ABOUT SOL BUNGALOWS
OUR #1 GOAL IS TO GIVE YOU THE ULTIMATE BOCAS DEL TORO EXPERIENCE!
We are Drew (USA) & Tamara (Swiss), and we are the owners of Sol Bungalows. We met while surfing at Carenero Point in 2016 and have been inseparable ever since! We love the Bocas del Toro lifestyle and are passionate about sharing it with others.
Bocas del Toro is a challenging destination that requires guidance and insider knowledge to have the best experience. It is our job as your hosts to guide you into a fulfilling and rewarding vacation that you will remember for years to come!
Sol Bungalows
Sol Bungalows is our laid-back Overwater Bungalow Hotel on Isla Solarte in Bocas del Toro, Panama. We offer affordable overwater bungalows and an authentic Bocas del Toro experience.
Our bungalows feature some really special amenities, like glass floors and deck hammocks. We have breathtaking views, cool breezes, and our swimming pool is the warm Caribbean Sea.
Our boutique hotel features four overwater bungalows and a two-story common area where the dining area is located. Our dining area is on the second floor with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.
The Vibe
Sol Bungalows is casual, bare-footed, and worry free – a mirror image of the Bocas del Toro culture. This is laid-back luxury!
We want you to feel at home and as if you are amongst long time friends. We will help you every step of your trip and guide you into the best experiences in Bocas.
We view being small as the best opportunity for us to connect with our guests and provide a tailored experience to each group. Larger groups can rent all four of our overwater bungalows and have the entire hotel for yourselves! Ever wanted your own private overwater bungalow hotel? Now you can!
The Neighborhood: ISLA SOLARTE
Sol Bungalows is located on the edge of an indigenous village called Solarte Uno. The village comprises about 30 traditional style clap-board houses, a public school, sports field, and a church. The people in the village are of the Ngöbe Indigenous tribe, one of the largest of Panama’s 6 indigenous tribes and the main tribe of the Bocas del Toro province.
You will experience the culture of Bocas del Toro right from the deck of your overwater bungalow. Local fisherman will paddle by in their dugout canoes, sometimes offering you their fresh catch. You’ll hear roosters crowing, kids laughing, the songs of church on Sunday and the occasional uproar of the neighborhood dogs – Bienvenidos a Panamá!
About Your Hosts
Drew originally came to Bocas del Toro to work as the Volunteer Coordinator for a local NGO called Give and Surf. Through his 4 years with Give and Surf, Drew helped build 6 classrooms, 3 community centers, 3 playgrounds, and 2 teachers houses on the 4 main Bocas Islands of Isla Colon, Isla Bastimentos, Isla Solarte, and Isla San Cristobal. He also coordinated and taught english classes, assisted in preschool, led summer camp, and ran youth outreach sports programs such as surfing, soccer, skateboarding, and sustainable fishing.
Drew was also one of Give and Surf’s lead volunteer guides. This role boiled down to making sure that every volunteer that came to visit Give and Surf had the ultimate Bocas del Toro experience, and this has translated seemlessly into guiding our guests!
Tamara quit her job as a doctor’s assistant and left Switzerland to travel alone through South America. After a year of solo travel, she came to Bocas del Toro to learn how to surf. She fell in love with surfing and the Bocas del Toro island lifestyle and ended up “getting stuck,” like many others do! She was able to use her skills as a masseuse to earn money and eventually get her a job working at the most exclusive and high-end accommodation in all of Panama: Sweet Bocas.
During her time working at Sweet Bocas, Tamara learned how to deliver the highest level of service as a hostess and as the activity guide. She was the lead experience coordinator for some of the most famous and influential people in the world.
About Our Staff: The Dream Team
Part of the Sol Bungalows mission is to be a positive economic and cultural force for our local Solarte Island community. This means we look to our direct island community first when hiring workers, so that the income generated through our business goes directly to our neighbors in need. We have been able to employ over 30 local people throughout the construction and operation of our project, directly impacting countless other family members who benefit from this income. We love creating incredible travel experiences for our guests, but the most fullfilling part of the journey is seeing the impact we can have on our local community.
Our Team
Kiki: Manager & Host
Kiki is our manager and co-host who was brought on the team in 2024 when we reopened after the construction of Bungalows #3 and #4. She brings a wealth of experience from a lifetime of work in Bora Bora, St. Barts, France, and Germany. Kiki has helped enable Sol Bungalows to offer the highest level of service for our guests.
Noriel: Farm & Maintenance Manager
Sol Bungalows would not have been possible without Noriel. He is the mastermind behind the construction of our bungalows, and the hands that crafted every piece of furniture, window, door, and detail in our bungalows. He moved to our property in 2020 when COVID shut down the world so we could at least continue building the furniture while the project construction was shut down. He has become a part of our family and when we finished the last phase of construction with Bungalow #3 and #4, we hired him full time to run our permaculture farm and handle all maintenance.
Estefano: Head Chef
Estefano has also been with Sol Bungalows since the beginning. He is our neighbor and was first brought on the team to help painting and staining our first two bungalows. He was let go from his cooking job at a nearby hotel due to COVID, so when the restrictions eased, we brought him on for construction. By the time we were ready to open, he was the obvious choice to lead our kitchen, and proved this by cooking an amazing end-of-construction staff meal.
Rosa: Head Cleaning
Rosa is a single mother of 4 who works incredibly hard at our bungalows to support 3 of her children through high school and university. She has been with us since day 1, and for the first 3 years she was our sole cleaning lady. Rosa is a real-life wonder woman, who endures immense hardships so she can provide a better future for her family, and always with a smile on her face.
Yajaira: Cleaning & Nanny
Yajaira is Estefano’s wife, and originally started working with us to help with our children. She filled in cleaning at the bungalows when Rosa requested a rare day off, and now that our kids are in school, she is a part of our cleaning staff. She is a mother of 2 and now a grandmother, and comes from one of the original indigenous families to settle our island.
Yoleda: Sous Chef
Yoleda is a single mother of 4, who is also supporting her kids through school and university. She partners with Estefano in our kitchen and helps out bartending during dinners. She joined the team in 2022 to take over the role that Tamara played in the kitchen after the birth of our second child. She has done an amazing job and allows us to offer an even more wide range of food for our guests. Yoleda is also the Treasurer for the local school, and shares our entrepreneurial spirit through starting several side businesses.
Teresa: Cleaning
Teresa is a single mother of 2 who joined us in November of 2024 as part of our cleaning staff. Along with Rosa and Yajaira, these 3 ladies make up our team of excellent cleaners, ensuring our bungalows and property are in top shape and ready for whatever adventures you get into!
Keyla: Kitchen Assistant
Keyla also joined us in November of 2024 to assist in our kitchen. She handles the dish washing, food prep, and helps cooking breakfasts and dinners under the guidance of Estefano and Yoleda. She is also apart of the Parents Association of our local school and a prominent figure in the local church. She has 2 children of her own.
Edgar: Farm, Maintenance, and Guide
Edgar joined our team in 2021 and is in charge of keeping our property cut and clean, as well as assisting with the farm, maintenance, and guiding our guests on the hike through our island. He is a leader on the local soccer team and is a father of 3.
Virgilio: Farm & Garden
Virgilio is Rosa’s son, and like Rosa, he works harder than 99% of humans. The current state of our farm would not be achievable without his dedication and care, often coming on his days off to water the green house and plant nursery, or checking the entire property at night to protect our fruit trees from Leaf-Cutter Ants. When we are able to supply our restaurant with fresh fruits, vegetables, and greens, it’s because Virgilio made it happen!
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