faqs about santa catalina panama

some of the most common faqs about santa catalina panama are :are there shops to buy groceries in santa catalina?
also people want to know if there are fruits and vegetables in santa catalina to take on our trip to coiba or should we stock up in santiago?

These are all valid questions of practical,well traveled people that know that when traveling to remote places you have to be prepared ahead of time.And Santa Catalina was know as a place with few places to eat and seldom those few kept very unreliable opening times.
So if you are coming soon to Santa Catalina and wonder about food options let me tell you about the present situation:
The days of not finding a restaurant are over.as the village develops and new rooms and cabins have been built with more comforts,so does the village now counts with about a dozen restaurants,between the ones that stand on their own or the ones at several hotels(we at Sol y Mar Hotel included) and surfcamps that are also open to the general public.These restaurants serve a variety of food,from panamanian,italian,argentinian,portuguese,fish,seafood.Of this,a few are located in the village and others on the way to estero beach,so no matter where you are staying you will always have a few within short distance.That sorts the issue of eating out.
what about those that want to cook their own meals?
At Sol y Mar there are a couple of small basic kitchens shared by 6 rooms.Guests can use it at no extra charge.Each room also has a mini-fridge so you can keep some food.
Stocking up on food is a diferent matter.There are three tiny groceries that hold only a few basics,mostly canned altough they will also have things like eggs,cheese ham,maybe some frozen chicken.ocasionally one of the stores will have a few vegetables and fruits.But the best way to buy fruits and vegetables is to look or ask for the whereabouts of the fruit trucks that nowadays and especially in the dry season come on a regular basis to santa catalina.They travel at low speed,will stop if you wave them to along the main road and estero road and anounce their presence trough a loud speaker,telling you every kind of fruit and vegetable they carry on the back of the pick-up
for fish,the cantina at the entrance of town keeps fish packed in ice at the back or if you have the time speak to locals at santa catalina beach in the morning,find out who is out fishing what and wait patiently sometime around the time they are expected hoping to get the fresh catch of the day.thats what i do many times.
as for meat,our restaurant and several others in catalina serve fine meats but you cant buy it in catalina,only option Santiago,two hours away.In Santiago you have several big supermarkets where you find almost anything you may need.This is a good place to buy anything you think you might need on your way to santa catalina and its actually the place where all the restaurants and many locals go do their supermarket.
always good to know about the food,right?good surf,diving or dishing are not that good on an empty stomach.hope this helps

sunset today from terrace of hotel sol y mar in santa catalina panama.

surf lessons in santa catalina panama

If you are coming to santa catalina panama and want to learn how to surf contact Luis at catalinaluis@hotmail.com to organize your surf lesson and you will be surfing in no time!!!

hotel and restaurant sol y mar santa catalina panama

just letting all my friends know that the restaurant at hotel sol y mar is officially a success!!!!
have had all the guests in the cabins and more people from santa catalina eating here and they all come back for more,proving the food is good!!!!the most compliments go to our octupus rice!!!if you come to santa catalina panama make sure you stay at hotel sol y mar or if not come have dinner at the restaurant.see you soon

New restaurant in Santa Catalina Panama

New Restaurant in Santa Catalina Panama!!!Sol y Mar Hotel just opened its restaurant!!!We serve the best cuts of meat and freshest seafood and fish only!!!!Our speciality Octupus Rice is already a success!!!All this on top of the hill above Sol y Mar cabins on the main street in Santa Catalina Panama.We have for you great views of the Pacific Ocean,excelent food and drinks,a pool and ping-pong tables,music,internet and excelent service.Hope to have your visit soon!!!!

Sol y Mar in Santa Catalina Panama new remodeled rooms and restaurant!!!

hi Everyone!!! big news this week!!!
we just finished remodeling our rooms,so on top of having the most equipment now they are also the most stylish in Santa Catalina Panama.here are photos of our remodeled cabins
Make your reservations now!!!!Contact us by e-mail catalinaluis@hotmail.com or by phone (00507) 69202631





we also just opened the Sol y Mar Restaurant!!!!We serve breakfast and dinner a la carte offering the best cuts of meat,fish and seafood.We also prepare lunch packs for you to take on your boat trips to dive,snorkel or fish in Coiba.If you are a guest and feel hungry while the kitchen is not open do not hesitate to ask Luis,for we always will have soups,cold salads,sandwiches and other treats available.From the restaurant you have amazing views of the ocean,surrounded by tropical trees and with permanent breezes that will make your dining experience even more pleasant.We have also a pool table where you can spend time siping some beers and provide internet service.

weather in santa catalina panama november 2009

Update on weather conditions in santa catalina and coiba panama
we had the rainiest week in the whole year so far.its been raining for 5 days non stop,that even caused the road to sona to be closed for some time due to floods close to sona.in santa catalina there was no floods but it was not the best weather for the tourists.there was as told you on my last entry a lot of people in town for the fiestas patrias holiday but not much they could do,the rain was not letting go,we ended up having to cancel the coiba snorkeling trips we had scheduled...
soon the rainy season will start,this is the last big rains for sure,so start booking your holidays at sol y mar now,we are getting lots of bookings,almost full for christmas and new year season