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Aerial view of a sandy beach edged by rainforest on Bastimentos.

Bocas del
Toro

Islands of Panama's Caribbean with reefs, cacao and Afro-Antillean culture

Dronepicr · CC BY 3.0

Before you go, understand the place.

The archipelago has nine main islands and thousands of islets. Isla Colón is the most developed and the only one with paved roads; at its tip is Bocas Town, the provincial capital. On the island's west side are the calm beaches of Boca del Drago and Starfish Beach; on the east, Bluff Beach, with strong waves and turtle nesting.

By Asesordeviaje.com Editorial Team · updated

Our view

Is it worth it?
Yes: the same archipelago gives you reefs for snorkelling, the Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, cocoa farms and Ngäbe and Naso communities that welcome visitors. On top of that, almost all of its places have confirmed status; only Nivida Cave and Isla Escudo de Veraguas are unconfirmed.
Who it suits
Yes for anyone after calm water at Boca del Drago and Playa Estrella, beginner snorkelling at Cayo Coral or surfing on Isla Carenero, where Old Mans has a sandy bottom suitable for beginners. Between March and October, turtles nest on Playa Bluff. It is not a place to swim carelessly at Wizard Beach or Playa Bluff, which have strong waves and currents and rarely any lifeguards.
How many days
Three days work well: one for Boca del Drago and Playa Estrella, another for the boat tour of the archipelago and another for Old Bank, with cocoa in the afternoon. Almost everything leaves from Bocas Town by boat or bus, so a single base is enough.
The usual mistake
Getting stranded: the last bus from Boca del Drago leaves at 5:00 p.m. and the shared boats to Almirante finish at around 6:00 or 6:30 p.m., with no regular service at night. Also agree the water taxi fare before boarding, and don't touch the starfish at Playa Estrella.
If you are short on time
Do the boat tour: Dolphin Bay in the morning, snorkelling at Cayo Coral and the beach at Cayo Zapatilla 2, whose entrance fee is B/.10 for foreigners; if the tour doesn't include it, pay online on the MiAmbiente portal. Boca del Drago and Playa Estrella can wait for another day.

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

  • Bocas del Toro beaches

    West of Isla Colón there are calm swimming beaches; to the east and on Bastimentos, beaches with strong waves. Check the currents before going in: there are almost never lifeguards.

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  • By boat around the archipelago

    The usual stops on day tours from Bocas Town. Ask whether the price includes the marine park fee (B/.10 for foreigners).

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  • Wildlife and snorkeling

    Places to see dolphins, seabirds, red frogs, manatees and turtles in Bocas del Toro, plus reefs for snorkelling or diving, most of them reached by boat.

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  • Cacao and communities

    There are cacao farms, Afro-Antillean villages and Ngäbe and Naso communities that welcome visitors. Several options work on rainy days.

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  • Free or almost free

    Plans that cost only the bus, a bike or a short water-taxi ride.

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  • Restricted or seasonal

    Places with limited access or that depend on the season and sea conditions. Check each entry before planning.

