Things to do in Bocas del Toro
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Bocas del Toro
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Calmest clearest seas, best for Zapatilla, diving and private charters. Rain still falls in bursts.
Drier window with calmer shoulder seas and the tail of surf season.
Greener and more humid, second surf season, lower prices, Afro Antillean Heritage Month in May.
Rainiest and roughest seas, most boat cancellations, biggest surf and fullest holiday crowds.
What's on
- International Sea Fair mid to late September
Province signature fair on Isla Colon with food, crafts, water competitions and a fishing tournament.
- Carnaval four days before Ash Wednesday
Bocas Town street party with comparsas, diablo costumes and full hotels.
- Afro-Antillean Heritage Month May, closing parade late May
Month celebrating Afro Caribbean food, dance and dress, closing with a parade in Bocas Town.
- Bocas del Toro Foundation Day 16 November
Founding of the province in 1904, celebrated with school bands and parades in Bocas Town.
Best things to do in Bocas del Toro
Cayos Zapatilla
Uninhabited white sand cayes with clear reef water, the most complete boat day in Bocas.
Red Frog Beach
Broad golden beach backed by jungle where tiny red frogs live, with lodges for lunch.
Playa Estrella
Calm shallow clear water with orange starfish visible on the sand and simple beach restaurants.
Playa Bluff
Wild east coast strand for long walks and watching surfers, backed by jungle.
Bird Island
Rocky islet covered in frigatebirds and boobies with arches cut through by the sea.
Cayo Coral
Sheltered coral gardens with dense reef fish, the best snorkel stop on the standard circuit.
Filthy Friday Bocas
Three island party crawl by boat, the loudest and most social afternoon in Bocas.
Green Acres Chocolate Farm
Rainforest and cacao walk with sloths and tastings led by a passionate owner guide.
Where to stay in Bocas del Toro
Bocas Town, Isla Colon
first trip, tours, food and nightlife
Walk to docks, restaurants and dive shops, with water taxis to every island.
Isla Carenero
couples and surfers who want quiet near town
Two minute boat from town, sunset views, sandy path and Black Rock surf.
Red Frog Beach, Isla Bastimentos
beach first trips and families
Sleep on the best resort beach with jungle and the marine park behind it.
Old Bank, Isla Bastimentos
cultural base and local businesses
Afro Caribbean town with small lodges, local eateries and boats to town.
Bluff Beach Road, Isla Colon
surfers and decompression
Wild east coast lodges with surf in season and quiet nights.
Think twice about
- Saigon Bay back streets, Bocas Town
Low lying overwater settlement with flooding, poor drainage and heavy mosquitoes. Cheap rooms there can be damp with muddy unlit paths.
- Remote Colón road or Bastimentos rentals with no boat plan
Every meal and tour needs an expensive taxi or private boat. Remote only works at a full service lodge with its own boats and kitchen.
- Unreviewed cheapest rooms in Old Bank
Can mean intermittent water and power and party noise. Pay a small premium for a reviewed property in the village.
Best restaurants in Bocas del Toro
El Ultimo Refugio
Overwater dinner only spot with a changing catch menu, the consensus best dinner in town.
Arboloco
Open air jungle dining with wood fired cooking, open only a few evenings a week.
OCTO Caribbean Grill
Polished Caribbean grill for octopus, whole fish and good cocktails in town.
Bibi's on the Beach
Overwater lunch by boat with seafood specials and swimming between courses.
The Firefly Restaurant & Bar
Small romantic Bastimentos restaurant with Caribbean seafood and Asian touches.
Falafel Bocas
Fast filling falafel wraps and salads, the cheap vegetarian lunch everyone agrees on.
Café del Mar
Calm overwater cafe for breakfast and coffee a street back from the main strip.
Restaurante Chitré
Early opening local comedor for Panamanian Caribbean set lunches at resident prices.
Outdoor things to do in Bocas del Toro
Bocas Dive Center
Largest and best reviewed dive school in Bocas, with courses from beginner to instructor.
La Buga Dive Center & Surf School
One stop for surf lessons at the right break and diving, with honest local conditions advice.
Flying Pirates
ATV ride through 1500 acres of private rainforest closed to everyone else.
Orebä Chocolate Tour
Ngabe community cacao tour with traditional chocolate making, wildlife and a community lunch.
Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos
Jungle coastal trail from Old Bank to Wizard Beach with frogs, mud and wild surf beaches.
Bluff Beach Retreat Horseback Riding
Guided three hour ride along the Bluff road to natural ocean pools you can swim in.
Bocas Ebikes
Fat tyre e-bikes for riding Colon end to end, from Bluff to Starfish Beach in one day.
Kawi Voyage
Private sailing and snorkelling with local multilingual guides, timed around your group.
Best hotels in Bocas del Toro
Nayara Bocas del Toro
Adults only all inclusive overwater villas on a private island, the top splurge in Bocas.
La Coralina Island House
Design led beach house with a serious wellness program, fifteen minutes from town.
La Loma Jungle Lodge & Chocolate Farm
Jungle lodges on a cacao farm with farm to table dinners ranked among the best in Bocas.
Hotel Palma Royale
Reliable full service town hotel on the main street with large air conditioned rooms.
Palmar Beach Lodge
Bungalows and tents directly on Red Frog Beach with a social bar and yoga.
Eclypse de Mar Aqua Lodge
Overwater bungalows with glass floor panels, kayaks and breakfast on your terrace.
Selina Bocas del Toro
Big social waterfront hostel with dorms, private rooms, coworking and a tour desk.
Aqua Lounge Bar & Hostel
Overwater party hostel facing town, home of famous Wednesday and Saturday parties.
Is Bocas del Toro expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | $55 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | $140 a person |
| Splurge | $380 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Cayos Zapatilla: a few days ahead
- Bird Island: a few days ahead
- Cayo Coral: a few days ahead
- Filthy Friday Bocas: a few days ahead
- Green Acres Chocolate Farm: a few days ahead
- Nivida Bat Cave: a few days ahead
- Bocas Dive Center: a few days ahead
- La Buga Dive Center & Surf School: a few days ahead
- Book flights to Bocas and top lodges weeks ahead in peak windows. Book Arboloco and Firefly dinners days ahead.
- Book the Zapatilla day for the calmest forecast window, not the first available slot.
Is Bocas del Toro safe?
- Petty theft from beaches and decks is the main crime risk. Use the safe and take no valuables to remote beaches.
- East coast beaches have rip currents. Swim the calm west side and surf the east side only with experience or a lesson. Emergency number 911.
Bocas del Toro travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Water taxi fares that double after dark and tour boats that do not show. Book through lodgings or named operators at a dock desk.
- Touching starfish, standing on coral or feeding wildlife for photos. Any operator encouraging it should be avoided.
Getting around Bocas del Toro: public transport and more
- Walk Bocas Town. Water taxis are the bus network: agree the fare before boarding and plan the return boat when you plan the outbound.
- On Isla Colon use taxis for Bluff, local buses to Boca del Drago, and e-bikes for a full beach day.
Who Bocas del Toro suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Great |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Great |
Make Bocas del Toro your trip
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