The Panamanian islands of Bocas del Toro are only accessible by boat or flight, and this can present challenges when planning your Central America itinerary.

Some travellers will head over to them immediately after crossing over the land border with Costa Rica, whilst others make their way from several destinations in mainland Panama, usually David, Boquete and the capital Panama City.

Flights are the quickest and most direct option, but won’t suit every budget or itinerary, whilst the bus & boat combination is the cheapest and most memorable.

Those doing a Panama road trip face a bit more of logistical conundrum for the islands, but we have the answers to help you decide on the best option for your route (and what exactly to do with your rental car).

Importantly, whatever transport method you use to reach Bocas del Toro, you’ll arrive on Isla Colón - the archipelago’s largest island and main transport hub. From there, another boat is necessary for anyone staying on accommodation on another island, whilst anyone staying in the better parts of Isla Colón will also need a taxi or transfer.

In this ‘routes’ post explainer, whether you’re coming from mainland Panama or Costa Rica, we aim to cut through the noise so you quickly understand the various transport options and onward connections, and can choose the best fit for your own trip and travel style.

There’s also some important travel better tips to make the journey smoother and scam-free, plus the reason why you should always keep a rain jacket handy…

This is how to get to Bocas del Toro.

Know | If you’re travelling from Costa Rica to Bocas del Toro - with the border crossing at Puerto Viejo/Limon - then we have a specific post on the cheapest and quickest ways to do it, plus advice on Panama entry requirements: Costa Rica to Panama Border Crossing

Alternatively, you can book this shuttle that takes care of everything and gets you there in three hours.

The Essentials

· Travel from Panama City, David, and Boquete
· Direct flights only from Panama City (1 hour)
· Frequent public buses from David to Almirante (4 hours, $8)
· Take the slow ferry or shared *lanchas* from Almirante
· Boat crossing is 30-minutes, $6 one-way
· Be aware of hustlers at docks
· From Boquete, this shuttle bus is best
· All transport options arrive in Isla Colón
· Onward boat necessary for other Bocas islands
· Road trippers can leave car in Almirante or put on ferry
· Find + compare shuttles on Bookaway and 12Go

Fly from Panama City to Bocas del Toro

Despite being at opposite sides of the isthmus, heading to Bocas straight from the capital is actually a pretty good idea - especially for those on shorter trips looking to maximise days - but only if you fly.

It simply doesn’t make sense in terms of transport or itineraries to do it overland or with public transport.

There are multiple direct daily flights from Panama City to Bocas del Toro, and they only take an hour to arrive at the tiny Isla Colón International Airport (BOC).

The cheapest ticket we’ve seen is the $80 USD basic fare, but the average price comes in at around $120-180 USD.

However, these flights do not depart from Tocumen International Airport (TOC) - the main airport and gateway for most flying into the country - but rather the much smaller Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (PAC). Sometimes referred to as Albrook Airport, it’s centrally located and quick to reach from Casco Viejo and downtown - find it here on Google Maps.

Just make sure to enter the correct one if you’re heading there in an Uber!

The two airlines currently operating the Panama City - Isla Colón route are:

· Air Panama | 4 flights per day in high season (Nov-Apr), starting from 6.45am

· FlyTrip | 4 timeslots per day, but sometimes multiple flights per slot

Note that basic / economy fares usually don’t include any check-in baggage on Air Panama, but do on FlyTrip, so it’s important to compare like-for-like. Unfortunately, you won’t find FlyTrip on aggregators like Skyscanner, so you need to check schedules and prices directly on their website

These Bocas del Toro flights are all on small planes, with capacity of about 50 on most Air Panama flights, but the turboprop services only carry twelve or so passengers. It’s therefore a good idea, especially if you’re on a budget or a shorter inflexible itinerary, to book in advance to secure your spot and the lowest fares.

You’ll land at Isla Colón International Airport, which is wonderfully small with just one shop (often closed), the two flight companies, and sometimes a local guy busking on his acoustic guitar whilst people line up for security. You can easily walk from the airport into Bocas town in 5-10 minutes, whilst a taxi is about $2 per person (not necessary for most).

If you’ll be basing yourself on another island however, you’ll need to take a connecting boat from the docks in Bocas Town - we explain how this works at the end of the post.

Know | As they’re small planes, weight and luggage restrictions are more strictly enforced than you may be used to (unless you fly Ryanair). Heavier passengers even get weighed at check-in so they can balance out the seating! It’s therefore super important to actually read the fine print for your particular airline and tactical packing is usually required - especially if you don’t want to fork out extra for a more generous allowance.

You should arrive early to the airport if you think your bags are going to be marginal to increase your chances of getting away with it or having time to redistribute / wear everything that’s putting you over the limit!

The storage above the seats will be fine for most daypacks, but carry-on suitcases really do need to be at or under the dimensions listed. Also, note that on the smaller props, some seats have even less room in the overhead compartment than others, so you may need to negotiate with someone else to put your bigger bag above them.

Tip | Try and get a seat on the left for the flight into Bocas for views, and on the right for the way out!

Plan // 13 Wonderful Things To Do in Panama City

David to Bocas del Toro | Bus & Boat, No Flights

Panama’s second city isn’t a must-visit destination for travellers, but its location and transport hub status makes it a common starting point for overland Bocas del Toro journeys.

Located in the west of the country - close to the popular highland town of Boquete - you’ll usually travel from David if you’ve already visited the east and south Panama, or are working your way up toward Costa Rica

The public transport from David is affordable and pretty straightforward once you know the lay of the land, but can take up to six hours to reach Isla Colón.

That shouldn’t deter you in the slightest though, but simply underline that an earlier start is a good idea!

Note that no airline currently operates direct flights between David and Bocas del Toro. If a search shows one, it will always involve a connection via Panama City, so check the itinerary carefully before booking anything!

The journey from David involves two stages:

1. The Bus from David to Almirante

After dropping our rental car off in David, this is what we did.

Head to David bus station (here on Google Maps) and look for the small office of Servichanda Changuinola. It’s located between ‘Local 32’ and ‘Local 33’ - look for little square white signs with red numbers. Alternatively, you’ll see frequent red and white signs with a bus symbol hanging from the roof: keep your eyes peeled for the one saying ‘Guayabal’ and you’re pretty much next to the office.

Their drivers wear maroon shirts too, so are quite easy to spot, and if you ask for ‘Almirante’ or ‘Bocas’, someone’ll point you in the right direction.

As far as we’re aware, this is the only company which operates the route from David to Changuinola in northern Panama, and you need to ask for a ticket to Almirante (where almost every other gringo on the service is going to get off).

Their minivans leave frequently throughout the day, and you need to queue inside the office to buy tickets - there’s a price list taped up and we paid $8.45 each.

Note that if there’s a nearly-full van that’s just about to depart, you may be rushed on board by the staff and told to pay later.

If you turn up with more time to spare before departure, be aware that locals often reserve their seats with bags or small children, then head off to get snacks etc. This means you shouldn’t assume there’s loads of space or dawdle, and it’s a good idea to get your ticket and stake out your own seat too, rather than fanny about in the bus station.

These minivan buses are always going to get quite full though - often over what you think is capacity - and you should therefore expect quite a cramped ride. Doubly so for anyone with long legs. This is the main reason why we recommend not getting flustered if they ask you to get out of the ticket queue and rush on just before it departs, as there’s a good chance you’ll be left with the only terrible seat remaining; if that’s the case, we 100% recommend calmly saying you’ll just wait for the next one in order to enjoy a slightly more comfortable ride north!

We left David bus station at 11.22am and arrived in Almirante at 3.45pm, meaning a travel time of 4h 30 mins. This included 2 x 10-15 minute rest/snack stops along the way.

You need to disembark at the bus station on the outskirts of Almirante (here on Google Maps), where you’ll quickly be swarmed by waiting taxi drivers offering to help with your bags and take you to the docks. It's $1 per person to for the five minute drive to the dock and, though you could easily do the walk yourself in15 minutes, the $1will be good value if it allows you to just make the next boat departure.

There will likely be other travellers getting off the bus and going to the docks, and it’s best to buddy up for the taxis.

Time | 4-5 hours

Cost | $8.45 per person - cash only - buy at ticket office or driver’s assistant will ask for payment about 30 minutes before the your stop

Tip | You’re driving through a beautiful part of the country and a section of the Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca, so look out the window, not at your phone.

Know | A quicker alternative is this shuttle from David, booked online or via hostels. They’re also available to book in advance on 12Go.

Stay // If staying in David for a night or two, there’s a wide selection of modern hotels like to choose from - Hotel Ciudad de David has excellent ratings. Alternatively, an Airbnb like Casa Monet and its tropical garden offers fantastic value. For those on a budget, Mike Adventures Guesthouse and Hostal Familiar Argeñal are solid, no-frills picks.

2. The Boat / Ferry from Almirante to Isla Colon

Now the fun starts.

Almirante is the mainland gateway to the Bocas del Toro islands. From here, you can take frequent shared boats (lanchas) to Bocas Town on Isla Colón, whilst there’s also a slower, less frequent ferry.

