Sightseeing

There are two ways, at present, to sightsee the Bocas del Toro Islands: by boat (the easiest and best way) and by car (only on Colon Island). For the tourist who is interested in a one day tour of the islands we recomend renting a boat and making the circuit of Admiral Bay (Bahia de Almirante): Colon Island, Cristobal village, Hospital Point.

In the morning, a stop for lunch at Crawl Key and then a short trip cruising the mangrove islets of the Marine Park, end your day  visiting to Bastimentos town and a view of the Colon Island and Carenero Key. Usually, a standard tour takes you to one or two of these locations per day, allowing you more time to explore and relax than the above tour. In this plan, you can add other places, like Zapatillas Keys and the Teribes circuit, in the main land. By car, your tour begins in Bocas del Toro town, with the choice of two alternatives. The first takes you along the coast facing the open sea, with alternative rock outcrops and small beaches on the right, and undulating hills with cow farms and forests on the other side, until you reach the fabulous and as yet undeveloped beach of Bluff, with its distinctive bright orange sand. This is a great place to spend your day, swimming, taking care on rough days, laying on your back watching white-faced monkeys, or surfing the waves. Bluff Beach is also a marine turtles nesting beach, where conservation groups work during the nights, in season, to preserve nests and turtles from predators, which is an activity open also to tourists. Otherwise you can take the half hour trip to the old settlement of Bocas del Drago, situated on a sandy beach beyond which are patches of coral, which are perfect for the snorkeling fan to enjoy. Five minutes from here, toward the open sea is the bird sanctuary Swan's Cay. On the return trip to Bocas town, make a point of stopping  to visit La Gruta (the Bat cave), know for it's  its beautiful grotto.