Once you get there it’s hard to leave Panama’s fabulous Bocas del Toro. It’s a peaceful relaxing place with a funky, romantic charm that has something untamed about it.

It is all about life on the water. There are very few cars and most places are only accessible by boat.

The place is full of colorful people nursing drinks in rustic wood & thatch bars, going fishing or running rustic hotels on remote beaches.

Bocas is beautiful and natural. It has an abundance of emerald islands, pristine beaches, turquoise waters, dense forests, barely explored mountains and rivers, extensive coral gardens, spooky mangrove channels, and exotic wildlife. It’s the kind of Caribbean hideaway one expects to find only in old movies. Here it is though, all very real – a perfect paradise.

Bocas Town

The town is made up of a wide main street (that used to be the landing strip for the planes coming to pick up bananas for United Fruit) and a number of small parallel streets to the side that all follow the coast. There are nice restaurants like the delicious Lemon Grass or L’Ultimo Refugio and small hotels like the Bocas Hotel, along the water as well as a couple of great local eating places on the otherside of the street. Chitre cafe is our favourite for lunch as they have nice meat, chicken and rice with the best chilli sauce you ever tasted and with a glass of home made lemonade your bill will rarely come to more than $2.50.

There are a couple of ATMs in the town as well as a few Chinese run grocery stores and two gourmet stores selling good wine, French goat’s cheese, English muffins, green leafy vegetables as well as the locally grown and home made chocolate. There are a couple of pharmacies, a hospital with a good reputation, a Chinese dentist and a yoga centre as well as 5 or 6 internet cafes and a sports bar with the unlikely name of Baumfalks. There are also a few places renting surf boards,canoes, bicycles and even electric buggies. There are quite a few real estate agents – the best seeming to be Century 21, Beyond Bocas and Pro Bocas.

Thinking of Moving to Bocas?We (the publishers of this site) live in Bocas and if you are thinking of moving here we would be happy to help you on places to live, how to earn money here etc. or put you in contact with other people who can advise you too. To email us go Contact Us from the side tabs.

Bocas is full of glorious lush rainforest and to learn more about the rain forest in Panama go to

Rainforest

An Archipeglio

Bocas del Toro is a province of Panama made up of a group of islands off the east coast, just 20 miles south of Costa Rica. It stretches about 100 kilometres from Boca del Drago in the west to Isla Escudo de Veraguas in the east. Christopher Columbus explored here in 1502 while searching for the passage for the Pasific Ocean.

The archipelago of Bocas del Toro has nine major islands, 59 smaller islands with names and a myriad of unnamed mangrove cays with a total population of 89,300. There is a protected Marine National Park here where four species of turtles come to lay their eggs.

The islands are known for their incredible natural beauty, amazing flowers, animals, parrots & other birds, good weather, warm clear water full of coral, dolphins, colourful fish and sea turtles, great diving, sailing & surfing, great food and chilled out lifesyle all in a stable democratic country with a sound economy and friendly attitude to foreigners.

The People of Bocas

The people help make Bocas special. More ethnicities and nationalities are represented on the islands than anywhere in the country outside of Panama City and you will hear more English spoken here than anywhere in the country.

The islands have long been home to the Ngöbe-Buglé, as well as the descendents of Afro-Caribbean immigrants from the English-speaking islands of Jamaica, San Andrés, and Providencia, many of whom came down to work on the region’s enormous banana plantations.

The pace of life is slow and relaxed with nobody seeming to be in much of a hurry. Locals travel between the islands in dugout canoes, some with motors, but most without. These canoes, or pongas as they are called, litter the waterways and channels, especially in the morning when everybody is either going to the main island or the mainland. Glass fibre taxi boats with space for 8 or so passengers zoom around everywhere and you can flag one down as they pass. They also offer day trips around various islands to special places like Dolphin Bay at the end of San Cristobal Island or to see the little red frogs on Bastimentos.

Most of the hotels and restaurants on the islands are owned by Europeans and North Americans. Long-term expats are already grumbling that Bocas isn’t what it used to be, but so far the new arrivals have mainly just brought a more international flavor and a broader range of lodging, dining, entertainment, and activity possibilities.

For now though, backpackers and surfers can still find a bed for six bucks in a hostel and a meal for $1.50, but those with more money to spend can stay in relatively luxurious surroundings and dine on surprisingly good Thai, Indian, Mexican, Italian, and other international cuisine.

Hotels in Bocas del Toro

There are a number of good hotels in Bocas town. Swan’s Cay is a bit up market and right in the middle of town, Casa Blanca near the airport offers a few nice rooms with internet and tv etc but no breakfast or other services. The one we like best is Hotel Angela. It has rooms from $40 a night, the staff are friendly and helpful, the owner is wonderful and the view over the water from the large covered veranda over the water is perfect! It is close to the airport (you can easily walk) and in a few minutes you are on the main street.

