Things to see and do Bocas Del Toro Province

This beach, located between Red Frog and Playa Larga, is also very little frequented although it is accessible on foot and by sea in good weather. It is named after Polo, who decided more than 40 years ago to escape from civilization and settle here. Today, he is considered both a marginal and a living legend, and he contributes to the welcoming of this remote beach. He cooks very well and sells beers but it is not possible to sleep there anymore. Ask about the security conditions if you go there on foot.

The hilly path, often wet and slippery, crosses thick vegetation through the hills. After the long walk, you will be rewarded for your efforts by a generous and wild nature! Nonis, palms and coconut trees and other trees line this beautiful beach but with dangerous currents. Be careful, for security reasons, it is advised to take this road in group, without valuable stuff and without returning too late. Without being too alarming, it is best to inquire about the situation at the police station (tel. 757 5797).

More than a 3-hour walk from the village of Bastimentos and 1.5 hours from Red Frog Beach, this beach, which is part of the Bastimentos Marine National Park, is only accessible by foot to the most courageous. A challenging 6-hour day hike consists of a loop from Red Frog to Salt Creek via Playa Larga. Lanchas can go there but only when the sea is calm. It is possible to camp there and of course to surf. The turtles come to lay their eggs at night between May and August.

This beautiful garden is home to a large collection of heliconias, palms, ornamental plants, spices and fruits in the heart of a lush jungle. A nursery allows the planting of new species each year and floral arrangements are created for special events. Lin and Dave's 25 hectares of land are home to many insects, reptiles, birds, monkeys and even sloths.

This is by far the most beautiful beach in Isla Colón for swimming. The starfish are just a few meters from the shore! Signs remind you not to touch them or take them out of the water because they might die. Several straw huts serve freshly caught fish and lobsters before your very eyes. On weekends and vacations, many Panamanian families also come to relax here. The atmosphere is then more noisy and animated!

Known as one of the most beautiful diving spots of Bocas del Toro, Cayo Coral is part of the organized tours from Bocas, sometimes combined on the day with Cayos Zapatillas. It is also possible to stop for lunch in one of the local restaurants. Here, the coral is dead but fishes are abundant. The spot called "garden" with soft coral is also popular for snorkeling, with many colors but less fish. This makes it an ideal exploration site, especially for families with children.

The two small islands of Cayo Zapatilla 1 and Cayo Zapatilla 2 are best visited for the marine life around them (trees, hard coral and a great diversity of fish). After snorkeling, the tours take you to one of the two islands where you can walk along the path and swim on the paradisiacal and completely virgin beaches with crystal clear waters. The western island (Zapatilla Menor) is the refuge and nesting place of the green sea turtles, Baula and Carey, which scientists come to observe.

Nívida, the bat cave, is accessible from Bahía Honda. There are stalactites and, as the name suggests, bats hanging from the ceiling, as well as crickets and spiders. In some places, the water can reach up to the chest. A dark and eerie place, but not dangerous. During the trip, the boat passes through the mangrove and allows to see caimans and sloths. A Ngäbe family lives nearby and welcomes visitors for a typical and very good lunch.

This artificial mountain lake offers beautiful views of the river's meanders. For a quick stop by going to Boquete.

At the southeast end of Isla Pastores, Cayo Roldán is also known as Pelican Point. This private islet is reached by lancha, by a nice path in the middle of the mangrove. A short path leads to the viewpoint of the summit. About fifty sloths and iguanas have already been introduced on the 0.25 km of this piece of land. The environment could be changed soon because, like many corners of the Bocas del Toro archipelago, a plot of land with a small cabaña is for sale.

This island, which measures about 360 square meters, is also called Cayo Cisne. Underwater, beautiful corals, but do not miss to observe also and especially the sky. This rock that emerges from the water is an ideal ecosystem for the fifty or so species of birds that it hosts and especially for the endemic red-billed rabijunco, recognizable by its long and thin white tail. The caves of the island are also a stage of choice in the migration of many species ... A decor that reminds the surrealist mountains of the movie Avatar

A trip often combined with Coral Cay and the Zapatillas from Bocas. You can see in the morning and sunset especially countless dolphins in this bay. A beautiful show but this tower, because of the amount of boats pursuing dolphins, does not seem healthy to us for the tranquility of these charming creatures. It is possible to see elsewhere and we do not really encourage this excursion under the conditions where they are currently taking place.

It is a beach located at the very end of the island, a little more confidential and accessible by foot from Salt Creek for example for good walkers who can go there with or without a guide. It is of course possible to swim there, to practice snorkeling and, for the experienced surfers in high season, to take the waves. You will be accompanied by the pelicans that gave the name to this beach and that particularly appreciate the life in the Caribbean from the two rocky promontories that face the coast.