The majority of travellers will take the shared boat for speed and convenience, but also because you may not be given the choice!

The Lanchas

These run throughout the day, theoretically every 30 minutes or so but there’s no fixed timetable, so you may end up waiting around with no idea when you’re actually going! It’s not necessary to book your boat tickets in advance, and the crossing to Bocas town takes about 35 minutes.

The docks where you’ll be dropped off or arrive on foot are on a narrow-ish street by the Chiquita banana containers, with lots of activity, bodies, and a dollop of chaotic energy (at least when we’ve been there). Find the Almirante docks here on Google Maps.

Young guys will approach straight away offering to carry your bags for two metres, telling you a boat is just about to go, or help buy your ticket. It’s mostly a hustle, but there are scams going on too and it can feel a bit dodgy at moments. Some pressure people into accepting their help or don’t even ask before taking your bag into a specific office, and they aren’t doing it for free. They were quite aggressive to others when demanding tips.

Our advice is, once you’re out of the taxi, get your bag straight away and take a moment to compose yourself. Also:

do not leave bags or valuables unattended
anyone who helps you will ask / expect a tip
don’t be rushed, led astray, or simply follow the scrum
there's clearly a system of commission for taxi drivers and / or the touts - so don’t necessarily take their advice at face value
patience is a virtue

There are a handful of tour & boat companies based in the street, and we did what we usually don’t, and just got tickets at the one the taxi driver dropped us outside. That was Transporte marítimo Valencia - maps - and it was packed with almost every other backpacker and tour group. However, we ended up waiting 45-minutes for a boat, so it may be worth walking a little further down to Transporte Lancha Torres (maps) in case their office is less packed or they’ve got a pending departure.

Both are open 6am-6pm and charge the same prices: $6 for a one-way (ida) ticket from Almirante to Bocas, or $10 for a return (ida-vuelta). Cash only.

As we already had our flight booked from Bocas del Toro to Panama City, we just got the $6 one-way. Whilst offering better up-front value, it’s not recommended not to get the $10 return ticket if you’re going to take an organised shuttle from Bocas onward to Boquete or Panama City, as they’re included in the price.

Further, although there’s no date specific on your return ticket, others say it’s valid for a month. If you lose it in Bocas, you won’t be given another, and you can only use it with the same compmany’s boats on the way back, which may not be ideal if you’re looking to leave in a hurry.

Be aware that the taxi drivers and touts all push the return ticket as it increases their commission.

We’ll leave it up to you though, and welcome anyone sharing their experience on whether it gives more convenience or not!

Lastly, there are various signs up stating 'never buy or pay outside the offices for boats or tours', so make sure you only buy your Bocas del Toro boat ticket from the kiosk inside!

The boats themselves are low-slung and weathered, with individual seats and canopy for cover. Large bags are chucked on and stored haphazardly at the front and back. Lifejackets are provided, and you’ll have a slightly less bumpy ride at the back. If it’s not a bright and sunny day, it can get a bit chilly once it speeds up, so not a bad idea to have a layer handy.

Banana growing is the main employer in this region, and the scale of that is quite clear when you see the fortifications of Chiquita shipping containers by the docks.

Know | Boats usually stop running around the late afternoon / early evening; to avoid running the risk of missing the last boat of the day try to arrive in town before 3pm. Also, there’s not much on the dock street for snacks or food.

If you need to stay the night, there are only a handful of options available online. Gigi’s Guesthouse has decent ratings and is perfectly situated for the docks, whilst Hostal Ojo de Agua had good reviews but may be a little far away for convenience.

Top Tip // Based on our experience, don’t be surprised if information is scant and varied about when your boat is actually going to arrive + leave! Unless it’s right there waiting and almost full, you’ll be told it’ll be in just five minutes, then twenty, then in another ten etc. Just be patient; stress or complaints won’t get you anywhere quicker. However, if you’ve been waiting a decent while, it’s important to also keep your wits about you as more groups and travellers arrive in the office. If you want to make damn sure you’re on the next boat, then get a place vaguely in line and sharpen up those elbows - it can be quite a chaotic scrum to actually get on and those who aren’t prepared will be left behind.

The Ferry to Bocas del Toro

Due to the more limited scheduled, the small ferry isn’t as popular a choice for travellers heading from Almirante to Bocas del Toro.

However, if it aligns with your arrival times in town, it would probably be a cool way to get there. The crossing time is quite a bit longer at 1 hour 40 minutes, but sometimes the slow way is the most memorable.

