Bocas del Toro (aka Bocas Town aka Bocas) is a town in the Caribbean West of Panama. The town has an interesting mix of islanders, expats and backpackers and is the most developed in the region. The town boasts an abundance of restaurants, hotels and bars. Bocas has developed a reputation for being a party town with a number of bars and clubs that sit on the stilts over the water.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Bocas Town is on the southern tip of Isla Colón and is part of the Bocas del Toro archipelago of islands. Further afield on the island of Colón, are a number of white sand beaches and nature reserves. Bocas also makes a good base for doing tours around the other islands. Other islands accessible by water taxi from Bocas Town include Carenero, Bastimentos, Cristóbal, and Solarte.
Bocas town is small enough to walk all over. If you need a ride, cabs are plentiful and usually only cost 60 cents or so to get around town. Not necessary for getting around the town itself, but water taxis are the main means of transport to other islands or farther-flung beaches. Fares are always charged per person, not per group, and start at $1 (from the Bocas Town waterfront to Aqua Lounge on nearby Carenero Island). Agree on the price beforehand. You can also pay before getting in if you want to make sure to get your change. Bicycle rentals run approximately $2/hr or $10/day.
El Istmito Big Creek Bluff Beach – There are several hotels/restaurants in middle. Swimming can be difficult but come here for unspoilt sometimes private feeling beach. Surfing is popular. About $15 taxi from town. Otherwise take the bus to the junction towards Drago ($0.50) and walk the rest. Starfish Beach – Take the hourly bus to Drago (45 min) and walk another 1.5-2 km from there (20 min). Mimitimbi Beach Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Tropical Research Station – A world-class marine science research station, offering free guided tours Thursday and Friday afternoons.
Scuba Diving. Most operators offer identical dive options at the same price, with the same types of boats. The diving may not be adventurous enough for seasoned divers as most of the dives are fairly shallow (15–20 m) and the wildlife not as rich as some of the more mainstream Caribbean dive destinations. There is also another scuba operator on Isla Bastimentos. They do not hire contract dive masters. All dives are lead by the owner. About $60/two tanks, all equipment included. Certification courses from $199. (updated Mar 2019) Horseback riding. Horses are a way of life in Panama. It is not unusual to look out the window of your casita, and have a horse looking back.
There are plenty of places to eat lining the main streets of Bocas Town. Just walk around and check some out. Expect to pay about $5–7 for a cheap meal, though of course it is easy to find places where you will pay much more. Food carts can be either fairly expensive or pretty cheap, usually depending on the location and target clientele. Specialties are empanadas or fried chicken and patacones. El Ultimo Refugio, Av. H between C. 4a and C. 3a, ☏ +507 6726 9851. M-Sa 17:00-22:00. Fresh seafood, steak, and variations on Norte Americano-style dishes. Known for passion fruit dishes & cocktails. From $35 for two. (updated Jul 2022) Trattoria Pane e Vino, Av. E Nte., above Tequila Republic.
There quite a few bars in Bocas Town, and all the restaurants serve beer as well. It's not uncommon for backpackers to buy beer at one of the many small grocery stores and drink while walking down the street. Selina. The waterfront wooden deck bar for the massive Selina Hostel, on the first floor and open to the public. Just walk right in, or use the smaller side door through the passageway on the right later at night. As of March 2020, this seems to often be where the party is, especially before midnight. Barco Hundido. A disco, built on a wooden deck, above the water with a wrecked/sunken ship under the water just beyond the deck, illuminated by bright lights.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €40 — book ahead for the popular ones.
Tours and tickets provided by Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Some links earn Stayonomy a commission.
In Aug, Bocas Del Toro typically sees ~29°C daytime highs and 28 rainy days.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-08-16. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
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