Driving from David to Bocas

We were driven from Boquete to Bocas. The roads were good and the vistas beautiful. You need a car with some get up and go for the hills, but no scary hairpins.

Or, just take a bus. Bocas Is an island so you'd either have to ferry the car over or leave it on the mainland.

There are reasonably priced shuttles daily - $30-35 from Boquete for example, they include the cost of the water taxi to the town of Bocas. It's the way to go.

If he is in David though, it makes more sense to take the bus from there. They go fairly frequently. Then, a short taxi ride to the boat launch, a fun water taxi and you are there. Transportation around Bocas area is mostly by water taxi unless you are staying on the main island, in which case you can walk anywhere in town, or bike or bus to other parts of the island. Also, you don't have to worry about finding a secure place to park the car in Allimarante, which isn't the most upscale of towns. My opinion, I wouldn't pay to rent a car and then have to drive when you can sit back and enjoy the scenery for a few dollars and let someone else worry about driving.

Just got back from making the drive from Panama City to Bocas. Driving from David is a much better plan not much to see on pan American highway. The drive north is beautiful. You get so high in the mountains you're in the clouds. There is a coffee shop about half way. (Pretty much the only one you can't miss it). Stop there wonderful coffee and nice restrooms. Definitely get an SUV or truck. Very steep mountains and sharp curves...lots of potholes. Don't plan on getting past 3rd gear. We took the direct route up to Bocas and came back down via caldera and Boquete. The caldera/Boquete route is much more scenic. (Coming down or south the turn off for Boquete route is just past the coffe shop.) there is a beautiful waterfall in Caldera. One of the most peaceful and beautiful drives I have ever made. It takes about 4 hours. Hope you decide to do it. Btw: I'm from the gulf coast in the south, no hills much less mountains. So this was an extremely interesting thing for me to do. Maybe ask for opinions from people who live in mountainous areas. Hope this helped.

Saw the other posts. We were in the country for a while driving so we had some luggage. The parking in Almirante is very safe. We left most of our luggage in the car and took one bag with us. We were gone for three days. Everything was fine. It only costs 3 dollars a day to park and the woman is super nice. The parking seems to be their big business in Almirante. They are not going to let anything happen.

When we went the trip there was no problem at all though there is a checkpoint so be sure to have you needed ID.  Coming back became an adventure we haven't forgotten.  Returning after dark may have been risky though it shouldn't have been.  Came around a curve and there in the middle of the high way was a man laying on his back looking very comfortable as though asleep rather than being hurt in any way.  I am licensed to carry two concealed handguns by the Policia National and had one on my person.  I felt this was a trap and banditos would run from the bushes and cause nothing but trouble.  I had no interest in risking my wife so I slowly passed by the guy in the high way while looking closely for any sign of physical trama.  Once passed, I resumed speed and that ended that adventure.  Had I been along, I may have stopped and gotten some target practice but on banditos, but why aggravate the natives if you don't have to.  While driving on I came upon a flat bed truck and trailer which was hard to pass on the two lane road and suddenly had a blowout on my left front tire.  The only roadside lite was on the other side of the highway so I crossed over and stopped under the lite.  Just in time for it to start raining.  I got my spare out and began the change in the rain when a car coming from the Bocas direction stopped and offered to help.  I crossed the highway and talked to the guy who had a lady with him.  He said he had a large hydraulic floor  jack in his trunk which would make the change much quicker.  Turned out that he did most of the tire change and said he would not accept any money but a slipped a twenty in his shirt pocket and told him to buy his lady a nice dinner.  The rest of the trip was uneventful but I often wonder what could have happened.  Soooooo, be careful and it may be best to time your return before total darkness.  Have fun!
Terry
Wondering if I should trust a man who stops to help a Gringo change a tire in the rain