Top Activities for the Ultimate Vacation in Bocas del Toro Panama
Bocas del Toro, Panama is an under-explored hidden gem in Central America that is a must-see if you like a beach, adventure, or off-the-beaten-path vacation. Situated off the coast of northeast Panama, not far from Costa Rica, this set of islands has incredible food, beautiful clear-water beaches, jungle, chocolate, and so many animals to see. For a full guide on Bocas del Toro, where to stay, how to get around, how long to spend, what to pack, check out our guide (coming soon). In the meantime, plan your trip based on the top activities in Bocas del Toro Panama for your ultimate vacation on the islands:
Google Map of Bocas del Toro
For your convenience, we tag all of our destinations, restaurant recommendations, etc on a convenient Google Map for our readers. You can find the one for Bocas del Toro below, or see a collection of all of our maps on our Travel Maps page (includes the rest of Panama!).
Top Things to Do in Bocas del Toro Panama
Enjoy the Local Cuisine of Bocas
Bocas del Toro, despite being rather remote and small, has delicious cuisine made with local ingredients. You’ll find international options, but our favorite is local – Panamanian, Caribbean, seafood, made with local ingredients. Here are some of the local products/dishes you should enjoy:
- Plantains – as part of a dish or caramelized on their own
- Coconut Bread
- Coconut Rice
- Passionfruit – as part of a dish, drink, jam/jelly, etc
- Fish fillet or whole fish
- Lobster
A few of our favorite spots to eat on the island (also tagged on our Google Map):
- Octo: renown Panamanian chef serving caribbean dishes with local ingredients – we loved the tuna sandwich on the coconut bread. The jerk chicken was just ok.
- Cafe del Mar: international dishes but with Caribbean and Panamanian flavors. The burrito with coconut rice and plantains is a must. The fish burger with plantains and sweet peppers was also amazing. We went for dinner but they also serve brunch!
- El Ultimo Refugio: perfect for a seafood dinner with good vibes. Waterfront views with live music accompanied by a passionfruit rum or sangria is the perfect way to end the evening. The passionfruit coconut shrimp was amazing.
Explore the Beaches of Bocas del Toro
If you’re planning a trip to Bocas del Toro, you’re going to want to save 1 or 2, or more, of their stunning beaches for your itinerary. The waters are clear and blue, and there are so many miles of beaches, you can get a private get away for you and your group.
To get to these beaches, you’ll either want to visit them as part of a tour, or get to the beach via a water taxi if traversing water, or with an ATV or electric bike if you’re on the same island as the beach. There are some buses that can take you around the beaches, like on Isla Colon, but they only run every hour and we don’t like being restricted by a bus schedule. We DO NOT recommend getting a non-electric bike, as the roads are not always paved and can be very hilly.
Red Frog Beach
Red Frog Beach is one of the most popular islands in the Bocas region. To get to the beach, you have to cross through the jungle via a 15 minute, safe, path. This is a great opportunity to try and spot some jungle animals. The beach is fairly large, so plenty of spots to settle down privately for the afternoon. There are also a few restaurants and bars.
The waves are dangerous, however, so don’t swim without checking the warning signs/flags.
Cayo Zapatilla
Nestled in the Caribbean Sea, Cayo Zapatilla emerges as a pristine pair of uninhabited islands, inviting travelers to a realm of unspoiled beauty in Bocas del Toro. We recommend visiting these islands as part of a boat tour, or grab a water taxi to make it even more private. We recommend taking a little walk along the beaches and then settling down for a few hours – it’s easy to find a private little spot for you and your party.
Bring food and water if you plan on staying a while, there is literally nothing for sale on this island – it’s uninhabited.
Playa Estrella
Playa Estrella is a little beach just a 15 minute walk from Playa del Drago. It’s filled with food and drink vendors, chairs to sit on the beach or dipped into the water. But the best part, you can swim next to the starfish! Do not touch or move the starfish as we don’t want to disturb them in their natural habitat.
Keep in mind this beach if fairly popular – lots of tour boats come here and so it can get busy and loud on the weekends. We recommend going early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
Playa Bluff
If you’re looking for a lovely walk on the beach, you have 7km worth of flat beach and clear waters to enjoy at Playa Bluff. This beach is HUGE and perfect for grazing for sea shells, sand dollars, sand glass, etc. We enjoyed a few hours on Playa Bluff as part of our ATV tour of Isla Colon. There are a few vendors
Do not swim at Playa Bluff – the current is very dangerous.
Guided Tours Worth Your Money
When you Google tours for Bocas del Toro, you actually wont find much online that is promising, which makes the experience even more exciting. Bocas del Toro was a hidden gem for us, under explored by tourists, which makes now the time to visit. There are a handful of tours worth your money, and we don’t recommend booking online – the prices are higher and the reviews are not encouraging. Instead, use your hotel/bed and breakfast host to help book a tour, or travel down to Bocas Town to book in person.
You’ll want to look for tours that include destinations for the beaches we listed above, plus opportunities to see local animals or taste local cuisine. Below we summarized the three main tours we recommend:
Boat Tour to Cayo Zapatilla
There is a boat tour we took to Cayo Zapatilla that also includes a stop in Dolphin Bay, a snorkeling stop, sloth sighting, a few hours at Cayo Zapatilla, a lunch, and starfish sighting. It was only $35, we booked it through our AirBNB host, and the driver picked us up directly from the dock outside our AirBNB. Definitely worth the money, and took us to all the top sites/activities in the area.
Boat Tour to Playa Estrella or Red Frog Beach
While we chose to ATV over to Playa Estrella, there is a set boat tour that takes you to Playa Estrella. We recommend this if you have a half day to spend. It takes the stress out of having to figure out how to get there. Plus, these tours usually pair with another activity to do on the island, like snorkeling or animal sight-seeing.
Chocolate Tour
Bocas del Toro, Panama grows and makes their own chocolate, so what better way to top off your trip with a chocolate tour. The Oreba Chocolate Tour (not sponsored) is a 4 hour guided tour that walks you through the chocolate-making process, plantation, culture, etc. It’s only $35 and includes a treat.
Other Activities in Bocas del Toro
Rent an ATV to Explore Colon Island
One of our favorite experiences in our entire trip to Panama was the day we spent with our ATV rental. We grabbed an ATV from Flying Pirates for the day ($90) and used it to explore Playa del Drago, Play Estrella, and Playa Bluff. It was the perfect way to explore Isla Colon at our own pace and in an adventurous way. You can also rent a bike or e-bike, but we preferred the ATV as it got us to our destinations more quickly. Plus, many of the roads were hilly and not paved which is not ideal for bikes.
La Gruta
As part of your ATV rental, you can stop by La Gruta, a little hidden gem in the middle of Isla Colon. It’s a donation entry. La Gruta is a religious place for the locals. It has a small outdoor church and a small cave to explore at your leisure.
Plastic Bottle Village
Plastic Bottle Village is exactly what it sounds like – a village made of plastic bottles. You can book a stay in the village or a visit. Oh, and they hold a Guiness world record!
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