Bocas del Toro

Panama's Caribbean island getaway: a stilt-house town, Starfish Beach, the uninhabited Zapatilla Cays, Red Frog Beach and island-hopping to Dolphin Bay.

Bocas del Toro is an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea off northwestern Panama, near the Costa Rican border, made up of main islands including Isla Colón, Isla Bastimentos, Isla Carenero, Isla Solarte and Isla San Cristóbal, plus numerous small cays. Most visitors stay in Bocas Town at the southern tip of Isla Colón, with its colorful wooden stilt houses, overwater restaurants and lively backpacker scene. The climate is hot and humid, and rain is possible year-round; Feb–Apr and Sep–Oct are relatively dry with clearer water, the best time for snorkeling. In Dec–Jan the open Caribbean has big waves, good for surfing but making island-hopping boats bumpier. There are two main routes. The northern route takes a minibus to the north end of Isla Colón to see Starfish Beach and Boca del Drago, plus a boat trip around Bird Island. The southern route is an island-hopping day tour (about US$35–50) that stops at Dolphin Bay, Sloth Island and Coral Cay for snorkeling, with a break on the white sand of the uninhabited Zapatilla Cays. You can also take a water taxi to Isla Bastimentos for Red Frog Beach, Old Bank village and Wizard Beach, or surf and watch nesting turtles at night at Bluff Beach. Getting there: flights from Panama City to Bocas airport take about an hour, or take a speedboat from Almirante on the mainland (about 30 minutes); from Costa Rica, cross the border at Sixaola. Getting between islands is entirely by water taxi, priced per person, so agree on the fare at the dock. Plan to stay 3–5 days. Bring sun protection and insect repellent, book accommodation early in high season, and be aware that open-sea trips are canceled when conditions are rough.

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