Calovebora is a remote Panamanian coastal town located near Santa Fe in the Vergarus region. If you’re looking for an authentic Caribbean hidden gem that no one knows about, you can find it here, in Calavebora. The beach is wild and secluded, while the cost of living is one of the lowest in all of Panama.
For the curious among you that look at Panama’s map and wonder: “what is this tiny dot on the Caribbean side, and how do I get there”? Well, there is a path.
The construction of the road leading to Calovebora lasted 14 years and was finished last year. Till then, tourists who wished to visit the town did it via a boat on the Calovébora River. Of course, when the inhabitants themselves needed to leave the village, they did it the same way.
Before I continue, let’s make sure we’re on the same page.
Calovebora is not a resort town, and there aren’t any fancy hotels or Michelin restaurants. On the contrary, It’s a rustic town.
Electricity is only available when the sun shines on the solar panels. There’s no cellular reception or visitor center. But the locals are very straightforward and will welcome you as a guest. And actually, when I think about it, that is what we loved most about Calavebora, the people. We had a lot of fun with the families in town and loved hearing about their lives and telling them about ours.
I believe it’s an opportunity to chill, hang and eat in the cheapest part of the Panamanian Caribbeans.
What’s in Town
Despite the fact that it’s a small town, Calovebora holds everything people of simplicity need. With three mini-markets selling fruits, vegs, bread, snacks, even some medication and shower products. In one word, BASICS.
There are two restaurants in town, one is run by Olivia and the other by Mariela. Both are affordable and offer food made with love.
The restaurants are cheap enough, so you won’t have to worry about cooking for yourself with a variety of dishes:
- Lentils or beans with rice – 2$.
- Chicken or fish with rice – 4$.
- Prawns with rice – 6$.
- Lobster with rice – 8$.
Where to stay in Calovebora
At the moment there are three places offering rooms and some even have a restaurant.
Mariela and Cheo
+50766465961 via WhatsApp
the first and most famous hostel in Calovebora. Its reputation precedes it, and for a good reason. It was without a doubt our favorite hostel in Panama. It’s rustic but comfortable, and there is a buzz all day long. They have the best restaurant in Calovébora, serving freshly caught fish, lobsters, shrimp and meat at affordable prices. It is also the only place in Calavebora where you can get WiFi ( 1$ per hour). Rooms cost 20$ per night.
We stayed for four nights at Mariela and Cheo because it was impossible to leave. Mariela and Cheo pampered us and surprised us with their generosity. They made us feel like we were a part of the family, offering us every new dish they made and taking us to hidden beaches with their boat. Calovebora was very special to us also because of their hospitality.
Delicious Calovébora
The best option for budget travelers in the town of Calovébora with double rooms starts at 10$ a night. The rooms are small but consider you’re in it for sleeping only. There is a shared terrace with hammocks and a dining table.
Casa del Mar
The newest addition to Calovebora, Casa del Mar has a vast terrace with an ocean view and basic but spacious rooms for 20$ a night. There is also a popular restaurant on the first floor serving mainly fresh fish and chicken.
Things to do in Calovebora
1. Visit Secluded Beaches in Secluded Calovebora
Suppose the secludiness of Calovebora beach is not enough for you, or maybe you’re just a big fan of walking by the coast and seeing where you’ll end up in. Well.. in that case, this paragraph is made for you.
The jungly coast of Calovebora stretches for a couple of kilometers. Still, sometimes we seek that mushroom-shaped beach that makes you feel like you’re the only living human in the world. Calovebora has so many of these types of beaches.
Our suggestion is to walk down to the coast from the town and when you’re facing the sea turn right and start walking. After 15min walk you’ll reach a hill which you’ll have to climb up to. There’s a proper path that leads up the hill and down again. That’s it, after only 15 min you’ll arrive at the first mushroom-shaped beach Calovebora holds.
We stopped on the first beach and spent the day there. It had everything we looked for: calm, clear water, coconuts on the trees, and a smooth sandy beach.
It looked like a dream!
If you wish, you can keep walking on the road, explore new beaches, and tell us what you found in the comments below.
2. Visit Isla Escudo de Veraguas
Referred to by the locals as the last hidden paradise in Panama, a visit to Isla Escudo de Veraguas will be a unique adventure when visiting Calovebora or Santa Fe. The island is uninhabited except for a few fishermen and is home to the endemic three-toed pygmy sloth.
The island also has rich underwater marine life and a few of the most beautiful beaches in Panama. The price of a one-day tour is not cheap: about 100$ per person, so we decided to skip it and stay in Calavebora on our hammocks. But after meeting a group of people who came back exhilarated from the tour, we truly regretted our decision.
So if you want to visit one of the last unexplored islands in central America, pay the 100$ and tell us what we missed in the comments below.
The tour can be arranged via your hostel in Santa Fe or by Mariela and Cheo in Calovebora.
What to Pack
Here are the essentials you need to pack to have a fantastic time in Calovebora:
Daypack | Sandals for Him & for Her | Swimsuit for Him & for Her | Sunscreen | Water bottle | Mosquito repellent | GoPro | Kindle | Rain poncho
How to get to Calovebora
Public transportation in Panama is relatively convenient and easy to use. Plenty of buses arrive and leave on time, and the destination is written on the bus’ front window. So if you don’t have a car, you can easily travel the country using public transportation.
To visit Calovebora by bus, you will have to first arrive at Santiago, the biggest city in the Verguras province. The city itself is not that interesting and usually provides a gateway to Santa Fe and Santa Catalina. If we have missed something in the city of Santiago, feel free to get mad at us and tell us what we’ve missed in the comments below.
Santiago Central Station is pretty small, and you will easily find the bus to Santa Fe. A bus leaves every hour, and the ride takes 2 hours and costs 2.90$.
From Santa Fe, take a bus to Guabal. The ride takes 45 min and costs 3$. Buses leave from Santa Fe to Guabal at 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 13:00, 15,00.
From Guabal, take the bus to Calovebora. The ride takes one hour and costs 5$. The bus leaves Guabal when the one from Santa Fe arrives.
Final Thoughts
We had five laid-back days in Calovebora full of great food and coastal adventures. However, Calovebora is not for the spoiled traveler, Even the Panamanians who visit Calovebora see themselves as adventurous. Everything is very simple, village life takes place around you, and everything occurs on the Caribbean Sea. We felt invisible when nature surrounded us and as life passed in front of us. I guess when you’re the least seen, you’re part of it.
