Exotic Islands of Panama, Central America

The Bocas del Toro region is part of the larger La Amistad area, which holds Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site statuses for its rich ecosystems, including the reefs of Panama’s Bastimentos National Marine Park. The waters are inhabited by a wonderful variety of tropical reef creatures including starfish, sting rays, nurse sharks, lobster, angel fish, parrot fish, damsel fish – the list is endless. Dive schools regularly visit up to 15 locations with depth ranges from 2 to 18 meters inside the bay area. Many centers offer try-dives, open water courses and education right through to dive master. Some dive sites include Crawl Cay, The Wreck, Hospital Point, Buoy Line, Playground and many more. The best time of year for diving is April-May and Sept-October but there is good visibility year round.

Bocas is one of the very few Caribbean surf spots with good sized waves. There may be better and bigger waves in the Pacific, but here, when you surf, you do it in turquoise waters, while you ride above colorful coral reefs or white sand. There are beach breaks, point breaks and reef breaks, lefts, and rights for all tastes and preferences. You can find breaks three minutes away from Isla Colon. The preferred surf spots are Wizard, Bluff, Punch, The Point at Carenero and Tiger Tail. It is important to visit these spots with somebody who knows the area, especially if you will be surfing over a reef break.

Visit Dolphin Bay and spot dolphins in their natural habitat.

Bocas Del Toro is home to some of the best cacao farms in the world and chocolate artisans are flocking to the region to grow, harvest and create chocolate libations to satisfy any sweet tooth. Tours are readily available to learn about the process of farming and producing cocoa.

Explore Isla Colon on a scenic ride all the way to Bluff Beach. The bicycle is the most popular means of transportation after water taxis.

This beautiful farm located on Isla Colon has large collections of heleconias, gingers, palms, flowering trees, fruits, spices and ornamentals. While hiking through the finca you may see howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and tiny colorful frogs. There is a wide variety of fruits such as cacao, guava, mammee also known as mamey, nutmeg, passion fruit, pineapple, papaya, tamarind, and nine varieties of bananas, among others. A wide variety of birds call the farm home drawn by its abundance of fruit and flowers.

Bluff Beach, located on Isla Colon, is becoming a hot destination for beach lounge chilling and has a reputation for great surfing.

This beautiful palm-fringed white sand beach is a 45 minute drive from town on the other side of Isla Colon. It is a prime location for swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing.

This small island near Bastimentos is a perfect snorkeling destination where you can spot all kinds of coral and fish. This is one of the few places where you can grab a meal while out on a day tour and therefore is almost always a regular pit stop for most boat tours.

Cayos Zapatillas offer some of the best skin diving in the marine park, windward from Crawl Cay. The variety of underwater ecosystems includes fan gardens and coral reefs. Choose from a variety of depths and currents to suit your skills. More intrepid and experienced divers can explore a series of nearby caves at a depth of 40 feet and require underwater lights.

The sky canopy tour on Bastimentos Island is a great rush for adventure seekers. You can spend the morning relaxing at Red Frog beach and hike over to the canopy tour for the ropes course and tons of treetop ziplining. There are seven zip lines and excellent tour guides that are knowledgeable and friendly. Kids are welcome but will have to meet weight and height restrictions.

As in any coastal destination, seafood is the star in Bocas del Toro. From high-end to popular local street vendors, Bocas del Toro offers a little bit of everything. Popular dishes are “pulpo” (octopus) and “patacones” (fried plantains) among other Caribbean specialties. Many restaurants are on the water making the experience a scenic and entertaining one.

Built in 1905, it is one of Isla Colon’s oldest historic buildings and was constructed to accommodate the main offices of the United Fruit Company, today known as Chiquita Brands International. Conveniently located close to all the main attractions on Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro, Gran Hotel Bahia offers 18 spacious and comfortable rooms, all of them with air conditioning, cable TV and private bathrooms with hot water. Its relaxing and friendly atmosphere makes you feel at home. After the latest renovation, the new Deluxe Plus rooms are available on the upper floor, each with a king size bed, full sofa bed, mini-fridge and flat panel TV. There also is a remodeled room on the lower floor to meet the needs of guests with impaired mobility, with two double beds and all the facilities required for their convenience.

Bocas del Toro "Isla Colón" International Airport (BOC) is located on Isla Colón, about 1.5 km from downtown Bocas del Toro. Air Panama – Panama’s only domestic airline flies to Bocas del Toro with three scheduled flights 6:30 am, 3:30 pm and 4pm.

The bus station in Panama City is located at Albrook Mall – tickets to Almirante, Bocas del Toro can be purchased at wickets in the terminal or by phone. Once you have reached the Almirante port, take a water taxi to Isla Colon also known as Bocas. Boats depart every 30 minutes to Bocas starting at 6:00 a.m. and finishing at 6:00 p.m. If you arrive at the port after 6 p.m., you will have to stay overnight in a nearby hotel which is not ideal. The boat ride from Almirante to Isla Colon takes about 25 to 30 minutes.