Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
with mangroves, populated by small Ngäbe communities or, in the cases of islas Colón and
Bastimentos, largely Afro-Antillean settlements.
The majority of visitors stay in the laidback provincial capital
Bocas del Toro
, which spills
off a peninsula at the southeast tip of
Isla Colón
, the archipelago's largest and most de-
veloped island. During the day, launches brimming with tourists scatter outwards, heading
for the reefs, beaches, mangroves and forests of the neighbouring islands of
Bastimentos
,
Solarte
and
Carenero
or the distant cays of
Zapatillas
. Other popular destinations include
the
Laguna de Bocatorito
, often dubbed Dolphin Bay for the frequent sightings of dolphins,
and the sea-bird colonies of
Swan Cay
off the north coast of Isla Colón. In late afternoon, the
sandy streets of Bocas fill as the
waterfront bars
come to life. Dining options are plentiful
and varied, reflecting the cosmopolitan population, and at weekends the energetic can usually
find somewhere to dance till dawn.
Isla Colón and Bocas Town
The first port of call in the archipelago for almost all visitors - whether arriving by plane or
boat - is
Isla Colón
, or, to be more precise,
Bocas Town
, the provincial capital of Bocas del
Toro. Connected to the rest of the island by a slender isthmus, Bocas explodes with tourists in
high season (Dec-April), and is the easiest base from which to explore the islands, beaches
and reefs of the archipelago. It also offers an ever expanding choice of tours and activit-
ies, from the traditional pursuits of
surfing
,
diving
and
snorkelling
to options such as forest
walks, kayaking and wildlife-viewing, as well as yoga and massage. Despite the presence of
lush primary and secondary rainforest on the island, most tourist activity happens along the
coastline, on the wild and relatively deserted
beaches
of the east coast or the more sheltered
shallows of
Boca del Drago
, on the western point close to the mainland.
