Avis Casita del Mar, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Paradise on earth is that too much. The home was lovely, the amenities were great, the views were beautiful.the staff were so amiable, responsive, and professional. We hired the boat captain to take us to monkey island and zapatilla #2. It was a beautiful day. We hired the chef to cook for us for two nights, and we could not have enjoyed a better meal anywhere else. The food was amazing! We went into Bocas del Toro and it was a cute town but most of our time was spent at Casita Del Mar. You could do some snorkeling and use the paddle boards/kayaks from the house and they offered boots for a hike. We opted for a short hike. The water off the dock was shallow and I went into the water but you would have to go further to snorkel which put you into the boat traffic. I opted not too. What I did love was all the fishes you could feed off the dock, so much fun. Rooms were beautiful and large tub was amazing. Shower had great water pressure. Just to be clear there’s no AC but a fan was supplied. But it was hot. And the sand flies are pretty annoying, the next day after being bitten. Picardin seemed to work well the first day. They also supplied coconut oil as a repellent. I would also have treated the clothing with some Permethrin Fabric treatment to use as a repellent. In spite of these two small inconveniences, it was amazing stay, and so thankful for the opportunity to enjoy a once in a lifetime experience.

This house is a true gem. We absolutely loved being able to snorkel, kayak, and SUP straight from the dock. We also enjoyed walking the trails behind the house. We woke up each morning to the sound of jungle birds and howler monkeys, were greeted by dolphins mid morning, and even experienced the bioluminescent plankton at night. The house was equipped with everything you could possibly need, even water shoes, rubber boots to hike in, and bug spray.

If you’re a snorkeler looking for that place you can go every day right from your front deck, this is for you. Every morning a natural alarm clock of hundreds of parrots flying from their nesting area to their daytime area woke us as the sun came up. Every morning we looked out the window and felt we would never get tired of the view and felt the peace of the place. Most striking is the quiet, no cars or airplanes. Motorboats occasionally go by but mostly every morning just a string of people in handmade canoes would pass by silently on their way to work or school. We would greet them and they would greet us back. At night the parade would go the other direction. The stars are brilliant at night because there’s very little light pollution. If you’re lucky enough to experience a storm, the rain and lightning is fascinating. Be sure to visit the chocolate farm. Its a short boat ride and well worth the time. Its not really just a chocolate farm. Its an incredible environmental experience with some cocoa trees and items for sale at the end. The owner is very knowledgeable and outgoing about everything. We saw our first of five sloths that day before we even got off the dock. The walk was strenuous for me, some uphill and downhill, but walking sticks and help were available if needed. I would do it again in a heartbeat. The entire support staff made us feel taken care of and part of the community. I could go on forever. Lovely place.

Not only is this situated on the heart of Dolphin Bay, it's quiet, spacious and well thought out. Plenty of towels and the kitchen was well stocked with everything we needed. When we had an issue with the fridge not getting cold enough, Katerine sent someone out the next morning to fix it. Dolphins everyday, the best reef right out the front door, and spectacular sunrises. A wonderful week!

We had a great vacation. Everything listed was accurate and we had beautiful views! Def recommend

