Travelers moving between Boquete and the Caribbean islands of Bocas del Toro have a few different ways to make the journey. The most common option is to take public buses across the mountains to Almirante and then catch the boat to the islands. It’s cheap, reliable, and widely used by locals. But there’s another option many backpackers are discovering: organized shuttle services that run directly between the destinations, often with a stop at the well-known Lost and Found Hostel along the way.
The shuttle route is simple. Vehicles leave Boquete in the morning, climb up through the highlands toward the continental divide, stop at Lost and Found Hostel in the Fortuna Forest Reserve, and then continue down the Caribbean side toward Almirante where passengers transfer to a water taxi for the final leg to Bocas Town. It’s a smooth door-to-door style trip and removes the need to juggle multiple buses, taxis, and connections.
Several shuttle companies operate this route in 2026. One of the most commonly used services among travelers is Hola Travel Panama, which runs shared vans between Boquete and Bocas with scheduled pickups. Their vehicles typically leave Boquete in the morning, reach Lost and Found Hostel roughly an hour later, and then continue across the mountains toward the Caribbean coast. For backpackers who want to break up the journey, it’s easy to hop off at the hostel, spend a night or two hiking the cloud forest trails, and then catch another shuttle heading onward to Bocas.
Another reliable operator is Boquete Travel Express. They have been running transportation routes in western Panama for years and offer shared transfers that link Boquete with Bocas del Toro. These shuttles are popular with travelers who prefer a direct and organized ride rather than navigating multiple public buses. Drivers usually coordinate pickup times so passengers can step off at Lost and Found Hostel if they want to spend time in the mountains before continuing the trip.
Backpackers also frequently book rides with Panabocas Shuttle. As the name suggests, the company specializes in transportation between these two destinations. Their vans typically run daily during the high season and the drivers are used to making the short stop along the highway where the trail climbs up to Lost and Found Hostel. For many travelers, it’s an easy way to discover a place they might otherwise miss.
The shuttle journey itself is part of the experience. The road climbs steeply out of Boquete and winds through misty highland forests before reaching the continental divide near the Fortuna area. On clear days you can sometimes see both sides of the country from the mountains. The stop at Lost and Found Hostel is a welcome break in the drive. The hostel sits high above the highway in the cloud forest and has become a classic stop for backpackers traveling between the Pacific and Caribbean sides of Panama.
Of course, public buses remain the cheapest way to make the trip. From Boquete you can take a bus to David, connect to another bus heading toward Almirante, and then jump on a water taxi to Bocas Town. The entire trip costs far less than a shuttle and is perfectly doable. But it takes more time and involves several transfers along the way.
That’s where the shuttle services shine. They’re faster, more direct, and much easier to coordinate if you’re carrying luggage or traveling on a tight schedule. Instead of navigating bus terminals and waiting for connections, you simply climb into a van in Boquete and ride across the mountains. For travelers who want convenience without sacrificing the adventure of the route, the shuttle option strikes a nice balance.
Many people end up combining the two approaches during their time in Panama. They might take the public buses one direction to save money, then use a shuttle on the return trip to make things easier. Either way, the journey between Boquete and Bocas almost always passes the turnoff for Lost and Found Hostel. Whether you stop for a night in the cloud forest or just glimpse the trailhead from the highway, it’s a reminder that some of the most memorable places in Panama sit quietly between the big destinations.