Overview of Bocas del Toro
On my second trip to Panama, I decided to visit tropical islands of Bocas del Toro. Bocas del Toro is a province located on the Costa Rican border and has a large mountainous region on the mainland, as well as an archipelago with islands along the Caribbean Sea. It is one of the most beautiful areas in Panama and same time it’s also one of the most remote, since the province is connected to the rest of the country by a single road, and the offshore islands require a ferry ride to reach. Much of the Bocas del Toro Province is designated reservation land for the indigenous Nagbe-Bugle tribes.
Interesting fact is that one of the plantations of the Chiquita Banana brand is located right here.
The island district of Bocas del Toro is what most people are referencing when they talk about Bocas del Toro. This area includes the most popular tourist islands of Isla Colon, Isla Bastimentos, Isla Solarte, Isla Carenero, and Isla San Cristobal. Tourism in Bocas del Toro is centered around these 5 islands with Bocas Town on Isla Colon being the heart of the islands. I’ve visited few islands, which I will cover in the ‘things to do’ section.
How to get to the islands
As I know, there are two ways to reach Bocas del Toro islands from Panama City. The easiest way is by flying with Air Panama directly to the islands. It takes only 50 minutes by plane, that departs few times a day. The other way of getting to Bocas del Toro is by bus, but it will take you 10 hours of the ride to Almirante, the nearest mainland port town, plus 30 minutes of the water taxi to the islands. If you want to save time, choose airplane, if you want to save money go with a bus. Extra tip – you can save 2 nights of hotels by taking overnight buses each direction.
Things to do
The main attraction of the islands is the sea and all the water activities. In Bocas del Toro you will find surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, spearfishing, deep-sea fishing, ATV rentals, cacao and cultural tours, bat caves, island hopping day parties, beach exploration tours, and even zip-lining. Besides that, there are delicious fresh seafood restaurants, and unique floating bars. A lot of places to stay are located just over the water. So, to get from one place to another you need to use water taxis. It creates a vibe of a tropical version of Venice. I stayed in one of the over water bungalows on the Carenero island. I visited Colon Island, Bastimentos, and Cayos Zapatillas.
Cayos Zapatillas are two uninhabited islands. They are part of the Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, which was established in 1988 as the first national marine park in Panama. Turquoise water, white sand beaches, palm trees and jungle. The Zapatillas Islands are a perfect depiction of the Caribbean. That’s why most travelers make the 1.5-hour boat ride out here to swim, snorkel, and sunbathe. There are coral gardens offshore, as well as a few underwater caves. The coral is healthy and hosts a good array of tropical fishes, lobsters, and nurse sharks.
Next to Bastimentos island there are places where you can spot some sloths and monkeys on the trees, but I wasn’t lucky enough that day. Same as dolphins, I haven’t seen them, despite the captain of the boat was trying his best to find dolphins. Those tours are usually much advertised, but nothing is certain.
But what I liked the most on Bastimentos island is Polo beach. This secluded section of coastline is ringed by a gorgeous coral reef, keeping the water calm and providing one of the most optimal environments in Bocas del Toro for snorkeling. I haven’t seen a lot of people there, as it’s only accessible by jungle hike or direct shoreline access by boat. But what I’ve seen was a wonderful starfish!