The standard timetable for the ferry from Almirante to Isla Colon is a departure at 6am, 11am, 3.30pm (Monday to Saturday), reducing to 7am and 12pm on Sundays.

This will be different on any public holidays etc, and it’s always recommended to arrive at least 30 minutes earlier.

Rather helpfully, the Bocas del Toro ferry has a decent website where you can find more information and latest schedules.

Tickets are $3 adult passengers and find the Almirante ferry port here on Google Maps. Note the port is a 20-minute walk from the aforementioned docks, and you’ll have to be very clear to a taxi driver if that’s why you want him to drop you off!

The ferry also has limited space for vehicles, costing from $35 to $50 depending on size, but the price appears to include your passenger ticket too.

For road trippers in Panama, the ferry is therefore a viable option - but there are complications due to space and whether you actually want/need to have your car on the islands. We’ve covered everything in the ‘Driving to Bocas’ section’.

Boquete to Bocas del Toro

This is a natural stage on most first-time Panama itineraries, as well as anyone who started their bigger Central America trip here and is working their way north to Costa Rica.

You have two main options:

1. The Shuttles

In short, the quickest and easiest way from Boquete to Bocas del Toro is with the daily shuttle bus + ferry combo. These leave Boquete in the morning, take you to Almirante, and help you get on the boats. Travel time is often advertised as three hours, but it’s a better idea to expect the journey to last four.

Overall, it’s going be a more comfortable and convenient ride than the public transport alternative.

You can find schedules and book your transfer on Bookaway and 12Go.

2. Public Transport

There is currently no direct bus from Boquete to Almirante, so you have to first take the local minivan / bus from Boquete down to David.

During the weekday, these depart every 20-25 minutes from 4.15am till 4.15pm, reducing to every 30-60 minutes until 7.45pm. The schedule is a bit more spread out on weekends.

It costs $2 one-way, and the journey to David takes about an hour - find the pick-up point in Boquete here on Google Maps.

Once in David, you then simply have to follow the steps outlined above to reach Almirante then take the boat/ferry to Isla Colón!

If connections all go smoothly, you’re looking at 7-8 hour travel day and total cost around $17 per person. Obviously, you should start as early as you can if going this way!

The Wilcard Alternative

We regret not spending at least a night at The Lost and Found Hostel.

Situated on the way from David to Almirante, it’s a remote backpacker hostel hidden high up in the cloud forest of Chiriquí. You have to hike in, and the views it offers are stunning, whilst there’s jungle trails, hammocks, communal dinners, cold beers, and a proper off-the-beaten-track vibe.

It came highly recommended from a few of our Instagram followers, but we decided to prioritise extra days in Bocas.

If you’re looking to break up the journey to Bocas, or simply looking to include a beautiful lesser-visited area of Panama in your plans, then it may be the perfect choice - check prices and availability here.

For road trippers or those preferring mountain views but no hostel, check out the ominously named El Refugio La Brisa del Diablo

Driving to Bocas del Toro & Panama Road Trips | How To Do It

If you’ve read our other Panama guides, you’ll know that we actually had a rental car for the first two weeks of our one-month trip.

This opened up much of the country to us, but posed quite the conundrum when working out what to do for the Bocas Del Toro portion. In fact, it resulted in several re-writes of our itinerary!

Could we bring the car over to the islands? Should we bother? How secure were the storage alternatives in Almirante?

We won’t go into all facets of the research and decision-making process that ultimately led us to drop off the car in David, take public transport to Bocas, then fly back to Panama City, but the takeaway is that you need to figure out how and when Bocas del Toro fits into your Panama road trip before booking your rental car.

However, we do just want to share all the options available below, so that you can make the best decision for your budget, route, and travel style.

(you can find everything else over in our tips for Driving in Panama)

The Bocas del Toro Ferry

As mentioned, you can take vehicles on the Bocas del Toro ferry in Almirante (maps) for $35-50 depending on type/size.

Space for vehicles is very limited on the three daily weekday ferries, so you need to book your spot early. Next, turn up as early as you can to join the line, but we’ve read that the lack of signage and confusion over which lines to wait in can cause issues.

Also, don’t necessarily believe the staff if you’re in a line and they say your car is guaranteed a spot on the ferry!

Reading the experiences of a few others, if it all goes to plan, then taking your car on the Bocas ferry is seamless and worthwhile, but others have faced long and confusing delays to actually get their car on it.

The most important question to ask yourself though is whether you actually want or need your rental car on Bocas del Toro. Isla Colón is definitely large enough to get some use out of it, but you still won’t be able to access several parts of that island without a 4x4, and you can’t take the car to the other islands.