For a list of hotels go to
Bocas Hotels Page

Restaurants in Bocas Town

There are all kinds of restaurants in Bocas Town. Our favoutites for a nice dinner are L’Ultimo Refugio, Om (for Indian curry) and Lemon Grass for Far Eastern. 9 Degrees is very nice too with excellent wine. For more information on restaurants go to
Restaurants in Panama

The weather

The weather is warm and tropical all year round. Bocas’s biggest shortcoming however is the rain. Bocas is one of the wettest regions in Panama.

The rain never completely stops, though the best chance of a dry visit is in the min-dry seasons of September/October and February/March. Happily, that’s during Bocas’s low season, when prices are cheaper and everything less crowded. But as with the rest of Panama, even in the rainy season storms usually blow through quickly. Rainfall tends to be heaviest in December and July.

Panama being less than 10 degrees from the equator means the sun here can be very hot. However, because of its location, Bocas del Toro usually has a cooling breeze. The trade winds blow from approximately December to March but Bocas is mostly sheltered by the outlying islands and the sea is virtually always calm.The water temperature varies only a degree or two year-round from its usual 29C (85F).

Bugs and biting thingsThere are a few mosquitos in Bocas but not too many (no Malaria here for the last 5 years) and most hotel rooms have fly screens however there are lots of pesky sand fleas,otherwise known as no-see-ums. You can just about see them, like a tiny black dot on your skin but really they should be renamed we-feel-ums as they really sink their teeth in. You have to use insect repellent, especially on your feet and legs most of the time. The people living here use coconut oil mixed with citronella and lemon oil which is very effective and probably better for your health then Deet products. Apparently the insects drown in the oil which is good to know too!!

Bocas del Toro Real Estate

There are still some great bargains to be had in Bocas but prices have risen considerably in the past three years as Bocas starts to be discovered for the jewel it is. You can still buy parcels of land for $35,000 though and a house for about $120,000 although many are much more expensive. The lots along the waterfront in town with permission for a dock are some of the most expensive pieces of real estate here naturally.

Getting to Bocas del Toro

Travelling to Bocas can either be as simple as taking a 40 minute flight from Panama City for $75 or as adventurous as going over land by bus and water taxi.

You can fly to Bocas del Toro by Eeroperlas or Air Panama. You will arrive at the Tocumen International Airport and then, to fly to Bocas, you will need to go to Albrook National Airport which is about 30 minutes to an hour from Tocumen. You will probably need to stay over night in Panama City: there are many moderately-priced hotels ($20-$40) near the Albrook National Airport.

By car, take the Interamerican Highway up to entrance to Gualaca (404 Km). Turn to the right and go to the end of the road to Chiriqui Grande (95 Km)nd then, in Punta Peña, the road to Almirante, where you can leave the car in a car park or take it across on the 8am ferry. Roads from Panama City are paved, in good condition with beautiful views in the mountains.

A direct bus from Panama City to Bocas del Toro, via Almirante has recently become available with the opening of a new road. The bus ride takes approximately 9 hours and the cost is $23 US. The bus departs from Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte near Albrook Marcos Galabert Airport. The bus leaves in the evening at 8pm and dumps you off in Almirante around 5am. The bus only stops once around 11.30pm so be careful what you drink after that! Also, go with all the layers of clothes you possess as well as a blanket as the bus is kept at 19C which is freezing if you are in only shorts and a t shirt. Get a taxi for a dollar to the boat taxi and get the first water taxi which leaves at 6am. It takes 30 minutes annd costs $4. If you are really on a tight budget get the taxi to take you to the ferry and catch that at 8am.(Bus tel: 507-232-5803).

Bocas del Toro Marina

This is the newest and most up to date marina in Panama. It accommodates boats up to 100 ft. and the concrete floating docks provide stable platforms for walking and working, with aluminum ramps connecting the slips to the land.

Both short term and long term visitors are welcomed by the owners and staff, whose extensive knowledge will help make your arrival and stay in Bocas del Toro smooth and comfortable. A great advantage to you the yacht owner is that you can leave your vessel in Panamá indefinitely, with NO taxes to pay! The only requirement is that you maintain a current cruising permit.

Tourism in Bocas del Toro

Over the last few years the entire province has seen the beginnings of a tourist boom, with a number of middle range hotels and restaurants being opened in and around Bocas town. The town now boasts of three different PADI dive shops, many different styles of restaurants, a deep sea fishing outfit, numerous sailboat and catamaran cruises, mountain bike and moped rentals and a lot of fabulous seafood. Various half, full and multiple day trips can be arranged that combine different elements of what is available in the region.

IPAT (Tourism Office) has recently opened a new office in Bocas, which is located adjacent to the Police Office. The building is set on the waterfront, pointing towards Isla Carenero. The hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m, however, the office is new and often understaffed. They lack much in the way of promotional material.

Excursions in Bocas

Catamaran

A good example of the type of excursion one can find is a very popular day trip that takes place on a 34-foot catamaran that cruises tourists throughout the archipelago through deeply vegetated islands and coral reefs, stopping along the way at different spots to snorkel and scuba dive. Once they reach their destination, a secluded and deserted white sand beach on the island of Bastimentos, the picnic baskets are unloaded and a typical Caribbean lunch is served with white rice, beans, fish, fruit and juices.

After resting and swimming in the light crystal blue waters, it is time for the jungle hike into the island’s nature preserve. Sloths, howler monkeys, toucans, parrots, iguanas and tiny, brightly colored, poison dart frogs are among the island’s different animal inhabitants. The day trip ends with another cruise through the islands with one more stop for snorkeling and then pulls back into Bocas town just before sunset.

Mountain bikes

A fun and distinct excursion to take on Isla Colon is to rent mountain bikes in Bocas town and cycle into the interior. There is a dirt road that goes from the town all the way through the heart of the island to its other side. Many areas of this 20-mile long and 8-mile wide island are still primary and secondary rain forests with a number of pastures and small pueblos of thatched roofed huts. It is in one of these villages along the road in the middle of the island where you can find one of Bocas hidden treasures.

The Cave

Across the street from the town’s lone soda (small store) is a plain cement walkway that veers off the road and down the slope of a hill. Nestled to one side, at the bottom of the ravine, near the mouth of a cave and a fresh water spring is a shrine to the Virgin Mary. The area is shaded by a grove of trees and is quite cool even at midday in the middle of summer. Situated at the entrance to the cave, and placed all around the statue, are dozens of different colored glass candles. As you enter into the cave, the light from these candles flickers and bounce off the walls in a kaleidoscope of shifting colors. Further into the cave, it is possible to look up and see thousands of small fruit bats sleeping upside down and hanging from the ceiling. There is a quiet serenity to the place that allows visitors to relax and enjoy the beauty of its surroundings.

Deep-Sea Fishing

Deep sea fishing is a fairly new addition to the different excursions available in the region, but that does not mean that it isn’t world class. For years locals have been fishing in the province’s warm and bounteous waters catching all types of fish and seafood including the local delicacy, langusta, or lobster. For the avid sports fisherman there are sailfish, blue and black marlin, shark, barracuda, red snapper and snook. Half and full day trips are very inexpensive when compared with other sports fishing destinations such as Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica.

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling

Scuba Diving & snorkeling in Bocas del Toro is in some of the best and most diverse waters in all of Central America. The cost however is about half what you would expect to pay in places like Roatan, Honduras. You can find over two dozen different types of corals, hundreds of species of fish, kelp forests, shipwrecks, caves and reefs all within an hour of Bocas town. With so many different types of diving experiences to be had, it is the perfect place to spend a couple of weeks exploring them all.

One popular destination for divers and snorkelers alike, is Hospital Point. At only five minute by boat from Bocas, this point is easily accessible and a great place to get your feet wet. The water is warm and clear and it is possible to see many different examples of coral such as brain and elk.

For those on a budget, a mask, snorkel and fins can be rented in town for as little as $12 for the day. They can then hire one of the many locals along the wharf to take them over by boat and then pick them up later in the day for no more the three dollars.

Bocas del Toro Animals

While the sea and the water are Bocas del Toro’s main attraction, the islands themselves offer their own unique and interesting experiences and adventures. The islands are teaming with life of every kind from the top to the bottom of the rain forest canopy. Troops of howler, white faced and spider monkeys inhabit all of the larger islands of the group. Three and four toed sloths are very common sights as well as numerous different kinds of reptiles, birds, amphibians and sea turtles.

One of the most interesting and unique creatures to be found on the islands is the poison dart frog. These pint-size frogs are no bigger than a man’s thumbnail and have a myriad of different color patterns. Lime greens, day glow oranges, fiery reds, deep purples and bright yellows to name just a few of the different colors. These amazing little creatures get their name from the poison that they excrete from their skin and its use by native Indians to tip their spears and darts in Pre-Colombian times.

They are not really a danger to humans, as the poison has to be injected into the body because it cannot penetrate the skin.
For more information on the Islands of Bocas
click here

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!