Balboa Harbor, Panama-panoramic photo

Almirante waterfront
Panoramic view of an inlet of the Almirante Bay from the Ferry Dock on a drizzly, overcast day. The Bocas del Toro region receives an abundant amount of rainfall year round, especially along the coast and is lush with thick, green jungle vegetation as a result. Notice all the buildings and shacks built on stilts along the water's edge, many of them partially or completely over the water. It is typical for homes in this region to be built on stilts even when they are located far from the water because the soil is so soft from all the rainfall that the buildings gradually sink into the ground over time. New constructions are can be several feet higher up than buildings that were built just 10-20 years ago. The tourism industry in Bocas has exploded over the last several years--I was surprised to see dozens and dozens of english-speaking caucasian tourists in a single day on this trip, whereas I only ran across one American couple in the five months that I was there in 1995. Bocas del Toro, Panama.