In my efforts to find great honeymoon locations for our new book, I investigated and or wrote about Belize, Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico. Though I already knew that Panama is not a Third World country by any means, it does have the ring of a laid back, island paradise to it because it has so much beach front property on BOTH oceans. What I didn't know was how cheap a trip to there really is.
Did you know you can fly there from Detroit (I know, its DETROIT) or Chicago for only $234 round trip per person? That's practically cheaper than Hawaii! I explored airfares from many points in the U.S. in fact and is still should never cost over $500 per person no matter where you reside. (OK, Nome is not in the cards on this one! In fact, NOWHERE in Alaska is on the radar for a trip to Central or South America)
What I found however was astounding once you get there. Quick trips by air for $50 or less within Panama. Boat trips or water taxis for under $5. And a plethora of islands to visit - too many to identify or explore in depth for our book. But I'll share with you the itinerary I offered for our newlyweds.
Spend no more than $1000 for 2 tickets from almost anywhere in the US to fly into Panama City. Though you could undoubtedly find cheaper hotels, we suggested a $75-$125 spread for hotels in Panama City. But once you fly out to somewhere like Bocas del Toro, you can find hostels and B&B's from $20 per night to out of the way private island settings for $140 per night.
Our example is the highly acclaimed Garden of Eden, a B&B on a private island where the atmosphere and food are said to be top notch. Not one reviewer on TripAdvisor said anything negative about it. Assuming you only want to spend 3-4 nights here, you can always go back into Bocas del Toro and stay at a $45 per night place like the Cocomo on the Sea or the Bahia Inn. You can stay at a Hotel Olas also for even less but the reviews are pretty sad for this place.
Nonetheless, if you combine 4 nights at $50, 3 nights at $100 and 4 nights at $140, add in food and expenses for tours, diving, snorkeling or travel to Panama's one volcano or the Rain Forest and you can fly there and stay for 10-14 nights for anywhere from $2500 to $3500 depending on whether you leave from Detroit or Possum Bluffs MO.
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