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Tour Packages, Self Guided Tours, Guided Tours, One Day Tours, Hotels and Family Vacation Packages. We are afiliated to the Costa Rican Tourism Chamber Canatur at www.tourism.co.cr where you can find our information and credentials. We are located in Santa Ana, in the Central Valley of Costa Rica, only 20 minutes from San Jose.

Main Office: Heredia, 10 minutes away from San Jose Dowtown.

Managment Contact Information

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Bocas del Toro Information

Courtesi of Suite Hotel Costes See Hotel

The climate
Average annual temperature is 27°C (82°F). The best period to visit from the point of view of the climate is between November and April: the air is warm and dry, you will feel comfortable in both sun and shade, with the temperature ranging from 21-31°C. The rainy season takes place during the months of May, June, July and August. It must be said, however, that both the intensity and duration of the showers are moderate (typically tropical). September and October present intermediate conditions, with rain by night and fine weather during the day.

Nature
The entire archipelago is a true paradise for nature lovers: the relative geographical isolation has created an ideal habitat for a number of extremely rare species, such as the fresh water turtle, crocodiles and the red frog, the tiniest in the world (1cm long), which is not to be found anywhere else in the world. The larger islands are thickly covered in dense, particular rain forest composed of rare species of conifer, creepers, vines and palm trees.

The Beaches
Boca del Drago - The western tip of Isla Colòn is Boca del Drago (21km from the town), one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, facing a coral reef ideal for snorkelling and swimming. The water isn’t very deep, so you need to be careful where you step, and avoid touching the coral. Bocas del Drago is not in fact among the most spectacular beaches on the archipelago (from a number of these you can on occasion observe sea turtles), but does have the advantage of avoiding problematic ocean waves.
Playa El Istmito o Playa la Cabaña - This is the closest to the town and ideal if you just want to swim, lie in the sun, or take a nap - as long as you’ve laid in stocks of insect repellent (widely available in the town) to guard against the chitras (sand flies). It’s not for nothing that the bay which gives onto the beach is named Bahia Sand Fly! If you go further north, you’ll come across much more attractive beaches.

Big Creek, Punta Puss Head e Playa Paunch - Ideal for surfers, but not advised for inexperienced swimmers. Once you have crossed Punta Bluff, the road runs alongside the extensive Playa Bluff - another unmissable beach for surfers - which reaches as far as Punta Rocosa. From May to September (nesting season) you’ll find numerous turtle nests here; these creatures are actually in great danger of extinction.

Cayo Coral - “A quite simply magical place”. The description might seem over the top, but it’s difficult to be restrained when speaking of Cayo Coral. Here you can swim alongside the barracuda FRANCO, the real star of the place, and just one of thousands of rainbow coloured fish. The waters are calm and still, rich in coral reefs and ideal for snorkelling. Cayo Coral is situated in the narrow channel stretching between Isla Bastimentos and Isla Popa, and can be reached by boat in half an hour from the town of Bocas.

Cayos Zapatillas - To the southeast of Isla Bastimentos, these are among the favourite locations for scuba divers, with occasionally challenging conditions posed by strong tidal currents. Along the coastlines of Cayo Zapatilla Norte and Cayo Zapatilla Sur stretch splendid white beaches with entirely unspoilt coral reefs, and behind them thick forest containing the most interesting exemplars of local vegetation.

Scuba Diving
Companies operating from Bocas include Scuba Bocas, Bocas Water Sports, Starfleet Scuba and Bocas Aventuras. All organise dives at the finest coral reefs. The nearest decompression chamber is at Panama City, an hour by plane; but in case of emergency you can visit the local hospital or those at Almirante and Changuinola. You can undertake PADI scuba diving courses, or the battesimo, an introductory experience for anyone who wants a trial session prior to subscribing to an entire course. There are two gas compressors on the island for refilling air cylinders.

National Marine Reserve of Isla Bastimentos
The first marine reserve of Panama (1988) has the remit of conserving numerous zones of the archipelago, among which is a large part of Isla Bastimentos (particularly Playa Larga) and the Cayos Zapatillas. The area encompasses 13,226 hectares and is a crucially important conservation area for many species of the incredibly rich fauna of the Caribbean, in danger of extinction. A number of the beaches are used as nesting grounds for four species of marine turtle, and the extensive coral reefs form an ideal habitat for fish, crabs, and other aquatic creatures. The lagoons and the dense forests are inhabited by many other forms of wildlife, though sadly even here huntin g is not a mere memory from times gone by. For further information about the reserve contact the IPAT (tourist information) offices of the town of Bocas, or local tour operators.

The Population
The Guaymi Indians still inhabit certain areas of the archipelago, pursuing fishing and self-sufficient agriculture. They travel principally by canoe (cayuco) and live in wooden huts with straw roofs, with neither electricity nor running water. They don’t live in great communities, preferring to construct their huts scattered along the seashore. The Guayami have their own dialect, but many Indians speak both Spanish and ‘guari-guari’, the Creole tongue typical of the the province of Bocas del Toro (a mix of English, Spanish and guari-guari), its origins goi ng back to the Jamaicans transported to Panama to harvest bananas. There is still a large community of Jamaican descent among the local populace. A third ethnic group is that of the Latinos with mixed Indian and Hispanic origins. Another local language spoken by a number of black inhabitants of the town of Bocas del Toro and the on the Island of Bastimentos (10 minutes by boat to the southwest of Isla Colòn) is Patois, in which you can discern elements of English as in the African Antilles, of guari-guari and of Spanish.

