The Ultimate Bocas del Toro Travel Guide
How to get to Bocas del Toro
If you travel by bus or rental car you need to plan a stop in Almirante. This is where you can get a water taxi that brings you to the main island. The main island is called Colón and it’s where you will find most hostels, hostels, restaurants, bars & clubs. If you want to stay on another island in Bocas you can take a water taxi from the main island.
Another option to travel to and from Bocas del Toro is the Isla Colón José International Airport. As the name says it’s on the main island of Bocas del Toro and the fastest way to get to Bocas del Toro. You can get a flight from Panama city or San Jose to Bocas del Toro and it will only take you 1.5 hours to get there. If you take the bus it will take you about 7 hours to San Jose and 10.5 hours to Panama city.
Getting around in Bocas del Toro
On the main island of Colón everything is within walking distance, so you won’t need a car or taxi. Apart from that everybody uses water taxis. So if you want to get to a club on another island or just get fast from A to B, you might be able to get a water taxi right in front of your hostel. Or if you take a water taxi you can ask them to drop you off by your accommodation if it’s built by the water.
Best time to travel
The best time to travel to Bocas del Toro, Panama, is during dry season from December to April. You will have little to no rainfall and sunshine every day, but it’s also the busiest time of the year. Wet season might be a good option for you if you’re traveling on a budget, because the prices for accommodation and tours will be lower. The landscape is lush green during this time, but of course you will also have a lot more rain showers. We visited Bocas del Toro in March and didn’t have a single rain shower.
Best Things to Do in Bocas del Toro
Do an Island Hopping & Dolphin Watching Tour
There are two tours you definitely need to do when visiting Bocas del Toro. One of them is the Cayo Zapatilla tour you can book at Selina. On this tour you will be able to see dolphins! The dolphin spot is actually the first stop on the tour and it’s so much fun to see them jumping around the boats and playing in the water. They actually come super close and are not afraid of the boats. In my opinion, watching dolphins never gets boring.
After that they will drive you to the spot where you can buy lunch for later. We didn’t end up buying it, but I would actually recommend you to do so, because you will get hungry after spending hours at the beach. Of course you can also bring your own food and drinks. They have a cooler on the boat where you can store drinks and food.
The next stop on the tour is Cayo Zapatilla, a protected area located in the Isla Bastimentos Marine National Park with the most beautiful little islands. You will have two hours on a breathtaking little island to swim in crystal clear water and to enjoy the sun.
We were actually surprised that, for the fact that it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bocas de Toro, it wasn’t too busy on the island. And there is just something special about exploring a little island in the middle of the ocean, that is completely natural.
On the way back you will also get the chance to go snorkeling at Cayo Coral. There is lots of underwater life you can see there!
All together it’s a fantastic tour for only 30 USD. It’s the perfect way to explore more of Bocas del Toro and to have an easy and relaxing day at one of the most beautiful beaches.
Relax at Playa Estrella
The Playa Estrella & Bird Island Tour from Selina is absolutely breathtaking! The first stop on the tour is Bird Island, a stunning rock formation that is home to a variety of tropical birds. The views you get from the boat are amazing and the water is so beautiful that it’s hard not to jump in.
The next and last stop on the tour is Playa Estrella, where you will find a lot of big starfishes. Please keep in mind that it’s not good for the starfishes if you pick them up. Luckily it’s very easy to see them, because they are so close to the shore.
On Playa Estrella you will have a few hours time to swim, relax and go snorkeling. When you see the beach it feels like looking at a calendar picture. Palm trees, crystal clear water, lots of nature and of course the starfishes. This beach is a piece of paradise.
Visit Red Frog Beach
Red Frog Beach is a super beautiful, long beach on Isla Bastimentos. It’s surrounded by a national park, which makes this beach even more special. You can easily get to Isla Bastimentos by water taxi, which should take about 10 minutes from Isla Colon. If you take the water taxi to the national park, you will have to pay 5 USD entrance. You will arrive on the south side of the island where you will find a small trail that leads to Red Frog Beach on the north side of the island. If you want to skip the fee, you can ask the water taxi to drop you off at the Selina hostel on the island. The walk from the other dock will take you a few minutes more, but it’s not far from the beach.
