found a cute restaurant to just hang out at until it was time to make the trip over to Isla Solarte and Sol Bungalows. 

One note, Bocas Town is completely oriented toward the water.  So, as you’re walking the streets, you’ll see signs for restaurants, but you can’t see them from the street.  Typically, you’ll walk down a long hall or corridor along a building, and you’ll eventually see the restaurant or bar you’re looking for toward the back, beautifully situated on the water.  It’s magical. 

We ordered lunch and fresh fruit smoothies and just relaxed.  You can see it in my face in this picture – it was like I melted.  All stress and tension evaporated. 

Finally, We Arrived At Our Overwater Bungalows.

Our water taxi dropped us off on the dock and we were met by one of the owners, Drew, who along with his wife Tamara, own Sol Bungalows.  He showed us to our bungalow, the Papaya. The setting is absolutely stunning.  As we approached these beautiful blue buildings built on stilts over the water, I was so excited to be here for the next few days.

The bungalow and all the furniture are built in Caribbean-style, with local wood, by local craftsmen. And the craftmanship is felt in each element.  The main room has an L-shaped “sofa” that became two single beds for the girls.  I’ve written about how difficult it is to find sleeping arrangements that work for us here.  This set up was perfect for them.

The main bedroom has a king-size bed that looks out to the deck and the Caribbean beyond. There is a huge sliding door that can close for privacy, or when open it feels like one big space. But most of our time was spent outside on the deck.

The deck extends across the whole building, with an area for shade and a hammock, an outdoor shower and a catamaran net built into the deck.  The net is so comfortable and allows the breeze to circulate as you’re laying in the sun.  There are stairs that lead down into the water for easy access. These buildings are so well thought out and brilliant!

Five Days of Total Relaxation

Time seemed to stand still while we were there, punctuated mainly by meals.  We had no problem just hanging at the Bungalow for days.  Someone might decide to take a swim, sit on a noodle and just stay in the water for a while.  Or walk over to the main building and grab a paddle board or kayak and go up and down the coast.  There is great snorkeling right off your bungalow and “Hospital Point”, another great snorkeling spot is just a short trip via kayak from Sol Bungalows. The days were magical in that all four of us were totally content to just hang. 

I can’t tell you how unusual this was for our family.  I’m a sun/water person so this is my favorite activity. Elizabeth can do it, but needs a book.  But our teenage daughters?  This is not their usual mode.  Now they did have their phones and somehow the WIFI was just fine, so they were still connected.  This place seemed to cast a magical spell on all of us.

Affordable Overwater Bungalows.  The Sol Bungalows Experience.

Breakfast is included in the cost of the room – and it was outstanding every day. There is a short menu you can choose from, and you place your order the night before via text. It’s ready for you when you arrive at the dining room along with fresh fruit, juice, and more coffee.

They have dinner available every day except Sunday when they take the night off.  And we ate there each day other than Sunday when we took a water taxi to a beach restaurant about 5 minutes away.  Dinners are equally fresh and amazing.  Great fish, chicken, and vegetarian (if requested).  Everything is so fresh and delicious. One day Drew was getting in his boat with some interesting-looking equipment.  We asked where he was off to, he said he was going to free dive and spear fish for dinner.  That’s how fresh the food is – prepared amazingly by their Chef.  They also have a mini-farm and orchard on their property which is where most of the fruit, vegetables, eggs, etc. come from. 

Compared to other overwater bungalows I’ve looked at over the years, Sol Bungalows is extremely affordable.  The bungalows are perfectly equipped and so comfortable. Designed for function and taking advantage of the amazing location; outfitted like Caribbean “cottage”.  For me, it was perfect.

The Pelican Show at 6:00, Followed by Dinner at 7:00

Other Things to do in Bocas Del Toro

For the most part, we stayed close to the bungalow. And we were totally okay with that. We did paddle board, kayak to Hospital Point for some snorkeling and had a masseuse come to our bungalow (arriving via water taxi, table in hand), but mostly just stayed at Sol Bungalows.

There is plenty of opportunity to do adventurous things in the area – and we did none of it.  We just wanted to hang around the bungalow, get in and out of the water –rinse, repeat.  We kept saying, “if we were here longer, I’d like to…”.  So, if we had been there longer, we would:

• Take a guided hike around the rain forest of our island (Isla Solarte) to see sloths, monkeys, poison dart frogs and toucans, etc.
• Take surfing lessons (although we did inquire and there weren’t many waves during our stay).
• Take a boat trip to go see dolphins.
• Done a couple yoga classes.

Drew and Tamara are the Ultimate Hosts

Both Drew and Tamara are truly lovely people.  They have spent years in the area, attracted by the great surfing, met, married and eventually purchased this property.  During the pandemic, they designed the buildings and had the two bungalows and the main building built.  They are both extremely knowledgeable about the area and can get you connected with who and whatever you want to do. Unbeknownst to me, Elizabeth had been communicating with Drew for months and he had great recommendations for airlines, where to stay in Panama, etc.  On the return trip, when we realized we had several hours between our flights and said we’d like to see the Panama Canal, Drew connected us with a driver who picked us up from the airport, stored our bags and knew exactly where to take us to get the most out of our short time at the Canal.

Panama Canal Tour

As a kid, I remember my dad making many Air Force trips to the Panama Canal.  When we realized we had the time, I was excited to see it.  Our driver took us to the entrance of the Miraflores Visitor Center.  There we purchased tickets and began a self-guided tour of the four-floor exhibit which tells the story of the building of the Panama Canal.  The exhibit culminates on a balcony, overlooking one of the locks and the canal in the distance.  You can plan your trip to see a boat go through the locks, but the next one was scheduled too late for us to see it.

I Totally Gave Up Control on this Trip

I am typically the planner, organizer and, admittedly, controller (or controlling, depending on your perspective) of most trips we take.  But for this one, Elizabeth (who is an excellent world traveler) planned it all.  From flights, restaurant reservations, water taxis, etc. she planned it all and everything went without a hitch.  It was a totally new experience for me, but I was able to let go and literally, go where I was told to go.  And I actually loved it.

A Word of Advice — Do Not Look at Weather Apps

Trust me, you do not need to check the weather.  It’s completely misleading.  Once I found out about the trip, just a few days prior, I began checking the weather.  As the planner I am, I wanted to be prepared.  Each day said 100% rain.  I was worried and pictured us staying in the bungalow playing cards, with two surly teens.  Panama does have a rainy season, but late August was not it.  In the distance across from our bungalow we could see the “mainland” and it always seemed to have clouds over it.  That must’ve been what the weather apps were picking up.  For us, every day was sunny and we only had rain early one evening for about 10 minutes.

How to Book Sol Bungalows

Honestly, I can’t recommend it highly enough – and we can’t wait for our next trip there.  If you’re interested in exploring Sol Bungalows check out the website here.  The website has a ton of helpful information on the area, booking travel, activities, etc.  If you book directly, you can save 5% on your stay.  They are closing for a few months to build two additional bungalows, so check the website for exact dates and any other policy updates since our trip. You can communicate with the owners via email at info@solbungalowsbocas.com and via phone/WhatsApp +507-6807-0830. 

Tell them Jennifer sent you – and enjoy!

WETSU! WETSU!

XO  JT