Fall in Love with Bocas Del Toro, Even in the Rain
Visiting Bocas del Toro, Panama City, and the Pearl Islands in just one week was whirlwind trip for sure. However this schedule was necessitated due to my oldest kid joining us mid-week. Was three nights worth the time and effort to get to the Bocas del Toro archipelago? In short, yes! With four days and three nights you will be able to explore this laid-back and remote tropical paradise and mix in some really fun activities.
CURRENCY: US dollars. You will take water taxis to get around costing $1–$5 per person depending on the distance. It seems cheap at first, but it does add up so be prepared with cash.
FITZ BITS TIP: Spend a night or two in Panama City before and/or after visiting Bocas del Toro. Enjoy a visit to the Panama Canal and Miraflores Locks, Casco Veijo ruins, the colonial Panama Viejo, and the Amador Causeway.
These are my honest opinions and recommendations — I do not receive any compensation or discounts during our travel. This story does include some affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please click the links to support my blog.
GETTING TO BOCAS DEL TORO
Panama is a relatively inexpensive country to visit, so adding a hopper flight to Isla Colon, Bocos del Toro did not break the bank. Research the various airlines for times and pricing. And, take note that you are likely flying out of Panama City’s smaller Patella Airport (PAC) and not the large international airport. There is also a more affordable overnight bus + water taxi but the 10-hour bus ride was not something I wanted to take on with kids in tow.
A note about "Green Season"
If your vacation to Panama falls in November you will hear that this is at the end of their Green Season. Green Season = Rainy Season! Prices often reflect the season, so enjoy the savings and fewer visitors versus the high season. I love traveling to Central America over Thanksgiving week and this was one of the few times we had a lot of overcast skies. Pack a couple of rain ponchos and don’t let a little rain slow you down.
LODGING
You can stay outside of the main town or on one of the outlying islands. However, I suggest staying in Bocas Town where you will find an array of lodging options, restaurants, and easy water taxi service. You may also want to split your lodging between Bocas Town and Bastimentos Island.
We booked a two-queen room at the Hotel Palma Royale for three nights. It was nice and clean with ocean views and located across from the water taxis. There were four of us traveling because my oldest son met us later in the trip. If your group is more than four, you will need two rooms or consider another more family-friendly option.
ACTIVITES FROM BOCAS TOWN, BOCAS DEL TORO
1 | Visit Red Frog Beach
Take a taxi boat over to the gorgeous large Red Frog Beach on Bastimentos Island. A must-do activity while in Bocas del Toro. Maybe even book lodging on the island for a night or two.
Upon arrive there is a $5 entrance fee per person. Then take a short jungle walk to the beach. Be sure to slow down and look for the small colorful red and green tree frogs along the way. There are a couple of casual restaurants on the beach as well as a hike to Wizard Beach and other hikes in the area. Ask your hotel or one of the local restaurants about safety along the hiking paths — some are known to be safer than others.
If you have never ziplined before this may be the place to try it: Red Frog Beach Island Resort. Having experienced some pretty epic zip lines in Costa Rica, we skipped it here.
2 | Take a boat to Green Acres Chocolate Farm and more
This is one fantastic day! You can visit Green Acres Chocolate Farm as part of an organized tour through your hotel or the various tour operators. However, I suggest doing it on your own by hiring a water taxi for the day. This is less expensive and makes exploring on your own a fun and more affordable option.
You take a water taxi for about 30-minutes to Green Acres’ small remote boat dock. We were greeted by the owner, Gary who walked us around the immense property for over two hours. It was really interesting to learn about the chocolate-making process in this natural environment. But, that was just part of the experience. Gary interweaved information about the various plants and animals in the area and restoration projects for endangered trees. We also saw a lot of wildlife along the hike including sloths, poison dart frogs, colorful birds, and termites. Everyone was brave enough to eat a termite except me.
Additional stops to create one fantastic day in the archipelago include: Viewing the dolphins in Dolphin Bay. Snorkeling the bright Coral Garden. Lunch over the water in Coral Cay. Circumnavigate the beautiful Bird Island bird sanctuary.
3 | Hike to Starfish Beach from Boca del Drago
There is a local bus to Boca del Drago that runs there every even hour and returns every odd hour for $2–$3 per person. Or jump in a taxi for about $15 each way. Once you get to Boca del Drago you can jump in a panga taxi boat for a dollar or two per person. But, don’t do this! Instead, walk past the little restaurant and take a 15-minute walk along the beach to Playa Estrella, Starfish Beach. This beach is very calm, making it easy to find the the namesake starfish are scattered throughout the crystal clear water. Relax at the small casual restaurant at Boca del Drago while you wait for your taxi or bus back to town.
4 | Rent a surf board or take a lesson
You can hire an instructor, or we just rented boards in town and hired a water taxi to take us out to the reef. This was our first time surfing a reef and I felt a bit uneasy when we got spread out after catching different waves.
5 | Walk all around the little Carenaro Island
Take a quick water taxi ride over to Carenaro Island, the closest island to Colon. There are no roads on this little island. Depending on the conditions, it takes one to two hours to follow the shore around the entire island. Enjoy a casual lunch or dinner while on the little island.
6 | Take a tour to Zapatillas Cay
I hope you get to do a day trip to the uninhabited Zapatillas Cay! Due to some unfavorable weather we did not spend the money to do this tour. We need to go back to go snorkeling and walk all around the island some day!
7 | Witness Turtles Hatching
I hope you get to see this amazing spectacle! We were not there during turtle nesting or hatching season.
Visited in November 2015
