Two of the very best travel destinations in Panama are the beautiful mountain town of Boquete and the Carribean islands of Bocas del Toro. For any honeymooners, backpackers, or family vacations, these two destinations should be high priority on your travel itinerary. In Boquete, the more active travellers can hike Panama’s highest volcano, Volcan Baru, or simply enjoy the beautiful landscape while enjoying a cup of Boquete’s world-famous Geisha coffee. Boquete also offers a wonderful selection of restaurants offering traditional Panamanian food as well as Western and Asian food. Boquete Brewing Company is a great nightlife destination for travellers who enjoy cold beer and live music, and the place is packed nearly every night of the week with expats and locals alike. Bocas del Toro is perhaps the most frequented destination for travellers in Panama, and with good reason. The islands are bordered by stunning beaches that are great for surfing, snorkeling, or soaking up the sun. There is a vibrant nightlife in Bocas Town on Isla Colon mostly centered around the Selina hostel bar and Summer nightclub. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Bocas Town, Red Frog Beach on the island of Bastimentos is a lovely place to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the Carribean. Bocas del Toro also offers some amazing food options. Leaf Eater’s Cafe on Isla Carenero serves fresh fish sandwiches that are to die for, and a vegan Portobello French Dip sandwich that is certainly worth trying regardless of whether or not you’re a vegan. If you’re planning to take a trip to Panama, Boquete and Bocas del Toro are must-visit destinations, and they’re only a few hours away from each other! However, travelling between the two destinations can be slightly difficult if you aren’t familiar with the territory and don’t speak Spanish. So, here is your traveller’s guide for getting from Boquete to Bocas del Toro, or from Bocas del Toro to Boquete:
Public Transportation
If you’re looking to save some money and are willing to take public transportation, the best way to get from Boquete to Bocas del Toro is to take the public bus to Almirante and then take a boat over to Bocas del Toro’s main island of Isla Colon. Here’s the route from Boquete to Isla Colon:
The buses in Boquete leave from Boquete Central Park around every half hour from around 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Once you arrive in David, there will be rows of buses with their destinations on the signs in front of them. You should look for the sign that says Almirante. These buses leave around every 30 minutes. This bus ride will take around three and a half hours and will leave you at Almirante Bus Station. Once you are there, you will need to hail a taxi to take you to the docks where you can catch a boat. There are typically several taxis waiting at the bus station to drive people over to the docks. They should charge you $1. MAKE SURE TO ASK THE PRICE BEFORE GETTING IN THE TAXI! If you do not do this, they may try to charge you more. Once you get to the docks, there are boats that will take you over to Isla Colon. The boats charge $6 for a one-way trip and $10 for round-trip. None of these transports can be booked beforehand online, you must go to the station and find the bus or taxi or boat the day of. Once you’re on Isla Colon you can get water taxis from there to any of the other islands in Bocas del Toro for a reasonable price.
If you want to travel from Bocas del Toro to Boquete, you will need to do the same process, just in reverse. Here’s how it goes:
If you are arriving in Boquete and need to get transport to an accommodation that is far from Boquete Central Park, there are always taxis passing by the park from early in the morning until late at night.
Private Shuttles
If you don’t want to deal with public transportation and don’t mind paying a little extra, there are private shuttle companies that will take you directly from Boquete to Bocas del Toro. Hello Travel Panama will take you from Boquete to Bocas del Toro or from Bocas del Toro to Boquete in about 4 hours. They charge $30 for adults, $25 for children, and $16 for pets, with the price of the water taxi included. There are other companies that run shuttles between Bocas del Toro and Boquete such as Bocas Transfer and Caribe Shuttle; however, I recommend Hello Travel Panama because it's the easiest to book online.
Rental Car
If you are travelling in a rental car from Boquete to Bocas del Toro, I recommend going south on Highway 41 out of Boquete and then taking the road that goes east through the town of Paja de Sombrero that connects with Highway 10. Once you hit Highway 10, you can take that road north to Almirante. There are ferries that will carry your car over to Isla Colon but will charge you $25 to transport it. I would recommend leaving your car at one of the guarded parking lots near the docks in Almirante. They typically charge $3 per day to park your car.
Along the Way
If you plan on going from Boquete to Bocas del Toro or vice-versa, and you want to break up the journey, there are some wonderful things to do and very nice places to stay on the road between Bocas del Toro and Boquete. In the town of Hornito, about halfway between the two destinations, there is The Lost and Found Hostel. One of the most unique places in Panama, this hostel sits high in the mountains surrounded by thick jungle. It offers great hiking trails where guests can see monkeys and other animals, a series of treasure hunt games that lead you through the jungle, its own bar and restaurant, and a friendly, community environment. Another great destination on the way from Bocas del Toro to Boquete is the Caldera Hot Springs. These natural hot springs, which supposedly have healing properties, are a great place to unwind after a day of travel. There is also a tour where you can see ancient petroglyphs that predate the Spanish invasion of Panama.
If you wish to book a shuttle with Hello Travel Panama, check out their website here: