Bocas del Toro, Panama

One of the most popular Costa Rica vacation spots isn't even in Costa Rica. Bocas del Toro is a stunning Archipelago on Panama's Caribbean coast.

Because Costa Rica is such a small country, it's so easy to include Nicaragua and Panama in your Costa Rica vacation planning. Getting to Bocas del Toro is only a one hour flight from San Jose during which you see many sights; including the recently awakened Turrialba Volcano, coffee plantations, pineapple fields, mangroves and many stunning features.  Not long after passing the winding waterways of the border town of Changuinola, you will descend into the town of Bocas del Toro with its cheerfully painted Caribbean-style structures perched on the water. This mellow town is on the island of Colon, which is part of a stunning archipelago made up of 9 islands, 52 keys and some 200 tiny islets. Welcome to Bocas del Toro! 

Isla Colon
The largest main island of Colon is named after Columbus, as the famous explorer's name is actually Cristobal Colon in Spanish. The town of Bocas del Toro is on Colon Island, and is a wonderful mix of cultures, with a salty, rustic edge. It is the hub of the archipelago, and you will see backpackers, naturalists, surfers, ex-pats and the like along with the colorful locals. The restaurants are diverse and plentiful in Bocas town, with the most night-life of the region available here. Nearby island Bastimentos is very worthwhile from the town of Bastimentos a short water taxi ride from Bocas town, to Red Frog Beach, to the remote far side of the island with “get away from it all” nature lodges and indegenous tours.

This unique archipelago is truly blessed by nature. The region is part of a much larger protected area, La Amistad, crossing into Costa Rica and spanning some 2.5 million hectares. Its dense biodiversity and pristine state have made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. The Atlantic and Pacific oceans were divided by the Isthmus of Panama about three million years ago, creating a superb "natural experiment" in evolution. The result is an abundance of flora and fauna and unique relationships with species from these two very different oceans. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) has a marine laboratory research station just outside of Bocas, which is a center for research, education and scientific training. This natural abundance is why snorkeling, diving, birdwatching, and other naturalist tours are especially wonderful in this area.

The local activities are wonderful and include:  scuba, snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, deep-sea and bay fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, horseback riding and surfing. Most of the local attraction tours are available from any area lodging and most are by boat. Visit an indigenous village, butterfly farm, or  an organic cocoa plantation. Snorkel or dive at Hospital Point, Crawl Cay, Zapatilla, or Starfish Beach.  Explore Bird Island and have lunch on the beach at Bocas del Drago.  No matter where you stay, or which activities you choose, you will be surrounded by incredible natural beauty, friendly laid-back people, and have an experience that is truly distinctive.