The 19 best things to do in Bocas del Toro, Panama
Discover the top things to do in Bocas del Toro, from island hopping and surfing to unique wildlife tours and vibrant nightlife.
Bocas del Toro, Panama’s most riveting archipelago, is a captivating collection of Caribbean islands where wildlife, wild nights, waterfront living, dramatic swells and deep-sea adventures await.
Part mainland, part archipelago province, and home to more than 300 islands and islets, Bocas del Toro offers a striking contrast to the bustling metropolis of Panama City. The islands of Bocas del Toro seem to have jumped from the pages of a tropical fairytale, with their verdant sloth-filled rainforests and wild beaches.
From the nine main islands, buzzing water taxis called landchas ferry fortunate travelers from one captivating destination to the next – some only large enough to house two petite tropical trees. Jungle hikes, deserted-island visits, deep-sea fishing, caving and cacao tours are at your disposal here. Bocas is a place for diving deep into warm waters as well as Panamanian culture and history.
The main areas of Bocas del Toro are Bocas Town, your first port of call as it is where you’ll fly into; Isla Carenero, a sleepier palm-laden affair; and Isla Bastimentos, home to Panama’s first marine reserve.
To experience the unmissable and unforgettable experiences on all of Bocas’ main islands, give yourself a few days to hop around and explore. When visiting, here are the best things to do in Bocas del Toro.
1. Explore Boca Town’s Third Street
Located on Isla Colón’s southern tip, Bocas Town (often shortened to Bocas) is the central hub with the lion’s share of hospitality businesses and one solitary bank. Want to pick up souvenirs? Learn to dive? Book a tour to faraway isles, or devour pizza? All can be procured on Calle Tercera (Third St), also commonly referred to as Main Street.
Along Bocas’ nine avenues, you’ll find a small array of boutiques and shops, typically operated by expats. Try Bella Bocas, a mini-boutique tucked within a multi-purpose retail area that includes Mono Loco Surf School and the Cacao Blessings chocolate bar. Buddhas and bedazzled threads adorn Indi Surf House, located on Calle Primera.
Detour: If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, a treatment at Lil’ Spa Shop may be just what the doctor ordered.
2. Dive deep at Hospital Point and easy-to-reach dive spots
While the best surf and dive spots are not located in Bocas, the gateway schools and gear rental shops are. For novices and avid divers, a host of reputable centers offer beginner or refresher courses and facilitate adventure days and fun dives, allowing you to glide next to eels, damselfish, groupers, rays and more.
The archipelago has more than 15 rousing spots for wreck, cave and reef diving. Notable sites include Isla Solarte’s Pandora shipwreck and reef, and Hospital Point, which was named after a sickbay built for United Fruit Company workers. Marine enthusiasts also enjoy Solarte’s Manuel’s Wall and Lunch Box dive sites, where they can peek at spotted drum fish and toadfish.
Detour: Good times are also available on the topside at Isla Solarte’s smack-in-the-sea alfresco resto-bar the Blue Coconut.
3. Catch a wave on Isla Colón
Bocas del Toro has also gained infamy in surfing circles and even played host to household names like professionals Kelly Slater and Tom Curren. Nevertheless, the waves remain uncrowded and appealing to surfers of all levels. From gentle sandy breaks ideal for beginners to adrenaline-inducing shore breaks that command respect and vigilance, Isla Colón offers a comprehensive selection. Noteworthy spots include Playa Paunch – the closest one to Bocas Town – Dumpers and Playa Bluff, an expansive golden beach with waves only suitable for experienced surfers.
Planning tip: Before testing your prowess in the water, get lessons with the qualified guides at Mono Loco Surf School.
4. Ride an ATV to secret vistas
Getting an ATV blends thrills with convenience and grants access to the Isla Colón that most time-pressed travelers won’t see. Flying Pirates boasts large swaths of private land that’s the exclusive preserve of its customers. Head out towards Playa Bluff and have a blast taking on ATV trails, surging across ever-shifting landscapes and making pit stops at gobsmacking azure swimming holes like Blue Lagoon and La Piscina.
Planning tip: They have three locations within Bocas but the main branch is outside of town at Skully’s hotel in Big Creek. 
5. Sail away on catamaran escapes
A catamaran trip is a wonderful way to experience Bocas, with 360-degree blue sea views and knowledgeable captains sailing to unique vantage points. Assemble your nearest and dearest and hop on a catamaran to sail into the sunset with Jager Knights. They offer public tours at US$59 per person, or, if you want a more personalized experience, you can set up a private charter. On Tuesdays and Fridays, you can watch the sun languidly descend into the sea during a two-hour sunset cruise on a 13m (42ft) catamaran (US$25, plus tax).