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Plan your visit

The practical information you need to plan your visit

Essentials and suggested itinerary

Best time to go
On the Caribbean side it rains almost all year and there is no defined dry season; the first rainfall minimum usually comes in February or March (MIDA with IMHPA, 2024). Climate averages from a private site also show February and March as the driest months, and November and December as the wettest. Visit Panamá and several local guides point to September and October as months with calmer seas, useful for reaching distant cays, but rainfall data for those months varies between sources. Nationwide, October and November bring the heaviest rain, and the Atlantic hurricane season (June to November) can cause downpours and flooding (FCDO). Turtles at Bluff Beach: March to October according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Surf at Old Mans (Carenero): December to April and July (Visit Panamá).
Getting there
By air: Air Panama flies from Albrook airport (Marcos A. Gelabert) in Panama City to Bocas del Toro four times a day each way, one-hour flights. Departures from Panama at 6:45, 9:45, 12:45 and 16:00; from Bocas at 8:15, 11:15, 14:15 and 17:30 (Air Panama schedule, which can change). José Ezequiel Hall airport is inside Bocas Town. Air Panama also flies to Changuinola Monday to Friday. Visit Panamá lists three weekly flights from San José (Costa Rica) to Bocas; SANSA lists Bocas among its destinations. Overland: by car, about 6 hours on the Pan-American Highway to Chiriquí and about 3 more via Gualaca to Almirante (Visit Panamá). The overnight bus from Albrook to Almirante takes 10–12 hours; 2025 and 2026 guides cite departures around 18:00 and 20:00 and about US$35, but the operator's schedule and fare are unconfirmed. From David there are buses to Almirante (3.5 to 5 hours depending on the guide). From Boquete, the Hello Travel Panama shuttle costs from US$30 per person including the water taxi to Isla Colón and takes about 4.5 hours, longer in the rain (operator). In Almirante, the shared water taxi to Bocas Town takes about 35 minutes; several guides give about US$6 one way, with no fare confirmed by the boat companies. The operator's schedule is unconfirmed: several guides place the service from 6:00, with the last boats around 18:00–18:30 and no fixed timetable; reconfirm the last departure and do not count on regular shared service at night.
  1. Walking from Boca del Drago to Starfish Beach through mangroves.
  2. Snorkeling at Coral Cay and Hospital Point.
  3. The beach on Zapatilla Cay 2, inside the marine park.
  4. Looking for red frogs on the Red Frog trail.
  5. An afternoon in Old Bank and the trail to Wizard Beach.
  6. Seeing how cacao is processed on a farm or with the Ngäbe community of Oreba.

Suggested itinerary

  1. Day 1Bus from the Bocas Town park to Boca del Drago (leaves on even hours from 6:00). Trail of about 30 minutes to Starfish Beach; do not touch the starfish. Last bus back at 17:00. Sunset on Isla Carenero, 5 minutes by water taxi.
  2. Day 2Boat tour of the archipelago: Dolphin Bay in the morning, snorkeling at Coral Cay, beach time on Zapatilla Cay 2 (B/.10 fee for foreigners) and a stop at Red Frog (about US$5 access). Ask beforehand whether the tour includes the park fee.
  3. Day 3Water taxi to Old Bank and the trail to Wizard Beach (do not swim if there is a current). In the afternoon, Green Acres cacao farm (10:00 or 14:00, booking required) or the Oreba cacao tour from Almirante. Between March and October, ask about the turtle watch on Bluff Beach with ANABOCA.

Where to stay

Bocas Town (Isla Colón)
The widest choice of hotels, restaurants and bars. Almost all tours and boats leave from here, and the airport is in town.
Outskirts of Isla Colón (Bluff, Boca del Drago)
Quieter areas with surf hotels and yoga retreats. You need a taxi, bus or bike to get to town.
Isla Carenero
Car-free island 5 minutes by boat from Bocas Town, with waterfront bars, surf breaks and board rental.
Isla Bastimentos (Old Bank and Red Frog)
Afro-Antillean village with hostels, rental houses, luxury hotels and jungle bungalows. More isolated: everything moves by boat.

Tips and precautions

  1. Agree on the water-taxi fare before boarding. For reference: Carenero US$1.50–5 (Visit Panamá, 2026); Old Bank about US$2–3 (private guide, 2026).
  2. Pay the marine park fee online on MiAmbiente's portal (reservasap.miambiente.gob.pa), or ask whether your tour includes it.
  3. Do not touch starfish, coral, frogs, dolphins or turtles.
  4. The last bus from Boca del Drago to Bocas Town leaves at 17:00, and shared water taxis to Almirante stop around 18:00–18:30, according to guides; reconfirm the last departure.
  5. In turtle season, wear dark clothing and do not turn on white lights on the beach at night.
  6. Air Panama flights can be changed or canceled due to weather; leave a buffer before an international flight.

