Bocas Del Toro was once a secret paradise but is now Panamas number one vacation spot. This Caribbean Island archipelago is rated as the number one spot in Lonely Planet’s Central America guidebook. We came here looking for good times, sea, sand, and Caribbean sunshine.
We took the boat from the mainland not in a mass of glorious sunshine but rain. We headed to the Island of Colon and the popular tourist development of Bocas Town which is used by many tourists as a base for exploring the beaches of this tropical paradise.
The first area we wanted to explore was Boca Del Drago. To get there we hopped on a bus from Bocas Town, travelling 45km north, then took a boat to Playa Estrella (Starfish Beach).
While Leanne sun bathed on pristine beaches I snorkelled amongst tropical fish and the biggest starfish we have ever witnessed.
The following day we took a tour with one of the local boatmen. First we went to dolphin bay where we once again were able to witness these magnificent creatures in the wild.
The next stop was what appeared to be the sloths very own Island. Hidden in the trees we could see several of these unusual creatures, surprisingly they were moving around, climbing, eating, and scratching their bums.
What followed was both outstanding and comedic. We witnessed two sloths having a fight. As these creatures are notoriously slow it wasn’t exactly thrilling, however watching them throwing punches in slow motion at the other was entertaining enough. Unfortunately, as we couldn’t stay all day, we weren’t able to see who came out on top.
Although the waters here are not the best for snorkelling, as visibility is limited due to several rivers emptying silt into the archipelago, it’s still worthwhile and this was the next activities on the boat tour.
In the afternoon we arrived at Zapatillas Cayes which are two un-inhabited islands. Although when we arrive there was probably 100 or more other people there doing a similar boat tour. We found our own private paradise in the Corn Islands so are now more than willing to share. Once again we chilled on the beach and went snorkelling around the offshore reefs and underwater grass fields.
The final stop of the day was for some overpriced lunch on a restaurant on stilts. Mixed seafood was on the menu, lobster, fish, prawns and octopus. Leanne continued to get over her aversion to seafood and ate a prawn!
We left the island the same way we came, wet and in the rain. After travelling in the rainy season for several months it’s hard to believe this has been the first time the rain has effected the trip but it certainly did not dampen our spirits! Bocas is one of the top destinations in Central America and we could have stayed longer to explore it more but we need to move on to our next stop, Panama City.
