This is the place for the vagabond to hole up on the beach in Panama. Playa Gorgona is the typical high-rise, expensive hotel beach on the Pacific Coast of Panama. This hotel is by far the cheapest and is run by a big black momma who will be sure to provide well for you.
The Virgen del Carmen Hotel is basic but it has everything that you need.
Price: $12 for a double, room for negotiation. Some people get charged more, which may have to do with the season, time of arrival, or maybe because the big, black momma thinks they have more money to spend. I took a look at the ledger and noticed that $12 for a double and $8 if there was only one person seem to have been the bottom rates.
Directions:
Go towards the beach from the main highway and take a right at the first intersection near the beach. Or follow the signs to the Swiss-run Hostel (the only hostel that has signs pointing to it, forgot the name, think it was something like Hostel Cabinas). The Virgen de Carmen Hotel is next door to the Swiss-run Hostel. The Hostel is expensive, $70 for a double. Not a real hostel.
Or walk to the beach and take a right. Walk down the beach until you get to the end and walk up the stairs. From here walk out to the road and take a right, the Virgen de Carmen Hotel is on the left after the Swiss Hostel.
The Virgen del Carmen Hotel is friendly, clean enough, in a cool village where the people are friendly and always laughing. Good beach close by, lots of Panamanians swimming and singing in the bright sunshine. Good place to be. Ignore the white man-beach to the west, the local one is far better. Good beach near Panama City.
Photographs of Playa Gorgona and Virgen del Carmen Hotel:
Go to Vagabond Fieldnotes Index Wade from Vagabond Journey.com
Copan Ruinas, Honduras
March 18, 2008
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