We came to Gáldar in north-western Gran Canaria mainly to visit the Cueva Pintada, one of the island’s most important prehistoric sites, but quickly realized that the small town had a number of other sights that made it worth sticking around for a bit. These include a couple of cool free museums, a nice leafy…
The Ultimate 5-Day Itinerary for Gran Canaria
The third-largest Canary Island is hugely popular with tourists, but we found that most people seem to stick to the resorts in the south. Thus, if you want to get away from the crowds (and experience the ‘real’ Gran Canaria), renting a car to explore the other parts of the island is the way to…
Hiking the Pipeline Trail in Boquete, Panama – What to Know
The Sendero Pipa de Agua or Pipeline Trail is one of the easiest hikes we did during our backpacking trip through Panama, making it a good introduction to the Panamanian highlands, before attempting one of the more demanding hikes. Sometimes also known as the Hidden Waterfall Trail (Cascada Escondida), the Pipeline trail leads through a…
The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary for Panama’s Boquete District
If you’ve had your fill of lazing around on palm-fringed tropical beaches, the highlands around Boquete are a great way to experience a very different side of Panama. Firstly, if you’re a fan of hiking, like us, the town is a great base to explore the rainforests of the surrounding hills, and even to tackle…
The Ultimate Guide to Volcán Barú – Panama’s Highest Mountain
The moment we laid our eyes on the impressive mountain dominating Western Panama’s highlands, I knew that I had to climb to the top. At a height of 3,474 metres (11,401 ft), the views from the top are amazing and if you’re really lucky weather-wise, you’ll even be able to see both the Pacific and…
Caving at La Gruta – Getting Off the Beaten Path in Bocas del Toro, Panama
The Bocas del Toro Archipelago is Panama’s most popular travel destination, thanks to the amount of beautiful white-sand beaches on the islands, but if you’re like us and prefer exploration to lazing on the beach, there are plenty of more exciting things to do in the area. One of the best things we did in…
Everything to Know About Going Manatee-Spotting at Panama’s Humedal de San San Pond Sak
When we visited Panama’s Bocas del Toro Region, we knew right away that we didn’t want to just stick to the popular islands, but wanted to explore parts of the little-visited mainland as well. A guided tour of the San San Pond Sak Wetlands seemed like the perfect activity to get off Bocas’ Tourist Trail,…
How to Spend 3 Amazing Days in Bocas del Toro, Panama
While exploring Bocas del Toro at the end of our trip through Panama, we quickly realized that the province has two very different sides. Obviously, there are the paradisical white-sand-beaches of the Bocas Archipelago that are pictured in all the guidebooks and Instagram posts. But unless you want to, a trip to the region doesn’t…
Our Top 5 Favourite Beaches in Panama’s Bocas del Toro Archipelago
We found Panama’s Bocas del Toro Archipelago to be the perfect place to unwind at the end of our trip around the country. Firstly, it’s very easy to explore the islands, due to their well-developed tourist infrastructure, with some really cool places to stay at. Secondly, Bocas del Toro has some of the prettiest beaches…
What to Know About Visiting El Caño Archaeological Park, Panama
As an archaeologist, I always try to learn about the prehistory of the countries I visit, but Panama doesn’t have that many archaeological sites that are open to the public (or easy to reach without your own transport). Apart from the petroglyphs in El Valle de Antón, the only major prehistoric monument we managed to…