Location: Bahia Honda, Bastimentos Island, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Central America (Just over 5 minutes water taxi to Bocas Town.) View Map
Accommodations: House, 2 Bedrooms + Loft, 2 Baths (Sleeps 8)
La Casa Blanca is your luxury waterfront home located just across the water from Bocas Town on Isla Solarte next to the Ngobe Bugle Indigenous Village. There are no roads, only trails and paths. Everything is accessed by boat or on foot. You are based on the edge of Bastimento National Park and the whole area teems with wildlife. You can sit on your own12 feet wide full wrap-around veranda and watch local fishermen and tribesman in their cayuco, birds, dolphin, banana boats, sloth and much more pass right in front of you. It is great, just a little wild with stacks of comfort!
La Casa Blanca is an ecologically friendly home that is "off grid" with it's own water and solar power. With wooden slatted shutters everywhere good use is made of the cooling Caribbean breezes and these can be supplemented by floor fans eliminating the need for air conditioning. With your own private dock for lounging and bathing there is good reason to take it easy and enjoy the sun. There is a huge wrap around veranda shaded by the overhanging roof and this makes a wonderful spot to breakfast, lunch, take afternoon tea or just relax! Inside the galley, diner and lounge are laid out for your convenience. A TV and DVD player as well as an Ipod dock, games, books and a selection of DVDs are avaialble. There are two queen size bedrooms with bathroom and a full length mezzanine above with a further queen size and two singles for additional sleeping. Another bathroom is located downstairs and this is ideal for a freshen up after bathing, snorkeling, diving or surfing.
By water taxi, just over 5 minutes from Bocas Town with all its activities, bars, shops, restaurants, tours and much more. Probably 10 minutes in the cayuco belonging to La Casa Blanca's English speaking caretaker, Augustin who lives nearby. He will ferry you at very modest costs to all local places and further afield excursions can be arranged. He has a lot of local knowledge. Our agent Veronica will meet you from the Airport on arrival in Bocas and will be on hand to assist with anything you need.
Bocas is a fantastic place and La Casa Blanca gives you the luxury, exclusiveness and convenience to fully enjoy it.
BE SURE TO LOG ONTO LA CASA BLANCA GOOGLE PAGES BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
Read what 2 guest wrote:
Alexandria said on Trip Advisor: "Dream holiday spot!"
What a spot! The location was simply perfect - close to Bocas but thankfully far from the noise and bustle. The house itself was sensational - endless hours passed relaxing on the balcony... And we enjoyed many days on nearby beaches, swimming and snorkeling. The guardian who lives right next door was also super (and his wife helped in the house every day and made the most sensational coconut bread!) It was just the most relaxing week we have enjoyed in years and we felt very proud showing off this side of Panama to our international visitors. We'll be back.
Big Ole Joe said on Trip Advisor: We loved it. It is a water taxi ride for (usually) $2 per person each way if you wanna go to Bocas or Carenero (I think it was $3 or $4/person to go to Red Frog Beach). That's the down side (though the landlord provides a cell phone that has several water taxis programmed into it and you can call for a taxi and have it there in under 15 minutes....at the end of your own dock).
Upside.....incredibly quiet, very nice house, maintenance guy/gardener is right next door. There's no cars on Solarte so you can get lulled into no car sounds. We had IPOD and our lil speakers so we had tunz and there is a DVD player/TV if you just need sound (we never used it). Two bedrooms with ceiling fans and floor fans and then there's like 4 beds up on the loft Nice kitchen and we kept the fridge stocked so we dined in several meals. The wraparound front/side veranda on the second floor (main living area) is amazing. A book, a beer, and that view....I miss it.
There is no beach, proper, on Solarte but ther little cove next to Hospital Point is very easy access, you do cross private property, but the trail/path is not limited and we actually traded paperbacks with the people that were living on the point....also used their internet to check email. Hospital Point cove (small beach....very beautiful and tres private except when the snorkeling boats come (seemed like 1 or 2 a day but it was a bit rainy when we were there).
I dove 5 of the 7 days we were here and any of the dive shops can pick you up at the dock and drop you off after, so you don't have to pay for water taxi and it's very convenient.
La Casa Blanca was a little isolated, a lot lovely, a way lot quiet. I'd stay there again in about a millisecond.
Sandy and Wayne: Good morning Andrew, just wanted to email you to say thank you! We had a wonderful time staying in your house on Solarte. What a wonderful home, all 4 of us totally enjoyed staying there.
Your agent Veronica met our early morning flight, took us to the store for a little bit of food and then the water taxi to the house where we met Augustin. Everything was explained wonderfully and Veronica was on her way. Augustin was extremely helpful in everything and very thoughtful, especially at night when we went to town for supper he always had the dock light on for us, so thoughtful! He took us for a walk to Hospital Point to show us the beach and snorkeling spot, so good.
The whole experience in Bocas and area was great, we saw everything, got out to Zapitilla Cays, and Drego, over to Red Frog beach and the highlight was ziplining on the canopy tour. Highly recommended. Saw dophins in the wild, something we had never seen, had them swimming and playing in our boats wake.
Again, Andrew, thank you, if we ever get back to Bocas we will surely rent your place again.
Sandy and Wayne Shewchuk & Jacquie and Dave Zutter
Keywords: Own dock, Waterfront, Luxury, 5 minutes Bocas Town, Situated Isla Solarte
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washing Machine : Please use very sparingly to help reduce the load and conserve your electricity.
- Linens Provided
- Beds
- Child Bed : Crib available on request.
- Twin/ Single (2)
- Queen (3)
- Entertainment
- Music Library : Sony Docking speaker for iPod etc.
- CD
- Video Library
- TV
- Stereo System
- DVD
- Kitchen
- Refrigerator
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils
- Outdoor Features
- Deck/Patio : Sun Bath or take shade over the water on the end opf your own private dock.
- Gazebo
- Balcony
- Outdoor Grill Charcoal
- View/Location
- Oceanfront : Swimming access right into the Caribbean from your own dock.
- Communications
- Cell Phone
- Suitability
- Smoking Allowed : But please only outside on the veranda.
- Pets Not Allowed
- Activities
- Surfing
- Wind-Surfing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Cycling
- Sailing
- Snorkeling/Diving
- Sight Seeing
- Horseback Riding
- Restaurants
- Wildlife Viewing
- Shelling
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Kayaking
- Other Activities
- Bird watching, frog, bats and monkey viewing guides for tours can be arranged for you.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
All year round location....$1000/wk for whole house. 7 days/7 nights including personal pick up from Bocas Airport or Ferry Docks. Guided provisioning trip in Town. Short water taxi transfer to your own dock. Guided walk through La Casa Blanca.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Map & Owner's Profile
Why the Owner Chose Bahia Honda
Let the guest quotes say it for us: "Dream holiday spot!" What a spot! The location was simply perfect - close to Bocas but thankfully far from the noise and bustle. The house itself was sensational - endless hours passed relaxing on the balcony... And we enjoyed many days on nearby beaches, swimming and snorkeling. The guardian who lives right next door was also super (and his wife helped in the house every day and made the most sensational coconut bread!) It was just the most relaxing week we have enjoyed in years and we felt very proud showing off this side of Panama to our international visitors. We'll be back.
The Unique Benefits at this HouseAnother quote: Big Ole Joe - We loved it. The landlord provides a cell phone that has several water taxis programmed into it and you can call for a taxi and have it there in under 15 minutes....at the end of your own dock). Incredibly quiet, very nice house, maintenance guy/gardener is right next door. There's no cars on Solarte so you can get lulled into no car sounds. We had IPOD and our lil speakers so we had tunz and there is a DVD player/TV if you just need sound (we never used it). Two bedrooms with ceiling fans and floor fans and then there's like 4 beds up on the loft (and two couches that probably fold out....it was just the two of us, so we never figgered that out). Nice kitchen and we kept the fridge stocked so we dined in several meals. The wraparound front/side verandah on the second floor (main living area) is amazing. A book, a beer, and that view....I miss it. On Solarte there little cove next to Hospital Point very easy access, you do cross private property, but the trail/path is not limitted and we actually traded paperbacks with the people that were living on the point....also used their internet to check email. Hospital Point cove (small beach....very beautiful and tres private. I dove 5 of the 7 days we were here and any of the dive shops can pick you up at the dock and drop you off after, so you don't have to pay for water taxi and it's very convenient. La Casa Blanca was a little isolated, a lot lovely, a way lot quiet. I'd stay there again in about a millisecond.
