The cosmopolitan face of Bocas del Toro, Bocas Town flits between small-town easy living and fast-paced, expat-fueled development. It has the most extensive nightlife, restaurants, and paved roads of the islands’ towns, and most amenities are located within blocks of the docks. Farther away from the main street, Bocas becomes residential, with the houses eventually giving way to beaches, caves, and excellent spots for watersports. While some visitors are turned off by the obvious presence of tourists in Bocas Town, the reasonable accommodation prices and easy access to other islands continue to lure in travelers.
Tiny Bocas town is laid out in an L-shaped grid; lettered avenidas run east-west and numbered calles run north-south. With the docks at your back, north is to the right and south is to the left. Just about everything is on C. 3, the main street, or on C. 1, which branches off to the right of C. 3 about 100m south of the parque. Water cuts across the grid from C. 3 at the southern end of town to C. 1 at the eastern end. The parque lies between Av. D and F and C. 2 and 3. Av. G, at the northern end of town, is the only road that leads out to the rest of the island. Billboard maps are posted around town, including in front of the IPAT office, though maps for sale are hard to find.
The popularity of Bocas town among budget travelers has resulted in an increase in high-quality budget options. The most popular hostels are often full, though, and if you are traveling in a group, it is best to reserve or call ahead to make sure space is available. Most hotels and hospedajes are on C. 3 or Av. G.
The main street of Bocas is lined with cheap sodas and moderately pricey restaurants with international cuisine. Luckily, there are high-quality options in both categories, so delicious food is possible whatever your budget. There are several supermarkets on C. 3, and most are open daily until midnight. There are fruit and vegetable markets along the main street with dirt-cheap prices; just make sure to wash, cook, or peel all produce, as the water in Bocas is not clean and most places do not have filters for their water.
The bar scene, like everything in Bocas Town, swells substantially during the high season (especially around Christmas). But even rainy nights bring an amiable mix of locals, tourists, and expats out to the dock-side cabañas and comfortable pool halls. Things generally pick up around 9 or 10pm and run until 1 or 2am. Sunday nights are often quiet. One of the best places to party at night is Barco Hundido (a.k.a Wreck Bar ), on C. 1, near Taxi 25. This maze of ramps and open-air pavilions blasts hip hop and reggaeton until the crowd clears and occasionally has performances by local bands. (Beers US$1-2.50. Mixed drinks US$3-4. Open daily 8am-12:30am, until 3am on weekends.) Near the end of C. 3, across from Hospedaje EYL, is Bar El Encanto, a dimly lit joint frequented by locals dancing to dance hall and cumbia. (Beer US$1-2.50. Open daily noon-3am.) The boys at Mondo Taitú have a bar where they serve up cheap mixed drinks (US$2) and a special happy hour every night of the week. (Happy hour 7am-8pm, ½-price drinks. Open until 12:30am or later.)
With a local economy almost entirely dependent on tourism, nearly every hotel, restaurant, and shack offers some form of tour or rental. The listings here provide an overview of what’s available from a few dependable businesses.
The best dive rental/tour operator is PADI-certified Starfleet Scuba, on C. 1 where it curves east at the southern end of town. It is run by amiable English expat and diver expert, Tony Sanders. A two-tank dive is US$60, including boat and equipment, and a three- to four-day PADI certification course is US$250. Starfleet offers snorkel tours for US$20. (}/fax 507 757 9630; www.starfleetscuba.com.) Dives vary depending on the time of year, time of day, and weather, although operators can tailor a trip to the conditions and your preferences.
Most dive shops rent snorkeling gear (US$5-8 per day) and offer tours (US$15-25, equipment included). Local boat owners by the Le Pirate Bar docks on C. 3 often offer cheaper rates than tour companies—try to bargain.
Equipment rentals are available for just about any outdoor activity that you can imagine. Always check rentals, especially bikes, for quality. Rent bikes at the stand at Bocas Bikes on the corner of C. 3 and Av. G (US$2 per hr., US$10 per day). Rent kayaks at Bocas Water Sports (US$3 per hr.). A few motorcycles (US$8 per hr.), dirt bikes, and surfboards (US$2 per hr.) can be rented on a patch of grass next to the handicrafts stands across from the parque on C. 3. Hostels Mondo Taitu and Heike rent surfboards as well (US$10-15 per day).
From Bocas Town, Av. H leads west across a small isthmus to the main body of the island. From here, the road forks; the left side leads 15km through the island past La Gruta to Boca del Drago, and the right fork follows the eastern coast, passing Big Creek, Punta Puss Head, Playa Paunch, and Playa Bluff. Many of these beaches are infested with chitres (tiny sandflies with an irritating bite), especially in the late afternoon. Walking and biking are the cheapest transportation options around the island, but roads are alternately bumpy and muddy—bring sturdy shoes or a well-maintained bike, especially after rain.
Eastern Beaches. The best of these beaches is the relatively chitre -free Playa Bluff. The sand stretches almost 2km, with good surfing or casual swimming on more mellow days. Between March and September (especially June to July) the beach fills with sea turtles laying their eggs. Go to the ANAM office (see Tourist Information) to arrange to see nesting turtles on the island’s east coast. (About 8km north of Bocas Town. Biking takes about 45min. Turtle trips depart at 8pm or midnight; call or stop by earlier in the day. Turtle tour US$10 per person.)
La Gruta Cave. A small cave filled with bats and bat guano, this sight is a 45min. bike ride from Bocas Town. If you want to do some amateur spelunking, make sure to bring a flashlight and good boots. (Open to the public.) La Gruta is also considered a religious shrine and is the site of an annual pilgrimage celebrating Nuestra Señora de la Gruta, La Virgen del Carmen. A torch-lit parade down C. 3 takes place every July 16 in celebration of the Virgin; the pilgrimage to her cave occurs the following Sunday.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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