The Cuisine
The sancocho, a spicy chicken with boiled vegetables in just about any sauce is undoubtedly the national dish of Panama. Another traditional delicacy is ropa vieja (‘old clothes’), a spicy beef stew served on a bed of rice. Of course the seafood and fish are unmissable, including the chevice, raw fish seasoned with local spices. As for drinks, chicas are highly sweetened fruit juices generally served with water or milk. Typically Panamanian is chicheme, a non-alcoholic drink prepared with milk, maize, cinnamon and vanilla; the local spirit par excellence is seco, distilled, like rum, from sugar cane, and drunk with milk and ice. The authentic seco is to be found quite a distance from the town, and is the traditional drink of the Campesinos.
But there are also a couple of "special dishes" which are typical of Bocas and these are our favourite ones: Johnny's Cakes – bread rolls made with coconut flour, pesscado en escabeche – fried fish with a slightly spicy onion and mustard sauce, saus – pickled piglet trotters in a spicy sauce; rondón – fish and vegetable soup with coconut (often served with bread dumplings, bragadás – salt cod fritters and patís – oven baked corn pasties filled with either beef or chicken. The most typical desserts are: cocadas – very sweet coconut sweetmeats - and banana pudding.

The Panamanian Tourist Institute (IPAT) and Centre for Assisting with Tourism and Interpretation
Calle 1ª (next to the police station), Bocas del Toro, tel/fax: +507 757 9642. At these offices tourists can secure free copies of the periodical Islas de Bocas (in both English and Spanish) with maps of the towns and islands, and other types of information.

Useful Contact Numbers
Police 104
Fire service 103
Hospital +507 757 9201
Information +507 757 9257
Operator for national calls 101
Operator for international calls 106
Airport +507 757 9341

Festivals
Feria del Mar (sea festival) - final week in September
Independence from Colombia day - 3 November
Independence from Spain day - 28 November
Mothe r’s Day - 8 December
The Maundy Thursday Carnivals are wonderful, with their music, dance and grand processions.
The celebrations throughout Holy Week are absorbing and exhilarating; the inhabitants of Bocas throw themselves into the event with contagious enthusiasm and involvement that affects everyone who finds themselves in Panama in the period preceding Easter, whatever their religious affiliations. Christmas and New Year are celebrated with scarcely less fervour and popular sentiment.

Visa
Not required for citizens of nations recognized by the Panamanian government. Period of permitted sojourn: 90 days, extendable on request within the location.

Currency
The official currency is the Balboa, which is the exact equivalent of the US dollar, also legal tender within the Republic of Panama. It is however advisable to carry change, as many companies don’t accept 50$ or 100$ banknotes.

Banks, credit cards and travellers cheques In the Calle de la Gobernación is a branch of the National Bank of Panama, the only bank building in Bocas del Toro. Credit cards aren’t always accepted. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at the branch of the National Bank. Cash dispensers are located at Caja de Ahorros (Calle 1a) and at the National Bank.

Languages
Spanish, the official language of Panama; English and indigenous tongues.

Electrical Voltage
110V or 220V.

Time Zone
5 hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time, 6 hours in relation to Rome (7 during Italian daylight saving time).

Health Risks
There are no particular health risks associated with the Bocas del Toro region.

A Little History
When Christopher Columbus entered the Bay of Caraboro (the name given by the Indians to the Bay of Almirante) with his two ships in the course of his final voyage to the New World, in 1502, the area which now houses present-day Bocas del Toro was inhabited by the indigenous tribes of Guaymi, Teribe and Bokota.
In 1510 the Spanish founded on the Caribbean coastline the settlement of Nombre di Dios (on the delta of the Changres River), into which would subsequently flow the great riches that the Conquistadors brought back from their forays into Peru, which they reached by departing from the port of Panama City on the Pacific coast. The transportation of precious merchandise attracted the attention of pirates, and in the eighteenth century the Caribbean coast was considered so fraught with danger that the Spanish began to bypass Panama, travelling to Europe directly from Peru by circumnavigating Cape Horn. Documents show that in 1745 British citizens were farming the land at Boca del Drago. The English presence was a determining factor in the history of the archipelago. The nineteenth century saw the first major migratory wave, with thousands of black people from the Antilles and from the Colombian islands of San Andrés and Providence transported as slave labour by rich landowners. The black people began to intermix with the indigenous populations, creating small communities of fishermen and farmers. It was these new inhabitants that founded, in 1826, the present-day town of Bocas del Toro, which for a number of years served as an encampment providing lodging for foreign merchants.
This was the era which gave rise to trading between the British and the diverse peoples of Central America, among them the inhabitants of Bocas del Toro, who received from the Europeans various kinds of merchandise in exchange for carey (marine tortoiseshell), marine turtles, cocoa, timber and sarsaparilla (the medicinal plant smilax aspera).
The closing years of the nineteenth century saw growth in an area of activity that would prove a determining factor on the social and economic development of the region: the cultivation and export of bananas, thanks to the Snyder Banana Co., founded in 1890, and the United Fruit Co. ( modern day Chiquita Brands) of 1899. Vast tracts of the area were also turned over to the cultivation of sugar cane, cocoa, and coconut palms, while the trade in tortoiseshell and live turtles continued. The Surgeon Brothers constructed ports to enable traffic of goods and of passengers to Colón and other locations in the Caribbean.
The historical and political affairs of 20th century Panama already reflected the present day character of this strip of land, with its eclectic culture that bears the mark of a medley of ethnic influences: the Indian communities, the black peoples originating in the Antilles, the Chinese and Middle Eastern immigrants, the Europeans and North Americans, who all contributed, and continue to do so, to the lively and special atmosphere of this land.