Panama – Bocas Del Toro

Bocas del Toro is a beautiful group of islands off the coast of Panama. You can get an overnight bus from Panama for $27.90 at 6.00 p.m., 6.30 p.m. or 7.00 p.m.. We arrived at Almirante at 4.30 a.m. and immediately got a taxi to the boat docks ($1 each). The boat over the the main island, Isla Colon, to Bocas town costs $6 and they give you a note so you can get your return ticket for $4.

We had to wait until 14.00 to check in at our airbnb place so we hung out at Selina, a cool hostel next door. This hostel was really cool and we had hoped to stay here but what we wanted wasn’t available. The hostel has a bar which looks over the water with sofas and swing seats. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and of course drinks and cocktails but the water is very expensive. Unfortunately, the day was a bit of a bust because it rained all day.

The following day we took a tour on a boat out to some of the islands. The tour was organised my Selina Hostel and cost $30.

We first headed out to sloth island to see the many sloths who dwell there and then headed onto Isla Caya Zapatilla to order our food for later.

We continued onto Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park where we stopped for a bit of beach time. Our tour guides were great, they had actually bought along rum and pineapple for us all to drink (for free). We also had a walk around the island being told a lot about the island and how it was formed. Because it is a National Park, you have to pay $10 to set foot on this island.

Once we left the National Park, we headed back to Isla Caya Zapatilla for lunch and after lunch, they taught us how to wake board, or at least for some of us, they tried.

That night a few of us headed out to a bar. It was ladies’ night so it was free drinks for all of us.

Boca Del Drago (Starfish beach)

We got up late the next day so we couldn’t get the usually local bus to get over to the other side of the island, but we managed to get a minibus to take us. It was $5 each way instead of $5 return, but he picked us up when we wanted. It was a long drive and a very rough road and it took us about 45mins- 1 hour. To get to Starfish beach, you must head to Boca Del Drago and then go to the left and walk for about 15 mins to get to Starfish beach. There is food and drink available to buy on the beach, including Pina Colada in a pineapple shell.