Sur la maison de l'eau, de belles vues

The Over the Water House is a part of a collection of homes about a 7 minute boat ride from Bocas Del Toro. It is not a place for you if you are wanting to be in the midst of town but an awesome place if you are interested in relaxing and enjoying the people you are traveling with.

Logistics: Philip is the owner of the property. Once you arrive in Bocas, you will need to give him a call and he will have his driver meet you at a local grocery store. You need to get groceries while you are waiting. There are several grocery stores on the main town. The grocery store they meet you at was not my favorite so keep in mind that they are aren't the only show in town & if you cant find something you want, one of the other stores may have it. Get twice as much as you think you need. The boat ride is about 7 minutes from town. They will take you into town twice per day. Once in the morning and once in the evening if you want. Someone will stop by your villa each day to ask you what your plans are for the day so you need to have one (a plan that is). Our family pretty much stayed in the villa the entire time. I went back into town one other time to get more supplies but for the most part we really stayed in the villa.

The Home: It is a main house which is bordered by a bedroom and bath on each side. The all windows in the home face the water and it is a tremendous view. The home is equipped with Wifi and Apple TV. The kitchen is well stocked although I would have like to have had perhaps one more large skillet & a cookie sheet for the oven. Because it is on the ocean, some of the fixtures have weathered and I think that is something that should be expected. Small geckos do get into the property at times and again should be expected in this location. Beds are verycomfortable. Hot water is plentiful but exercise caution as it can be temperamental. The home is powered by solar panels and when they are working, all is good. They have a back up generator for when the solar panels are not generating enough power. We were fine for the first day and then had to go to generator power for the remaining days. The generator is a bit loud so we had to keep the back door of the property closed. During our stay, Philip was having trouble with the generator and we had to text him a few times when it failed. He was quick to come over to deal with it. Overall, we really really enjoyed our time. Amazing view and home. Be sure to snorkel right off the deck!

If you’re looking for a relaxing, private and beautiful vacation home, look no further. This house is incredible, and we couldn’t have been more pleased with our decision to stay for a week. Yes, you’re off the grid. And yes, you have to take a boat to town. But that’s part of the allure and magic of this home. If you’re a high maintenance traveler who expects perfection and convenience, this is probably not the rental for you. But if you’re adventurous, laid back, love lazy days lounging in the sun, dipping your toes in crystal clear waters and hopping on a paddle board – this is your spot.

The house has everything you need to be comfortable. The kitchen is well equipped and there’s plenty of seating and lounging areas - perfect for two couples, and I imagine older kids would love this place too. We felt 100% safe the entire time. Philip is a great host and lives nearby so was never far away when we had questions. We didn’t mind taking the boat to town at all. It takes 10 minutes but it’s a beautiful ride. Other reviews noted the drop-off location is too far outside town, but we never had a problem finding a taxi. One thing to be wary of are the sand flies. Make sure to bring plenty of bug spray! Coconut oil helps too and they sell it in town. We were bothered by the bugs at most of the beachy locations in Bocas.

If you’re looking for fun things to do, we LOVED Starfish Beach. We’ve been fortunate to have visited some amazing beaches before, but nothing like this. White sand beach with water so clear you don’t even need a snorkel. Palm trees provide shade just a few steps out of the water. There are huts with fresh caught fish and tasty drinks. This was our favorite day of the trip. It’s $65 round trip and worth every penny.

We also had a fun day at Red Frog Beach. We took the boat to town and caught a water taxi for $20 for the four of us. We also enjoyed Bibi’s, an over-water restaurant on Isla Carenero, just a few minutes by water taxi from town. Food was great, and it was a fun spot for afternoon cocktails. In town, there are some decent restaurants but don’t expect an impressive culinary scene in Bocas. We loved Ultimo Refugio, just beyond the Super Gourmet grocery. Super Gourmet has stuff you need to stock up the kitchen, but liquor was cheaper at the other markets down the street, as well as bug spray and sunscreen.

We highly recommend this rental, and want to thank Philip, Ingrid and Manuel for an unforgettable vacation!

Bocas Villas is for those who consider themselves “adventurous” travelers. You are “off the grid” because the house is solar powered and the water comes from a water collection system. We stayed in a house that was only a year old and it was a state-of-the-art residence with modern conveniences. The views from the house are breathtaking, and no pictures do it justice. The house is very clean and well maintained.

Being “off the grid” means that you have means to leave the house except by boat. Phil, the owner, and his assistants provided boat transportation twice a day: once in the morning, and once in the evening. We also took a trip to Starfish Beach (Playa de Las Estrellas) one day with the assistance of one of Phil’s boatmen. The cost was $65, and we thought that was a bit pricey for a 15 minute boat ride. The WiFi was good, but we had to call twice during our six day stay for someone to reset the router.

The only drawback was the trip to and from the house. The trip was in a small boat—when it rains, or when you travel on rough seas, you will get wet. On your trip to town, the boat drops you off on a small dock behind an unknown person’s house about 30 minutes away from the downtown area of Bocas town. You will need to hail a taxi from the dropoff point to get into town. On two occasions, we had to make the half-hour walk into town because we were unable to find a taxi. I don’t think the docking situation is commensurate with the fine level of accommodations that you experience at the house.

Bocas Villas is an ideal location for those looking to “get away from it all,” but for those who may want a more diverse vacation experience, exercise caution.

My friend and I just stayed at this lovely house and had a great time. The house is amazing with great snorkeling just below and sunsets right off the deck. One evening we sat and watched dolphins splash around just below the sunset. Phil and Ingrid were very kind, laid back and great.

Thanks for a lovely stay!

I don't know where to begin to explain what an incredible time my husband and I had here. We were here to celebrate our anniversary, relax and enjoy everything that the beautiful water has to offer. We got all of that and then some!

The house was perfect for what we were looking for. The kitchen and living area are huge, the beds are comfortable and the breeze-ways made the bedroom surprisingly comfortable at night.

I agree with the other reviews - the pictures do no do the house and the location of the house justice! You will understand what I'm talking about when you are snorkeling right off the front deck and falling asleep to the sounds of the water.

Our amazing host Kay made the trip even more special. She went out of her way to make sure our needs were met and made sure we had access to all of the activities and gear needed for these, ie paddle boards, sea kayak. Kay is so kind, so genuine and her love of Bocas del Toro is contageous.

The neighbors Poli and Lyo were also really nice, friendly and hospitable. They were happy to share their lobster and other fresh catches with us!

The combination of the beautiful surroundings, great house, the serinity and people made this one of our favorite vacations ever.

Traveler's notes: 1. Make sure to stalk up on food at the local market when you land. You will not want to leave the house every day to go to town for provisions.

2. Ask Kay how to work the coffee maker. It can be tricky.

3. Get more ice than you think you will need