Explore Bocas Town
Bocas Town, also known as Bocas del Toro Town, is the main hub and capital of the Bocas del Toro Province in Panama. It is located on Isla Colón, the largest island in the Bocas del Toro archipelago. Most tourists stay in Bocas Town, because it’s the perfect base to explore the surrounding islands. It’s also where you will find most hotels, restaurants, bars and clubs. You will see lots of waterside houses painted in bright colors and each of them has their own dock. As mentioned earlier, you can easily get from your hotel or hostel to a restaurant by water taxi. It’s a really fun way to get around and to see the island from the water.
Party Through the Night
Bocas del Toro has amazing clubs, which are built on the water! The parties I went to in Bocas were some of the best I have ever had! The location is awesome, because you get a fresh breeze from the ocean while partying, the DJs are good and every club has an ocean pool you can jump in. You can basically party in a bikini all night long. The best places to party are Aqua, Rush and the Selina hostel.
Once you get to Bocas del Toro you will hear about “Filthy Friday”, which is basically an organized club hopping. You will visit a club that is built on the water and continue with partying at waterside clubs like Aqua. If you’re looking for a fun party, this is where you will find it.
Eat out in Bocas
The best place to eat out is on the main island Colón, because this is where you will find most restaurants. For breakfast & lunch I can highly recommend Cafe del Mar. They have everything you could want for an amazing breakfast: pancakes, breakfast burritos, smoothie bowls and much more. AND the coffee is really good!
Cat in the Cup Roastery & Coffeehouse has amazing frappe and breakfast bagels. It’s a cute little cafe on one of the main roads on the island.
“Cafe del Mar, Bocas del Toro”
No matter if you are looking for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you should also visit El Patio. From smoothie bowls, churros, loaded fries, tacos, buddha bowls to burgers, this place has plenty of great options! I can highly recommend the vegetarian buddha bowl and loaded fries!
If you are a fan of sushi you should go to Raw Fusion. This waterside restaurant has the best sushi you will find in town, combined with the best view on the water.
“El Patio, Bocas del Toro”
“Raw Fusion, Bocas del Toro”
Where to stay
I can recommend Hostal Olas as a budget-friendly and beautiful accommodation. What makes this hostel so great is that it’s built right on the water and you have two terraces where you can relax. Overall it’s a quiet hostel that is only a few minutes walking from the main road where you will find most restaurants, bars & clubs, and far enough away from the noise. They also have breakfast at an additional cost, a bar where you can order drinks, shared rooms and private rooms.
As a digital nomad, I love to stay with the Selina hostels, because they have a really high standard and there is always a coworking space. In this case, we decided to just rent the coworking space for a week and to stay at hostel Olas. The main reason for that is that the Selina on island Colón is more like a party hostel and we preferred to stay somewhere more quiet. The Selina on the main island is very busy and perfect if you love parties.
There are actually two Selinas in Bocas del Toro, one on the main island Colón and one on Isla Bastimentos, called Selina Red Frog. The Selina on Red Frog is surrounded by a national park and Red Frog Beach, which is an amazing place to stay if you’re looking for something more quiet and relaxing. It can be a little tricky to get from Isla Colon to Isla Bastimentos at night. If you decide to stay at Selina Red Frog make sure to ask what time the last boat is going back.
Watch it on YouTube
All together Bocas del Toro in Panama is an absolutely amazing destination. I wish we would have come here sooner to spend more time on these islands, but I also know that I will be back for sure. If you’re backpacking through Central America 4-5 days is a good amount of time to do everything. If you’re working remotely, like us, you might want to stay at least 10 days. I would love to hear if this is a place you would like to visit or if you have already been here before in the comments down below!