Owner's Map of Bahia Honda
We are a British family who built a home in Bocas some years ago and when we are not working in the UK we relax at La Casa Blanca. However, it is a long way for us to travel and therefore not used as much as we would wish. So come and take a look at why we enjoy Bocas so much and enjoy the comfort of La Casa Blanca.
Property Photos
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- La Casa Blanca
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- Wrap around veranda
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- Tree Climb Shot by guest Bryson Voirin, Sloth Researcher.
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- Bocas in the distance from the veranda
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- Enjoy one of Bocas many beaches
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- Kitchen, diner and veranda beyond
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- La Casa Blanca nestles in the shade of the big tree
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- Swing chair from caracol below sleeping mezanine
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- Locals Commute to work
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- Lounge
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- Sunbather on Red Frog Beach
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- Star Fish in the aptly named Star Fish Bay.
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- Augustine's Cayuco with Guest
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- The School Run on Isla Solarte
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- Another beautiful sunrise
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- Indian Cayuco
Traveler Reviews (4)
Authentic Bocas del Toro atmosphere
Guest: Two Parisian guys
(Paris, France)
Date of Stay: 05/10/12
Review Submitted: 05/22/12
The Casa Blanca is located in an authentic friendly Indian village where life seems to go on as usual, despite the arrival of tourism. Habitants still greet you with a smile, without asking for anything in return. The fact that there are no cars on the whole island is a welcome change as it forces you to function differently, and do everything by boat. This was very easy, as Veronique who met us on arrival introduced us to a reliable boatman who always arrived within a couple of minutes after we called him, and took us to fantastic places like the Dolphin Bay and the snorkeling at Cayos Zapatillos. Even if there aren’t any beaches as such on the island, we also enjoyed snorkeling at Hospital Point, just 10 minutes’ walk from the Villa. The Villa itself has magnificent views from its huge terrace over the sea and the Bocas town on the other side of the bay. Nevertheless, on both sides, you’ll also see (and sometimes, hear) the Indian homes on stilts just next door to the villa, and people passing by just in front you. The Owner and his agent Veronica were very easy to deal with and organized everything perfectly. The Caretaker was helpful in trying to fix the problems with the fridge, oven and washing machine, but unfortunately, wasn’t capable of fixing the latter. The fact that lives just next door was of course handy, but he also showed up upstairs in your private space at any time without warning, in a rather obtrusive manner. The Villa itself has a nice colonial touch, but it was rather surprising to find out after the price you've paid that some of the amenities don’t work, or are in rather poor condition (e.g. washing machine, fans, shower faucet, fridge, oven, tv only for dvd’s, worn out pans and kettles, toaster). This didn’t ruin our holidays, though, because this is Caribbean, the real & authentic one.
Owner response:Lars and Jean-Pierre I am glad that you enjoyed the real, old, Caribbean. La Casa Blanca certainlly has lots of style and comfort for this and the neighbours are great. Veronica our Agent says you were in contact each day and she was on hand to help you with all of your trips and any issues that arose. The sea air and the Caribbean Sun mean a harsh climate for appliances. They wear quickly but we replace them often. For instance the fridge is less than 1 year old and cost a fortune. Following your feedback we have had the engineer call to service it. Like our book library we also provide a stock of DVDs with a player and a TV to watch them. You are the first to mention the lack of TV programmes but we will install an Antenna although don't envisage much guest interest in local Panama programmes. Augustin, our Caretaker is a lovely man but I think you both fascinated him. I have had strong words about guest privacy. We have recently installed new D.C.fans and I am sure you will agree that these are working well. They are much more efficient than the old A.C. ones which we disconnected in an effort to be more sympathetic to the "off-grid" set up. As you say there is an authentic Bocas feel to Casa Blanca and this is accompanied by a little compromise and a bit of local manana. We are pleased that you enjoyed your stay. Andrew and Jane
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, sightseeing, families with teenagers.
