Description
Cala Mia is a charming boutique hotel located on a pristine island off Panama’s Pacific coastline, and is bordered by sandy beaches. The property is all about ’no shoes, no news’, and consists of 11 beautiful thatched-roof bungalow suites, and there are large seating areas with sofas and hammocks. The rooms are individually decorated with locally crafted furnishings and woodwork. The hotel restaurant is perched high up and boasts breathtaking views of the bay, and offers excellent organic Mediterranean cuisine with ingredients sourced from the hotel’s vegetable garden.
You can relax by the infinity pool overlooking the ocean, do yoga on a smaller island only accessible by a hanging bridge, or indulge yourself at the spa. Other activities include horse riding trips, tours of the mangrove swamps, surfing, and deep sea fishing.
There are also fantastic opportunities to view the spectacular wildlife, such as howler monkeys, anteaters, turtles, dolphins and whales as well as the colourful bird life.
Accommodation
Cala Mia offers 11 Bungalow suites, including some two-bedroom suites adorned with bespoke furniture and furnishings by local artists and artisans and stunning viwes of the surrounding ocean, islands and bays
Childcare
Children are welcomed, but there are no specific facilities. Children under 7 years old stay for free.
Facilities
The hotel offers a restaurant serving delicious Mediterranean cuisine with ingredients sourced from the hotel's very own vegetable garden, bar, library, infinity fresh water pool, spa and yoga deck
Activities
Activities offered free of charge at Cala Mai include sea-kayaking, sailboarding, and snorkelling. Paid activities include horse riding on Boca Brava Island, mangrove tours, surfing on the breaks of "Moro Negrito", deep-sea fishing on the banks of Coiba, yoga courses, dinghies available for rent, and scuba diving over the submerged mountains of "Los Ladrones"
When to travel
This hilly country is hot throughout the year and the only relief from the high temperatures and humidity is to be found up in the highlands, where conditions are cooler and crisper, especially at night. Rainfall in Panama is very heavy on the Pacific coast and less so (but still substantial) in the lowlands of the Caribbean coast. The rainy season runs from May to December and downpours can be torrential, so always pack good waterproofs if going at this time of year. Sunshine levels are highest in the winter months (January to April), so this is a good time to visit, especially if you can stay in the hills where the air is fresher.
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Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Chiriqui, Panama
Cala Mia is located on the virtually uninhabited island of Boca Brava in the Archipielago of Chiriqui, which is part of the National Marina Park in the gulf of Chiriqui.
How to get there
14 hour 45 minute international flight to Tocumen International Airport, Panama City. 1 hour domestic flight to David from Panama City, followed by a short 10 minute transfer to Marina Pedregal, from where it is 70 minutes by boat to the hotel.
