It remains one of the great frontiers for Caribbean travel aficionados: Bocas del Toro, the spectacular archipelago in the Caribbean waters off the coast of Panama. 

For years, it’s also been home to the vast majority of overwater bungalow resorts in the region, at least until Sandals entered the space several years ago. 

But now there’s another significant new addition: Bocas Bali, a luxury overwater resort in the heart of Bocas del Toro. 

The resort, which opened late last year, has a mix of 16 overwater villas, along with a 70-foot freshwater pool and an eatery called Elephant House. 

Most notably, Bocas Bali has created what it calls the world’s first “aerial beach,” an elevated, 90-foot-long, 20-foot-wide beach set on a platform. 

“We have the most picturesque private island retreat at Bocas Bali and the only thing missing was the beach,” says Dan Behm, owner and founder of the hotel. “We wanted to create an experience in a class by itself that pays homage to the incomparable natural setting while providing our guests the luxury of a private beach experience on our exclusive island.”

The beach, called Kupu-Kupu (which comes from the Indonesian word for Butterly), has white sand, lounge chairs and a lounge called the Tipsy Bar. 

Green quartz-tiled stairs cascade down from the beach to allow guests to go straight into the water. 

The property is also 100 percent off the grid, powered by solar energy, using an eco-friendly wastewater treatment system and a construction process that specifically avoided any coral interference. 

“Sustainable luxury is the core of Bocas Bali,” says Scott Dinsmore, general manager of Bocas Bali. “We are very proud of what we have created.”

For more, visit Bocas Bali. 

The post The Caribbean’s Newest Overwater Bungalow Resort Is in Panama appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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They call her the “Pickleball Queen.”

Anna-Maria Joseph’s love affair with the game began during the pandemic, when hotels in Antigua were closed. 

At the time, the tourism executive was living at Elite Island Resorts’ St James’s Club, and Elite Chairman Robert Barrett suggested she go and learn pickleball to fill the time. 

The all-inclusive St James’s Club and Villas is arguably the Caribbean capital of pickleball, with three different courts — a vibrant home for a sport that continues to surge in popularity, particularly in the United States, Antigua’s top source market. 

Indeed, Elite has placed a premium on the game, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong and is played with a rectangular, round-edged paddle. 

“I decided to learn, and I and my daughter and other friends started playing,” Joseph says. “That’s how I became a pickleball queen.”

Joseph, who has a mask adorned with Pickleball Queen to prove it, leads the sport’s programming at St James’s Club and the nearby Hammock Cove resort, which also has two courts of its own. 

She’s also available to all guests that are looking for a game, or if their traveling partners aren’t players themselves. 

More and more guests are seeking out both resorts for their pickleball offerings. 

Pineapple Beach Club, an adults-only Elite Island Resorts property on nearby Long Bay in Antigua, is also planning to add four more courts. 

“It started with just a few guests. Over time, it started to pick up, and now a lot more people are getting involved with playing the game,” she says. “There are so many enthusiastic people.”

There are even plans to create a tournament or start a local professional league on the island, in an effort to get the community in Antigua to try out the sport. 

“I play every day if I can,” Joseph says. “It’s a very addictive sport.”

For more, visit Elite Island Resorts and check Pickleball Antigua on Instagram. 

The post In Antigua, the Caribbean Capital of Pickleball appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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