Panama Paradise!
Guest: Geoff and Jen
(Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/13/12
Review Submitted: 03/14/12
My wife and I stayed at Casa Blanca for a week in February 2012 and had a fabulous time. The house is spacious and beautiful, and isolated enough to give alot of privacy. The large veranda was ideal for eating meals, lounging in the sun, or just looking out on the bay. The rooms were comfortable, stayed cool at night, and there were no problems with bugs. The kitchen was well stocked and had everything we needed. The caretaker Augustine was extremely helpful. He went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable and would take us anywhere we wanted to go in his dugout boat. On the downside there were problems with the refridgerator staying on, and the DVD player didn't work. It was a little noisy at night as you could hear the loud music from the bars in Bocas across the bay. There is lots to do in Bocas. Its a charming town with a real Carribbaen feel, with alot of young people from all over the world. Red Frog beach is pretty and not very crowded. Great snorkeling at Hospital Point and we had some good diving trips. Would recommend renting bikes and riding up to Playa Bluff. There are many inexpensive tours you can take to go dolphin and sloth watching, snorkeling, and jungle walks. I would recommend Jampon tours in Bocas. Overall we had a great time in Bocas del Toro and enjoyed our stay at Casa Blanca. Bocas is very laid back and a great place to " get away from it all." We would highly recommend staying at Casa Blanca.
Owner response:Geoffrey. Thank you very much for your review. We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay at La Casa Blanca and have passed on your positive remarks to Augustin. We have taken your feedback and made sure that the fridge has had its first year service early and also replaced the DVD Player again. Sorry that it did not work for you! I am glad you enjoyed your dives and it does make it so much easier when you can be picked up from your own dock for these and other water trips. Andrew and Jane
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, sightseeing, families with teenagers.
GLORIUS
Guest: AJ
(UK)
Date of Stay: 12/02/11
Review Submitted: 03/03/12
We travelled all around Panama before getting here and this was our highlight. We just relaxed into it. The House is right on the water and we went swimming every day from our own dock. The Caretaker, Augustine would take us the short trip into Bocas most nights and the choice of bars and restaurants there was excellent. There were only 4 of us and the house was huge, well equiped and just right to relax in after a day of touring. It got hot while we stayed and there was no A/C because the house is off grid but the shutters and the fans made it OK and sitting on the balcony in the morning breeze was lovely. We were next to the local Village and we would see Locals in their wooden dug-outs and the little School Children walking out front on their way to School. Everyone was nice and friendly and we would go again in a moment. This was far better than your average "package holiday" and a million miles from the All Inclusive resorts. Highly recommended.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, sightseeing, families with teenagers.
Great holiday
Guest: Sandy
(Sparwood, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/17/11
Review Submitted: 03/22/11
Good morning Andrew, just wanted to email you to say thank you! We had a wonderful time staying in your house on Solarte. What a wonderful home, all 4 of us totally enjoyed staying there. Your agent Veronica met our early morning flight, took us to the store for a little bit of food and then the water taxi to the house where we met Augustin. Everything was explained wonderfully and Veronica was on her way. Augustin was extremely helpful in everything and very thoughtful, especially at night when we went to town for supper he always had the dock light on for us, so thoughtful! He took us for a walk to Hospital Point to show us the beach and snorkeling spot, so good. The whole experience in Bocas and area was great, we saw everything, got out to Zapitilla Cays, and Drego, over to Red Frog beach and the highlight was ziplining on the canopy tour. Highly recommended. Saw dophins in the wild, something we had never seen, had them swimming and playing in our boats wake. Again, Andrew, thank you, if we ever get back to Bocas we will surely rent your place again. Sandy and Wayne Jacquie and Dave
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+.
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #127684
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