I first want to go over how to get here because it was a little complicated when booking. You will fly into Tocumen International Airport, take a 30-40 min UBER to Albrook airport (You have to go on Air Panama website to book this ticket) and it is a quick 1 hour flight to Bocas!
We stayed in Bocas Town on Isla Colon which is what I would recommend doing. You can take a water taxi to the other islands and explore but water taxis don’t run as much once the sun goes down so it would kind of be a bummer to not be able to eat dinner in town. The food in town is awesome! If you have any dietary restrictions there are several places that can accommodate it.
The thing about Bocas is that you can do it very cheaply (This was our one big trip this year so we did not but it is an option if you just want to get there to surf and don’t care about compromising comfort). There are hostels there that charge $15 or less a night for a bed and $30-40 for a private room. Keep in mind that these are hostels and typically have a shared bathroom and if you do not opt for a private room, you ARE sleeping with a bunch of strangers. I did this when I was in college and didn’t think twice about it but now I really just want my own space. Plus I have to be honest we did hear about a lot of people getting bed bugs from their hostel SOOO check those Tripadvisor reviews.
We stayed in Azul Paradise in Bocas town and it was definitely the nicest hotel in town and was still only about $160 a night. Bocas is a little surf town so if you are going expecting something luxury you may be a little disappointed. I have never been and I just wanted a place where I could store my passport and laptop safely and also not get bed bugs. Azul was above and beyond what I expected and the staff there was amazing! I actually was sad to say goodbye to them! The hotel was right on the water and had such a beautiful view of the other islands.
Isla Colon is where Bocas town is located. This is where the bulk of the hotels, hostels and restaurants are. Since the water taxis are a struggle to take after dark we ate all of our dinners in town. Some of my favorite dinner spots were Om Café, Tequila Republica, Ultimo Refugio and Bocart. All of these had Vegan/vegetarian options. Best breakfast spots were La Buga and Café del mar.
A lot of my instagram stories were taken on the Floating Bar. It is a $2 water taxi from town and it is the perfect spot! It is surrounded by crystal blue water where you can snorkel and swim AND they have amazing homemade tacos and fresh margaritas! Still dreaming about their ginger marg. If you want to get a workout you can Kayak or Paddle Board there. I kayaked one day and it took about 20 minutes. Most people are in swimsuits soaking up the sun and playing in the water. Tacos, Tequila and tanning! What could be better?
Carenero Island is across from Isla Colon and has the closest beach to the main town. This was also a $2 water taxi. There are two highlights from this island. One is Leaf Eaters Café. They have non-vegan food as well but they are known for their amazing plant based cuisine and it is really good! This is a good lunch spot because it is a little bungalow over the water and you can jump in the crystal clear blue water and swim around while you wait. The second highlight was that you can hike along the coast of this Island and find secluded beaches along the way. The hike was beautiful and we were able to lay out and relax with no one else around us!
Isla Bastimentos is another Island located about a $7-8 water taxi ride away. This is where Red Frog Beach is located. Red Frog Beach was beautiful and worth doing a day trip. Some of the beaches you can’t really swim as the waves are hectic and there are a lot of Surfers but Red Frog was calm enough to swim around and the water is crystal clear with soft white sand. This was by far the most beautiful beach we visited but it was a little hectic and far to get to. The water taxi is $7-8 a person per way and you have to pay a $5 toll per person to pass through this trail filled with wildlife. It is worth it but that is why I recommend making a day of it. They have limited lunch spots so I would recommend bringing a picnic or snacks! Also located in Bastimentos is the sister resort to where we stayed. If you are looking for some instagram worthy photos Azul Paradise in Bastimentos is beautiful! There is a day pass that includes your boat ride there and back as well as lunch. The beach there is really nice and relaxing if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle.
The wildlife in Bocas is incredible. We took a boat out one day with some friends and not only saw several dolphins but they followed the boat and played in the wake. We also say Monkeys and Sloths during our hike in the jungle. You do have to go off the beaten path to find these guys.
Last but not least, the nightlife is crazy in Bocas. There is an event called Filthy Fridays that they host every Friday and it is a multi-island day drinking event. We did not make it to one of these but town was packed full of people wearing Filthy Friday apparel Friday mornings. Thankfully the boats leave town around noon and town frees up a bit. The entry for this is only about $25 but we did hear if you are not interested in attending the whole event, that you could just head to Aqua Lounge on Carenero Island right before 5pm and that is where the party gets crazy. Summer and La Iguana are super cool nightclubs and on the water. There seemed to be something being promoted every night. If this is your scene, you will not be disappointed. We had early mornings full of exploring and surfing so we didn’t partake in this much but it looked super fun!