Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro is a popular Caribbean destination and one of Panama's best locations to visit, with superb drinking, dining, and dancing, as well as forested islands, water sports, and beaches abounding. The Caribbean archipelago of Bocas del Toro ('Mouths of the Bull') is one of Panama's most picturesque places, located near the Costa Rican border. It's also one of the most remote — the province's mainland is connected to the rest of Panama by a single stunning road that carves its way across the continental divide, frequently blocked by landslides during the worst rains, while the island chain takes a boat voyage to reach.
Most people associate Bocas with the tropical islands of Isla Colón and Bastimentos, which attract more visitors than any other destination outside of Panama City and the Canal. Surfing or lounging on pristine beaches, as well as snorkeling and diving among coral reefs in a maze of tangled mangroves and untouched jungle, are all available.
The Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos contains a portion of this natural gem. However, some travelers come for the nightlife, which includes cocktails, waterfront dining, and venues to dance till dawn. Despite this, the archipelago makes up only a minor part of the province, which ceded a huge chunk of land to the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé in the east when it was founded in 1997. The mainland's lowlands, which are typically dismissed as a never-ending swath of banana farms, are home to a couple of famous Panama sites. The magnificent Humedales de San San Pond Sak, the country's biggest refuge for the manatee and a major beach for nesting marine turtles, is accessible from Changuinola, the country's banana capital and the province's main commercial center.
Inland, on the banks of the picturesque Ro Teribe, a stay with the Naso, one of the lesser-known indigenous peoples, offers an opportunity for intercultural exchange in a stunning natural setting, with the option of continuing upriver into the inaccessible but spectacular Talamanca mountain range, whose lofty peaks form the backbone of the vast Parque Internacional La Amistad, home to an awe-inspiring array of wildlife.
Location: Bocas del Toro, Panama