I can't recommend this rental home enough! My family (husband and two kids age 10 and 7) stayed here for one week. We all loved the view, ability to snorkel right from the porch, the howler monkeys in the jungle, and the house's layout and luxurious beds. Check-in - Getting in was a little hectic, but was managed well. We were taken to the dock to drop off our luggage and walked to the grocery store close by. There is a pretty good variety of foods. Just come prepared for tight aisles and a crowd. I recommend having a list of the most important things you need so you don't forget them. We forgot butter, garlic, and eggs, but got them on another trip later that week. Once they bagged our groceries, they brought them over to the dock for us, which was so helpful since we had quite a load. It was a 20-25 minute boat ride to the house from there. Getting to the house, the manager showed us around and asked us about plans for the week so she could help us start to make any needed reservations. The stay - Our favorite things to do were snorkeling from the house (there are some jellyfish and sea urchins in the water, so be careful), hiking in the jungle, relaxing on the porch watching the water, kayaking, and taking several outings: 1) Zapatilla Island - If you are looking for a beautiful tropical island and beach, go here! The boat captain took us early enough that we were the first ones and got to enjoy it by ourselves before a crowd arrived. 2) Green Acres Chocolate Farm - A close boat ride away and a fantastic learning opportunity about some of the local flora and fauna. 3) Bat Cave - We saw some cool animals in addition to the bats. Didn't go too far into the cave because the water gets deep, but still saw a lot. 4) Coral Key for snorkeling - Saw some larger coral formations and schools of fish. Very beautiful. We had the chef cook for us for five nights and it was so great. He used the foods we had purchased and created different meals every night. A very friendly guy and speaks fantastic English, too! I booked an appointment for a 60-minute massage and the masseuse came right to the house and set up the table in the kitchen, complete with relaxing music. She does a Swedish-style massage. This place is not the best choice for people who - have small children, have mobility issues, or don't like geckos (there are several little geckos in the house that are fantastic little pest control agents, but can be scary to some people).

Book this property now! My family of 4, my husband and two teenage boys had the most amazing stay at Casita Del Mar! The experience was first class all the way. We had Erika greet us at the airport, she took us shopping and helped navigate our entire trip. Jose our boat captain took us out fishing, to red frog beach and zapatilla island, even showed us a snorkel spot with some super chill and large north sharks! Our boys were amazed! We had Jose cook dinner for us every night and the whole family enjoyed the meals. Katharine cooked our first night and she did an amazing job with some fish that was caught the same day. Overall, this trip was the adventure we’ve been needing for a long time. And don’t worry too much about the no see ums, just cover up with the coconut oil provided, wear long sleeves and long pants and stay inside when the wind dies down in the evening. Bring some antihistamine for if you get a couple bites, those worked well for us. Overall, this trip was a dream come true! Don’t miss out!

The location of this beautiful property is magical. So peaceful and serene with only the sounds of nature and an occasional passing boat. Got to see dolphins in the bay each day of our stay and a stingray right off the deck of the house. House was very well equipped with everything needed to prepare meals and enjoy them on the deck but highly recommend having the chef cook for you at least once as the meal was delish! The hosts were very responsive and Jose the boat captain/wildlife spotter completed the trip. Would highly recommend this property for anyone looking to get away and disconnect.

We spent 5 nights at Casa del Mar last week and it was beyond our expectations. The house is so beautiful, luxurious and CLEAN. So clean. The wraparound deck = superb. The sunrises 😍😍 breathtaking. The water so so clear. Jose and Katerina were fantastic - Jose’s smile and knowledge when taking out us was priceless. He took us to a spot where dolphins played right beside the boat, pointed out sloths we would have missed and just a great human. From our front deck we saw stingrays, so many fish, more starfish than we could count and dolphins (50-100ms off the deck). We dawn with jelly fish. Were on the paddle boards daily… Would highly recommend if looking for a place to really get away from it all. Some notes: **take heed of the warning of the dawn and dusk “no-see-ums” they are no joke and their bites itch for days and days and days. Wear long clothing at dusk and dawn if outside. ** if you are going exploring - would recommend asking prior to how much to expect for fuel costs - we were shocked at how high fuel costs were. **the water off the deck is very shallow and right on a beautiful little reef - so no jumping directly in the water - there is a careful swim/paddle board over the reef to more comfortable swimming water levels. **the wifi was gloriously weak - if needing to work while there this might not be the spot. Our family had a great internet detox - messages taking hours to send. Not a complaint - just good to know.

This place was beautiful, house was equipped with everything we needed. The view was awesome right on the water, it was so peaceful to sit and watch for dolphins. The boat captain Jose is very friendly. The only complaint is there is a sewage smell around the property. Depending on the breeze it went away, but it was around quite a bit.