Is it safe to drink the water in Bastimentos, Panama?

Care is needed when deciding whether to drink the water on Bastimentos, or anywhere around the Bocas del Toro archipelago.

 

It will depend very much on where you are, as many places rely on rainwater collection, and you can't really be too sure of the state of the pipes and tanks.

 

Ask your host, but in general I'd suggest sticking to bottled water in most places.

 

If you are renting or living in one place for...

Care is needed when deciding whether to drink the water on Bastimentos, or anywhere around the Bocas del Toro archipelago.

 

It will depend very much on where you are, as many places rely on rainwater collection, and you can't really be too sure of the state of the pipes and tanks.

 

Ask your host, but in general I'd suggest sticking to bottled water in most places.

 

If you are renting or living in one place for any length of time you can buy drinking water in five gallon bottles. There is a $10 deposit on the bottle, and you take it back to the store when it's empty and swap it for a full one.

 

This is much cheaper than buying water in small bottles, and you are producing no waste either, which is always a good thing.
 

You can buy a small pump that sits in the top of the bottle to dispense water, or a holder that you sit the big bottle into upside down, then access the water by a little tap.