For further information, visit the Ferrybocas website and please do share your experience in the comments if you do this route with a rental!

The Almirante Parking Lots

The next option is to leave your car at one of several parking lots in Almirante.

We really weren’t certain about the set-up or reliability of these when planning, and it seemed like a waste to pay for both the rental and parking whilst the car was just going to be sat on the mainland for five days!

In order to clarify things for our readers though, we personally visited two of the car parks closest to the passenger boat docks in Almirante. The situation became a lot clearer and, whilst nothing fancy, they wholly specialise in tourists and locals leaving their cars whilst over on the archipelago.

Prices are around $3 to $5 per day.

Although we could never give a 100% guarantee on security, they were legit and have great reviews on Google Maps.

To save you time, we’ve shared the Google Maps listing of four that have 1. an excellent rating and 2. enough reviews to make it relevant:

Leiza Secure Parking | $3 a day and located conveniently right by the shared boats - we visited and would use.

Émilie’s Secured Parking | Right by the ferry dock, charging $5 day. Excellent reviews all round.

Gia's Garage | On way to ferry dock in more residential setting, charges $3 per day

Parking Viquez | A bit out of the way in comparison to the others.

We highly recommend reading all the reviews before making your decision and choice, and it’s best to contact them directly to book a spot ahead of arrival (the above have their Whatsapp numbers on the Google Maps listing).

Lastly, some reviewers state that you will immediately get innundated with car park offers from the same guys who hustle and hassle around the docks. Anticipate this, don’t stop, and just tell them you already have a booking elsewhere if you get into a conversation.

Know | One owner we spoke to said you usually don’t have to leave your keys, but if they are super full, they may ask for them. However, we’d never suggest leaving them as it probably voids your rental agreement and insurance in the event of any issues.

Drop-Off in David

Lastly, if it makes sense for your route and budget, you could also elect to drop the hire car off in David.

This means you’re instantly car-free for three destinations where you really don’t need your own wheels.

However, note that this will limit the number of car hire companies available to you, remove the cheaper deals on Rentalcars and AutoEurope, and is also likely to incur a mandatory one-way drop-off fee.

In short, it’ll make your rental more expensive overall.

For us, it ultimately made sense to stomach the increased cost in order to give ourselves more car-free days to experience Bocas del Toro, the San Blas, and Panama City, rather than the alternative of driving back to the capital from Almirante.

Plan // Anyone planning a road trip or rental should read our Essential Tips for Driving in Panama to cut down on stress, costs, and police stops!

Onward Connections from Bocas Town

A crucial point to understand before you visit is that Bocas del Toro shouldn’t be viewed as a single destination, but as a series of them.

The boats and ferry from Almirante all arrive at the docks in Bocas Town on Isla Colón. This is the main urban hub and tourism centre in Bocas del Toro, but we really don’t recommend this as a base (although there are good spots elsewhere on the island!)

The four principal tourism islands of the archipelago - Isla Colón, Carenero, Bastimentos, and Solaré - are just 5-10 minute water taxi away from each other; Carenero is literally just across the water from Colon.

The transport between these islands is by water taxi, and these charge non-locals a minimum $5 per person for a boat ride, almost from any island to any island (Colon to Carenero is a little less). You can hop on a shared one or a private one, and the price is usually the same.

It’s more expensive than it should be, but there’s no haggling to be had.

However, some accommodations have their own water taxis to collect guests and bring them straight over.

This means, before travelling to Bocas del Toro, you need to:

have a good idea of where you’re going to staying the first night (or longer)
ideally have it booked in advance
contact them in advance to confirm onward connections

They’ll advise which is the best dock to go to in Bocas Town - some serve specific islands, whilst others are more about private fares and don’t know every place - as well as let you know if they’ve got a private dock to tell the driver to take you to (this is quite common - our amazing Airbnb does this, as does the popular hostel, Bambuda Lodge.)

If coming from the airport, you’ll find the docks on Main Street, with several operators situated either side of La Buga Gastro Market.

If staying on Isla Colón, you can find taxis, your accommodation may offer a transfer or - depending on luggage - consider renting a scooter on arrival.

Know | It’s a good idea to withdraw a decent wedge of cash before starting your journey from mainland Panama to Bocas del Toro, but you’ll also find several ATMs on Main Street.

Top Tip // It can be a wet ride to the other islands, and Bocas del Toro (sorry to break it to you) has a rather different climate from the rest of Panama in the November to March/April peak season. Rain showers are common, and it’s a good idea to have your rainjacket handy generally, but especially on boat rides if the heavens suddenly open.