Detour: Panama Sailing & Adventurous offers overnight and multi-day charters on Naylamp, a three-cabin trimaran.
6. Party hard at Filthy Friday
If you’re keen on a good old tropical knees-up, you’ve probably heard of Filthy Friday. Central America’s only island crawl takes in three islands (Colón, Solarte and Carenero) and features float races, a fire show and epic DJ sets. It’ll be hard to miss the raucous partygoers wearing branded tank tops around town from 11am when the party commences. Tickets cost US$40 and include merch, inter-island transportation and all the vibes. While the crowd certainly skews younger, all ages are welcome. Rain or shine, nothing stops this bash.
Detour: Those staying out in Bocas Town can create a crawl of their own, cavorting from one boozy spot to another, like Tequila Republic, Coco Loco Bar and Space.
7. Book a guided tour to learn about wildlife and indigenous medicine
Bocas del Toro is a nature lover’s dream, and there are a plethora of tour groups that will take you out for viewings. Some tour groups will take you to Bird Island, a landmark that transports you back to the Jurassic Age. This small rocky island is only inhabited by birds, including red-billed chough. There’s no beach, but you can snorkel if the conditions are right. You can also learn about the local Ngöbe and their relationship to plants for medicine, dyes and food, along with a meal and rainforest hike with Rainforest Chemistry.
Detour: Kawi Voyage’s Piying Creek tour to Isla San Cristóbal packs in birdwatching, snorkeling, a two-hour trek with a bilingual guide and passing caimans while floating down a river in a wooden cayuco canoe.
8. Snorkel at Starfish Beach with children in tow
Playa Estrella (Starfish Beach) attracts families and beach lovers from far and wide to see constellations of carrot-colored starfish spread across the sea floor. It’s a bucket list destination, and you can kill an afternoon here snorkeling in placid, shallow waters to scrutinize these echinoderms under the water.
Calm and wave-free, this is one of the best swimming beaches on Isla Colón for families with little ones in tow. When thirst or hunger strikes, there are options aplenty. Solo travelers are likely to find friends when seated at one of the many seafood shacks lining the beach. Plus, mere steps away, sloths can be spied dangling from trees.
Planning tip: Avoid removing the starfish from the water, even for just a “quick photo,” as they can suffocate when exposed to air.
9. Repent at Castillo Inspiración
Robert Bezeau had always wanted to live in a castle, so he made his own – out of around 40,000 empty plastic bottles. Robert’s four-story complex, Castillo Inspiración, is the first of its kind anywhere in the world and it landed a spot in the Guinness World Records for the largest castle made of plastic bottles.
Bezeau invites travelers to spend a night (or more) in his prison-style hostel as a somewhat lighthearted way to repent for their crimes against the planet. This mock jailhouse has humble dorms and double rooms, and guests are free to explore the grounds, which include an outdoor pool and waterslide.
10. Go horseback riding on Bluff Beach
Equestrians come to Bluff Beach Retreat, a tranquil escape with waterfront accommodations, a 20m (65ft) lap pool and a nearby fruit and horse farm, to ride well-groomed horses and trot around Bluff Beach and its rich jungle landscapes. Riders of all levels (from age 12) are welcome on this three-hour tour (US$55), which take you to La Piscina – a fabled and secluded turquoise pool where you can dismount and snorkel. 
11. Take a water taxi to Bibi’s on the Beach
This over-the-water restaurant serves up fresh seafood and Bocas’ most celebrated piña colada, whipped up with local coconuts. The US$3 cocktail price during happy hour (4pm through 7pm daily) is truly a steal and standout dishes include Bibi’s ceviche, the Caribbean octopus and fries, and the seafood soup. Here, leisurely afternoons by the water become equally leisurely evenings where manta rays are known to make an appearance.
Planning tip: If you’re staying until closing, ask a staff member to call you a water taxi, as these can be difficult to come by at night.
12. Witness an amazing sunset at Aqua Lounge
Nab a front-row seat to witness the magic of the sun’s fiery farewell from a sunbed or a colorful Acapulco chair on the spacious sundeck at Aqua Lounge, an over-the-water hostel, bar, restaurant and events venue on Isla Carenero. Sunset-seekers also enjoy jumping off Aqua Lounge’s two-story dive tower and teetering over the ocean pool on its slackline.
Planning tip: Happy hour is every day between 5pm and 7pm.
13. Go paddleboarding along crystal waters
With minimal barriers to entry, paddleboarding (or kayaking) is a splendid way to experience the inviting waters of Bocas del Toro, particularly along the tranquil western side of Isla Carenero, which has more subdued swells. A full lap of the island can be completed only when the waters are pancake flat. Ambitious paddlers can attempt island crossings, but always be mindful of boats darting past.
Detour: Isla Carenero is tiny enough to circumnavigate by foot in under two hours. The Carenero Island Trail, which goes around the island’s entire perimeter, features rocky viewpoints, raw jungle and rugged coastline.
14. Visit Salt Creek in Bastimentos
Located on the southeastern side of Isla Bastimentos, the Ngöbe-Buglé village of Salt Creek (Quebrada Sal) is a humble settlement of around 900 residents who ply the mangrove forest by canoe and sustain themselves with fishing. They welcome anyone who visits, but you’ll need to pay a nominal entry fee. Organized tours may combine the experience with hikes along various jungle trails, such as the pelican route, caiman trail or Playa Larga route.
15. Enter Panama’s first protected marine park
Founded in 1988, Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos is Panama’s oldest marine park. It covers 33,000 hectares (81,500 acres) of sea and land, and it safeguards the nation’s most extensive stretch of Caribbean mangrove forests as well as countless coral species and marine invertebrates. The terrestrial region of the park includes Playa Larga, a vital sea-turtle nesting site. The miss-them-at-your-peril Cayos Zapatillas (a duo of pristine, uninhabited, reef-ringed islands) are verdant refuges for white-faced capuchins, alligators, sea turtles and a host of endangered species.
Detour: Day tours to Cayos Zapatillas usually depart early, with several stops for snorkeling and wildlife spotting
16. Relax at Red Frog Beach
Of all the postcard-worthy beaches to choose from, Red Frog Beach is the most celebrated. This breathtaking shoreline derives its name from the forest-dwelling, electrically hued rana roja (strawberry poison-dart frog). There are opportunities to rent cabanas, join a game of beach volleyball or do sweet nothing.
Planning tip: The 10-minute walk to the beach from the dock requires a US$5 entrance fee by cash. Also, the swells along Red Frog Beach can be intense, so it’s not the beach best for little tykes.
17. See the sloths of Escudo de Veraguas
Isla Escudo de Veraguas is small but carries great significance as it’s the only place where the three-toed pygmy sloth resides. The unique sloth is endangered and native to the island, which is rich with mangroves and dense forests. An organized tour is about two hours from Bocas Town by boat and operates seasonally from March to May and August to October when the waters are calmer.
Planning tip: A veritable wildlife sanctuary, this island, roughly the same size as New York’s Central Park, has turned out to be a hotbed of endemism as the Zamia hamannii plant and diminutive golden-collared manakins (birds) are also endemic to the island.
18. Meet the bats at Nivida Bat Cave
Eerie, exciting and enjoyable, the Nivida Bat Cave in Bahía Honda is well worth exploration. During this half-day expedition with local guides, you’ll slip on rubber boots or wet shoes, hard hats or headlamps and feel like Indiana Jones as you venture into the cave, which has a subterranean lake. Getting wet is a certainty, so leave your nice clothes at home (swimwear is suitable) and bring a dry bag and a change of clothes.
Avoid this experience entirely if you’re prone to squeamishness as the suspended bats cloaking the ceiling aren’t the only ominous creatures. Spiders and whip scorpions make an appearance, too. Claustrophobics need not apply.
Planning tip: The bat cave is situated deep within the jungle, so visiting on your own is not recommended. Instead, secure the service of a local guide.
19. Take a chocolate tour at Up in the Hill
Positioned on the Bastimentos’ loftiest peak, Up in the Hill is a treasured and hidden spot on Isla Bastimentos. From Old Bank’s main park, walk for 15 minutes following the signs that lead to this family-owned 4-hectare (10 acre) permaculture farm and chocolate tour. From 11am to 1pm, you’ll be given a friendly crash course in medicinal plants, identifying tropical flora and fauna and uncovering the secrets of cacao cultivation from bean to powder.
Planning tip: This organic and eco-friendly farm also has a coffee shop (for tour guests only) with a simple but fresh-from-the-garden menu.
This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Panama guidebook, published in December 2023.
