Bocas del Toro
The party of Panama.
I travelled to Bocas del Toro with some people I met at my hostel as we were checking out on the same day. To get to Bocas del Toro involves multiple legs of a journey and catching a boat from Almirante, but it is a popular route and fairly straightforward. First you have to return to David from Boquete, taking a bus from the central square. From David, you take a bus to Almirante. Sometimes this will be direct to Almirante, other times you may need to change at Chiriqui or Chiriqui Grande to get a bus to Almirante. There will be signs and people calling for Bocas del Toro that will lead you to the correct bus. Once in Almirante it is a short walk or taxi to the docks. From here you have your pick of taxi boats. We picked any old taxi boat and I bought a 1-way ticket. It is possible to buy a return for a better deal, but I had already planned my transport out of Bocas and into Costa Rica with another travel company. Like the buses, the boats sort of leave once they are full. We waited around 20 minutes before leaving the docks. The boat ride is 30 minutes long and once you get into the dock of Isla Colon you can get another boat to any of the other islands, or get a taxi to your accommodation. It is possible to take a boat from Chiriqui Grande to Bocas del Toro, but it is a much longer boat ride (2 hours) and not as popular, so I am unsure about the transport provisions from there.
Taxi’s in Central America often involve sharing the vehicle with other people. So you stand by the road and hail one down and get in if your destination suits the driver’s journey and vice versa, squished up with whoever else. I wasn’t able to get a taxi straight away and had to walk to the main road, but eventually a pickup truck stopped and let me in. I got dropped off at my accommodation, which was a bed and breakfast on the water front run by a French family. Unfortunately, the accommodation has since closed down (check here for other options), but it was a nice stay with beautiful views and access straight into the water. I chose to stay here as I had a job interview lined up and so needed a room with privacy. It was a bit out of the way of the main town, but not too far, about 20 minutes walk from Selina Hostel.
Bocas is full of American expats enjoying island life. Many set up home on the island, getting around via golf buggies, and enjoying the food, drink and sun. As such, a lot of the cuisine here was American food, and I actually struggled to find much Panamanian food. Colon Island, the main island, is definitely more of a bustling party town. Here is where you will find shops, bars, banks, restaurants etc. Making trips out to other islands and other parts of the islands will provide you with different vibes. Isla Bastimentos is more relaxed and home to the Afro-Caribbean community in Old Bank. It is also a great spot for snorkelling or diving. For a more cultural experience, visit Isla Popa, home to 5 different indigenous communities that live off-the-grid. Isla Solarte is known for its raw nature and higher end accommodation. Here you will find eco-lodges and retreats to get a full nature immersion. Visit these islands for a day, or split your stay across them. I wish I had more time in Bocas so that I could explore the different islands more. The weather in Bocas can be temperamental, only 1 of my 4 days was sunny. Because of this, I would suggest giving yourself more time when in Bocas in case of bad weather.
Daylife - Cayos Zapatilla Tour
The day after I arrived, I signed up for a boat tour to Cayos Zapatilla with the guys I had travelled from Boquete with. Similar to the San Blas, the tour has a fairly standardised itinerary that multiple different tour companies will offer, so shop around to negotiate your best deal. The tour should cost around $40 (as of 2021), we managed to pay $36 each. It is a full day tour, lasting about 6–7 hours, and leaves late morning (around 10am) from Isla Colon. A bottle of water and snorkelling equipment is included in the price. You are free to bring your own drinks/booze (and I guess food too) but there is a stop at a restaurant to purchase lunch, which they encourage you to do as it supports local businesses.
On the tour you will visit Dolphin Bay, just off the coast of Isla Cristobal, which is home to a small population of bottlenose dolphins. They will usually come out to play in groups of 5 or 6 as they like to jump in the waves the boats create. You will also visit an area in the water they refer to as 'Hollywood', in reference to the Hollywood Walk of Fame stars. Here there are loads of starfish chilling in the waters, and because the water is so clear, they are easy to spot. Lunch is served at Cayo Coral from a restaurant supported on stilts above the water. Lunch is not included in the tour price, so make sure you bring cash to purchase a Caribbean meal. Cayo Coral is also very good for snorkelling, and you can jump right from the restaurant deck straight into the water. The tour will either leave you to explore here, or sail a little further out for open sea snorkelling. Finally, the tour will take you to Cayos Zapatilla, where you will spend the majority of your time. This is a small, uninhabited island made up of white sand beaches and clear turquoise water. You can snorkel here, although there isn't much coral close to the beach. The water is quite shallow, however, so it would be possible to swim further to coral reefs if you wanted to explore the water. If you wanted a change of scenery, there is a jungle path that cuts across the island and loops around. There is a trail map on the island, and the path itself is clearly signed. This island was honestly beautiful, and felt like pure, untouched nature. Our tour guide made sure that we visited the Cayos first thing in the morning to avoid other tour groups, so we had this whole beautiful island to ourselves. If you are unable to make it to the San Blas Islands, this is a very good alternative.
Cayos Zapatilla beachThings to do in Bocas del Toro:
Rent a bike and cycle around Isla Colon. Everything in Bocas Town is easily accessible, however this is only a very small part of the island. Rent a bike and explore the island even further. Just bring a torch/bike light with you, because there are few street lights out of Bocas Town.
See starfish in the calm, shallow waters of Starfish Beach. This beach is located on the other end of the island. You can take a taxi, cycle or catch a collectivo from Simon Bolivar Park. Make your way to Playa Boca del Drago and walk 15 minutes to Starfish Beach.
Explore the east side of Isla Colon and visit Playa Bluff, the island’s longest beach. Continue along to Sloths Forest and Blue Lagoon. Bring plenty of water and snacks with you, as after Playa Bluff there are no facilities around.
Go diving / learn how to dive. There are plenty of great dive spots in the area, including sunken shipwrecks.
Take a 2-min boat ride to Isla Carenero and walk around the entirety of the island. Fuel up at one of the overwater restaurants beforehand.
Get a taste of Caribbean culture and visit Old Bank on Isla Bastimentos. Then make your way through the muddy trail of Sendero Wizard, to reach Wizard beach.
Another beach that can only be reached on foot is Red Frog Beach on Isla Bastimentos, named so due to its population of Strawberry Poison-Dart Frogs. Visit for a day or stay at one of the few accommodations for a more secluded experience.
Go surfing at Playa Bluff (Isla Colon), Black Rock (Isla Carenero) or for more experienced surfers Paunch (Isla Colon).
Book a tour with Bocas del Toro’s Community Tourism Network and learn and experience the culture of Bocas del Toro.
Nightlife
Bocas del Toro is known for its party scene. Most of this takes places in Bocas Town, Isla Colon. For night entertainment, I went to Selina Hostel and Skully's Hostel - both were good times. Selina is designed and known to be a party hostel, with a DJ, bars and communal areas set up at the back of the hostel on the water front. They even have lowered benches where you can sit in the sea. There seems to be a party here every night, with lots of people staying up till late. Skully’s, on the other hand, is located out of Bocas Town, and I only made the trip to meet up with some friends. As such, it wasn’t as busy. However, they have night entertainment (karaoke when I was there), access to a small private beach, good drink deals, and everyone who arrives at the bar gets a free shot.
My time in Bocas reminded me of my younger years when I would go on cheap European party holidays with my friends. That's the vibe in Bocas, but with older people. Unfortunately, I don't bounce back from a hangover as well as I used to, which was where staying in a private room at a B&B proved useful. This meant I could get a restful sleep and start my mornings slow. It also meant that I wasn't disturbed by or pressured into partying, which may happen in a hostel. If you are not bothered about partying in Bocas I would recommend staying either further out of town or on a different island where you are surrounded by a nicer environment and can have a more chilled experience. However, if you are in Bocas to party, then there is plenty more to do.
