Beaches in Bocas del Toro, Panama

by Aleho Montoya · Published March 16, 2022 · Updated May 2, 2022

Bocas del Toro – Panamá

Surfing, good beaches, dolphins, diving and partying are just some of the things you can find in this archipelago in the north of Panama. The place lends itself easily to partying every day and the atmosphere on its main island, Colon, helps a lot to make this happen. The Bocas del Toro archipelago consists of approximately 9 main islands, 50 cays and hundreds of small islets that are only inhabited by fascinating mangrove swamps.

The main island of Bocas del Toro is called Isla Colon and is where most travellers arrive. The region’s airport is also located on this island. Most of the hostels, restaurants and discos are in Colon. There you find the disorder of the archipelago. Lots of people, lots of business, lots of partying and lots of liquor.

On the north side of this island, you will be delighted by the crystal clear waters of Playas del Drago and if you walk for about 15 minutes you will be even more surprised by the tranquillity of the beaches and the amount of starfish you can see at Starfish Beach. I have never seen 5 starfish together before.

Just in front of Isla Colon, you will find Isla Carenero. Just take a water taxi for only $1. This island doesn’t have a lot of space for relaxing on the beach or swimming but it does have good energy for surfing.

But if you are looking for something quieter than the streets of Colon and are also looking to relax on the beach you can head to Isla Bastimento. This is a desolate tropical rainforest destination. There are 2 famous beaches in Bocas del Toro. Wizard Beach and Red Frog Beach. There are a couple of hostels where people can stay. You can also walk to Polo Beach which is said to be one of the best beaches in Panama for snorkelling. The only problem with Bastimento Island is that the boats don’t go there often and the food can be a bit expensive in the few restaurants there. There have also reportedly been several muggings while walking between Wizard Beach and Red Frog Beach. I have never been to this beach so I never experienced it but this was basically what I heard and read.

– Recommended.

There is a tour offered on Colon Island that is highly recommended. Usually, they will offer it at your hostel but I recommend that you go directly to the agency in charge of doing it, there are several on the main street. This tour took almost the whole day and they took us around most of the archipelago by boat. We went to see dolphins jumping. Then we went to Zapatillas Cays where we relaxed for about an hour while enjoying the white sand and the sea breeze. Afterwards, we went to a restaurant which is optional as you can bring your food. And we ended our day snorkelling in a very nice coral reef. Very calm waters, very nice corals and a lot of variety of fish, nothing out of the ordinary but a lot of fun.

– Where to party in Bocas del Toro: