Best Travel Guide Exotic Islands of Panama, Central America

Exotic Islands of Panama, Central AmericaGuide was updated: 2024-09-15

The Republic of Panama has a privileged geographic position bordered on the north by the Atlantic Ocean and the south by the Pacific. Therefore, it has a plethora of islands varying in sizes and includes uninhabited pristine islets, national marine parks, as well as up-and-coming hipster and backpacker islands with a buzzing nightlife. The most popular islands in Panama are Bocas del Toro, San Blas (Guna Yala), Taboga, and the Pearl Islands. The latter is an archipelago comprised of 90 islands and 100 islets.

Bocas del Toro

Of all the tourist destinations in Panama, Bocas del Toro is the place where you can really have it all. During the day you can take a tour to any of the amazing islands of the archipelago, sail, sunbathe, swim, surf, snorkel, hike, ride a bicycle around town, and visit an indigenous village or a botanical garden. At night you can literally go bar hopping, participate in a talent night, go to a costume party, and dance by a shipwreck, find excellent live music, and best of all, no need to drive. Bocas is constantly changing and transforming itself. There’s always something new and by walking in the streets, you can feel the energy of people coming and going who are happy and feel lucky to be there.

Island Tours

All activities can be organized through the various tour operators on the islands. Water taxis are less expensive and make exploring the islands on your own a more affordable option. If you plan on a more leisurely exploration of the islands, sailing may be the best option for you.

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Diving

The Bocas del Toro region is part of the larger La Amistad area, which holds Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site statuses for its rich ecosystems, including the reefs of Panama’s Bastimentos National Marine Park. The waters are inhabited by a wonderful variety of tropical reef creatures including starfish, sting rays, nurse sharks, lobster, angel fish, parrot fish, damsel fish – the list is endless. Dive schools regularly visit up to 15 locations with depth ranges from 2 to 18 meters inside the bay area. Many centers offer try-dives, open water courses and education right through to dive master. Some dive sites include Crawl Cay, The Wreck, Hospital Point, Buoy Line, Playground and many more. The best time of year for diving is April-May and Sept-October but there is good visibility year round.

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Surfing

Bocas is one of the very few Caribbean surf spots with good sized waves. There may be better and bigger waves in the Pacific, but here, when you surf, you do it in turquoise waters, while you ride above colorful coral reefs or white sand. There are beach breaks, point breaks and reef breaks, lefts, and rights for all tastes and preferences. You can find breaks three minutes away from Isla Colon. The preferred surf spots are Wizard, Bluff, Punch, The Point at Carenero and Tiger Tail. It is important to visit these spots with somebody who knows the area, especially if you will be surfing over a reef break.

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Spot Dolphins

Visit Dolphin Bay and spot dolphins in their natural habitat.

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Visit a Chocolate Farm

Bocas Del Toro is home to some of the best cacao farms in the world and chocolate artisans are flocking to the region to grow, harvest and create chocolate libations to satisfy any sweet tooth. Tours are readily available to learn about the process of farming and producing cocoa.

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Birding

Bocas del Toro is one of Panama's best places for birding. According to the Audubon Society, one can spot 300+ species of birds in a day. Bird Island is named for its glorious abundance of birds and can be accessed easily by boat when the water is calm. Bocas in general is a paradise for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. Planned birding tours include a preparatory talk about the geography and bird life in the area of Red Frog National Park. During the tour you'll have the opportunity to see and hear trogons, ant birds, forest wrens, puff birds, tanagers, parrots, mot-mots and many other bird species. You can also visit other hot spots in the region on some of the other islands. • Carenero • Bastimentos (Red Frog) • Bird Island

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