Where to party in Bocas del Toro:
Filthy Friday Bocas. The party event. Think a hostel bar crawl, but multiplied by all the hostels in Bocas Town, and then put it on water. Self-described as 'Central America's first & only island party crawl' it is an all-dayer, and if you have the stamina, all-nighter. A $40 ticket provides you with transport to 3 different islands, access to 6 different parties, and free shots throughout (plus some merch). I've put a link to the Filthy Friday itinerary here. Filthy Friday wasn't running when I visited (2021/22) due to lingering COVID-19 restrictions, but I have heard good things about this event. I would make sure that you carry cash and have the name and address of your accommodation should you need to dip out early, or miss the boat home.
The Pirate Ship (Black Magic Bocas?). So I'd heard about this infamous pirate ship party boat, I'd seen a pirate ship cross the horizon in Bocas, I'd even been invited to said pirate party boat, but I have been unable to find any information about it online. All I know is that it existed. When I visited Bocas (2021/22) I was invited to a pirate boat party and was told to go to the docks at Bocas Town and ask a water taxi to be dropped at the pirate ship. I didn't go because I wasn't in the mood to party, but if you are in Bocas keep an ear and an eye out. Perhaps it's still there?!
Floating bars in the middle of the sea?! Bocas has it all! Most of these bars will close around sunset due to safety and visibility. Be sure to check their websites and socials for opening times and events.
Floating Bar
Boyda de Vida
Aqua Lounge Bar and Hostel
Blue Coconut
Lost Boys Blues Bar (Isla Carenero) - live music
Rush Bocas - waterfront nightclub/bar
Barco Hundido - waterfront nightclub playing Caribbean DJs
Panama to Costa Rica
From Bocas del Toro I booked transport to take me up to San Jose. I chose to do this because I needed to be in San Jose for a certain time and wanted to get there quickly to maximise my stay in Panama. I have also travelled around Costa Rica’s east coast before, so didn’t need to hang around, although it was nice to pass through familiar towns again. I booked my transport through Caribe Shuttle which organised the water taxi from Bocas to Almirante, the transport from Almirante to the birder crossing, and then onward travel to Puerto Viejo followed by connecting travel to San Jose, with lunch included. When I tried to organise the transport myself without the use of a tour company, the journey would have taken 2 days, with a night in Puerto Viejo. It also would have been more stressful and more inconvenient as there were no public buses that crossed the border itself, and so I would have to take a public bus to the nearest bus stop, then walk or hail a taxi to the border, and then do the same thing on the other side. Whilst booking the tour company was much more expensive ($80) it was also a lot less work for me and basically guaranteed me in San Jose the same day, with food and a break in Puerto Viejo included.
When crossing the border at this crossing point, you have to physically walk over a bridge into Costa Rica. It can be easy to lose your group here, as there are a lot of people with a lot of luggage. However, the tour company made sure to wear branded t-shirts, used a branded bus and took a register to make sure we all made it across okay. As with most border crossings by land in Central America you will need to pay entrance and sometimes exit taxes so make sure you have exact cash (sometimes they don't always give you change). The process of going through border control took a while, maybe 2 hours, but this was in a time when COVID-19 vaccination certificates and health forms were necessary, so it should be smoother now. From the border, it is a short drive to Puerto Viejo. Because I was continuing on to San Jose, I had a 4-hour transfer here. The travel company had organised for me to spend that time at a partner hotel where I was served lunch at the hotel restaurant and had access to the hotel facilities which included a pool and their private beach. This was really nice, and of way higher quality than I was expecting. I made it to San Jose just as the sun was beginning to set, and dropped off at my hostel door.
Need to knows
The weather in Bocas del Toro is inconsistent and unpredictable. Be ready for all weathers, and if possible, give yourself enough days here in case bad weather spoils your plans.
Special Recommendations
Food: Rum cocktails
Attractions: Cayos Zapatilla boat tour
Accommodation: N/A (closed down)
R’s take
As with the rest of Panama, I felt generally quite comfortable and safe. The only part that was a little scary was walking in the dark where there weren’t any street lights. Keep a phone or torch on you and plan your journey home.