Safety and precautions

  • Between 28 April and 30 June 2025 there were road blockades in the province over protests against the social security reform; roads reopened on 30 June 2025 (La Prensa). The state of urgency was lifted on 29 June 2025 (FCDO).
  • Curfew for minors: its current validity and hours are unconfirmed. Bocas del Toro Resolution 04-2025 established daily hours of 6pm–6am from 13 June 2025 for minors without their parents, guardians or a responsible adult, with an exception for documented night-school students. It set no end date. The UK advisory still mentions it but gives 8pm–5am.
  • Changuinola airport was damaged on 20 June 2025; in July 2025 TVN reported repair work and that resuming flights depended on security clearance. In October 2026, the Air Panama schedule included Changuinola flights, which may be changed or cancelled because of weather or an airport closure. In December 2025 TVN reported that Isla Colón had resumed tourism in less than a month after the blockades ended and that full recovery of the province's businesses could stretch into 2026.
  • Protests in Panama can start at short notice and include road closures. Stay away from them and check local news before traveling overland (FCDO; Canada, June 2026).
  • Some beaches have strong currents and undertow, there are rarely signs or lifeguards, and people drown every year (FCDO; Canada). Wizard Beach has big surf and strong currents, and Bluff Beach very powerful waves (Visit Panamá, November 2025).
  • From June to November there can be heavy rain, flash floods and landslides (FCDO).
  • Possessing even small amounts of drugs can lead to prison (FCDO).

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to visit the Zapatilla Cays?

They are part of Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park: B/.10 for foreigners and B/.4 for Panamanians for sea access (MiAmbiente, Dec 2024). You can pay online at miambiente.gob.pa. A full-day tour costs about US$25–45 on top (private guide, 2026).

Can I visit Zapatilla Cay 1?

No. MiAmbiente keeps access restricted because of hawksbill turtle nesting. Zapatilla Cay 2 is open.

Can I touch the starfish at Starfish Beach?

No. Do not touch them or lift them out of the water: they get stressed, contaminated and die (Visit Panamá, 2025).

How do I get there from Panama City?

The fastest way is Air Panama's one-hour flight from Albrook, with four daily departures. Overland, take the overnight bus to Almirante (10–12 h) and a water taxi of about 35 minutes to Bocas Town.

Are the 2025 blockades still going on?

Roads reopened on 30 June 2025 after an agreement (La Prensa). Protests can recur at short notice: check local news before traveling by road.

When can I see turtles?

At Bluff Beach they nest from March to October according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy (Visit Panamá says April to August). On Zapatilla Cay, MiAmbiente reported hawksbill hatchlings on 1 October 2026.

Do I have to pay to enter Red Frog Beach?

About US$5 per person is charged for the private trail (Visit Panamá, 2023 and 2025). The water taxi from Bocas Town is extra.

Sources

Information checked in . Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

  1. Bocas del Toro – Visit Panamá (ATP)2026
  2. Playas imperdibles en Bocas del Toro – Visit Panamá (ATP)2025
  3. Getting here from Central America and the Caribbean – Visit Panamá (ATP)2026
  4. Itineraries – Air Panama2026
  5. MiAmbiente reitera vigencia de medidas legales de conservación del Parque Nacional Isla Bastimentos – MiAmbiente2024
  6. Ministerio de Ambiente habilita pago en línea para visitar las áreas protegidas – MiAmbiente2024
  7. Boletín agroclimático Bocas del Toro, dic. 2023–mar. 2024 – MIDA / IMHPA2024
  8. Panama travel advice: Safety and security – FCDO (UK)2025
  9. Travel advice and advisories for Panama – Government of Canada2026
  10. Fin al bloqueo: reabren todas las vías en Bocas del Toro – La Prensa2025
  11. Aumentan viajes de Chiriquí a Bocas del Toro tras reapertura de vías – TVN2025
  12. Bocas del Toro avanza en su recuperación económica – TVN2025
  13. Bluff Beach – Sea Turtle Conservancy2026
  14. How to Get to Bocas del Toro: Every Route Explained – Hello Travel Panama2026
  15. How To Get To Bocas del Toro, Panama – Bel Around the World2025
  16. Bocas del Toro weather by month – weather2travel2026
  17. Sistema de Reserva de Áreas Protegidas – MiAmbiente2026
  18. Gaceta Oficial n.º 30300: Resolución 04-2025 de la Gobernación de Bocas del Toro (toque de queda para menores) – copia de la Asamblea Nacional2025
  19. Boquete to Bocas del Toro, daily shuttle – Hello Travel Panama (operador)2026
  20. Bocas del Toro (BOC) – SANSA2026

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

Showing 24 of 24 · 2 closed or restricted, flagged · 2 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 8

Sea, beach and reef · 7

Lakes, rivers and waterfalls · 3

Living culture · 5

City and food · 1

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