Quick facts
| Coast | Caribbean, Bocas del Toro province, near the Costa Rica border |
|---|---|
| Distance | About 140 nm from Colón along an open coast |
| Tidal range | Small: under about 18 in (CruisersWiki), well under 0.6 m |
| Marinas | Bocas Marina (Bocas Town), Marina Carenero (Isla Carenero), Red Frog Marina (IGY, Isla Bastimentos) |
| Yard | Bocas Yacht Services near Almirante, up to 60 tons (Noonsite) |
| Port of entry | Port captain, Aduanas and Migración in Bocas Town; port captain closes 3 pm Mon–Fri |
| Marine park | Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos (1988), including the Cayos Zapatilla |
| VHF | Bocas Marina and Red Frog 68; Cruisers and Expats Net on 68 at 07:45 |
Geography and waters
The archipelago sits inside the Bahía de Almirante, with the much larger Laguna de Chiriquí to the south-east. Isla Colón holds Bocas Town and the airport. Isla Carenero is the wooded key a few hundred metres east of town. Isla Solarte closes the inner lagoon. Isla Bastimentos, the big island to the east, has Red Frog on its sheltered south side and surf beaches on its north. Isla Cristóbal and Isla Popa lie further south.
Inside, the water is flat and protected by mangroves, coral and the islands themselves. It is the calmest anchoring on Panama's Caribbean coast. Outside, the north shores face the open Caribbean, with surf and reefs. Hazards are shallow coral heads, channel marking that PredictWind rates only “fair”, water-taxi traffic at speed, and logs after heavy rain. Come in by daylight the first time.
Much of the eastern archipelago is the Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos, created in 1988, which includes the Cayos Zapatilla.
Getting there by boat, air or road
By boat from the east. Colón to Bocas is about 140 nm of open coast with few safe stops. Do it in one go in settled weather, and arrive in daylight. The route and its seasons are in cruising Panama’s Caribbean coast.
By boat from the north. Bocas is the natural first Panamanian stop from Costa Rica, Providencia or the Bay Islands. Clear in at Bocas Town; see ports of entry.
By air. Daily flights run from Panama City's Albrook airport to Bocas on Isla Colón. The airport is a few minutes from the waterfront, which makes Bocas easy for owners who fly in.
By road. Drive via David to Almirante on the mainland, then take a water taxi across the bay. Almirante is also where the nearest haul-out yard is.
Marinas and anchorages
- Bocas Marina: in town on Isla Colón. Floating docks for up to 100 boats from 20 to 120 ft, 3 m or more at mean low water, diesel, and the liveaboard crowd.
- Marina Carenero: small, quiet and owner-run, with published rates. It suits absentee owners and long-stayers. No fuel.
- Red Frog Marina: IGY's resort marina, with 95 slips including 12 superyacht berths to 300 ft and 20 ft draft. Its fuel dock is open weekdays, and the Port Captain is on site on weekdays.
None of the three has a Travelift. Bocas Yacht Services near Almirante, on the mainland, hauls boats up to about 60 tons. Bigger boats go to Linton Bay or Shelter Bay, several hundred miles east. See haul-out yards.
Anchoring. Many cruisers anchor off Bocas Town or in the lagoon and use a marina's dinghy dock and bar. Anchor in sand or mud, clear of coral and seagrass and the water-taxi lanes. Noonsite warns that theft from anchored yachts is common in Bocas: deck gear, kayaks, dinghies and outboards. A slip buys security as well as convenience. See mangroves and seagrass protection.
Tides, weather and seasons
The tide in the lagoon is small, under about 18 inches. You will not need the Pacific's tide tables here; docks, depths and anchor scope stay much the same all day.
Bocas doesn't follow the neat Pacific split between a dry and a rainy season. It rains in every month. Locals and travel guides often describe February–March and September–October as the drier windows, but treat that as a tendency, not a forecast. Thunderstorms and lightning are frequent; read lightning protection before you leave a boat for the season.
From about December to April the north-east trades and swell make the outer coast and the passage from Colón harder. Bocas is the part of Panama nearest the hurricane tracks: Hurricane Otto made landfall just north of the Costa Rica border in November 2016. Watch the NHC tropical outlooks from June to November. See Panama boating seasons.
What people do on the water
Living aboard. Bocas Town has groceries, hardware stores, ATMs and a cruiser community, with a morning net on VHF 68. See living aboard in Panama.
Leaving the boat for the rainy season. Owners fly home from Bocas and leave the boat in a marina, with a maintenance service at Carenero or Bocas Marina.
Snorkelling and island days. The Cayos Zapatilla, the mangrove channels and the reefs in the national marine park. See dive and snorkel charters.
Water taxis and tours. Water taxis are the local transport between islands, and boat tours to the beaches, reefs and dolphin areas are the main tourism business. Watch your wake and keep the wildlife rules in turtles, dolphins and wildlife.
Surf runs. Boats take surfers to the breaks on the north shores of Bastimentos and Carenero.
Rules, permits and agencies
Clearing in. Bocas del Toro is a port of entry, with the AMP port captain, Aduanas and Migración in Bocas Town. The port captain closes at 3 pm Monday to Friday, and overtime applies after that. Red Frog's on-site Port Captain also keeps weekday hours. Foreign-flagged yachts need the cruising permit and a zarpe for the next port. The sequence is in arriving in Panama by boat.
The marine park. MiAmbiente manages the Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos. Park entry fees apply to visitors; confirm the current fee with MiAmbiente before you go. Don't anchor on coral, and take all rubbish out.
Commercial boats. Water taxis and tour boats carrying paying passengers need ATP registration, an AMP-inspected boat with its passenger capacity and a licensed operator. See charter licences and permits. SENAN patrols the archipelago and the border.
Fishing. You need an ARAP licence, and the Caribbean spiny lobster is closed from 1 March to 30 June.
Who Bocas suits
Liveaboards who want a walkable town. Absentee owners who fly in a few times a year. Superyachts wanting a Caribbean berth at Red Frog. Boats arriving from Central America or heading east toward the canal. It suits less well anyone who needs a big yard nearby, dry weather, or a quick hop to San Blas, which is a long passage east past Portobelo and Colón.
Your practical starting checklist
- Plan the Colón–Bocas run as one passage in settled weather, arriving in daylight.
- Call your marina on VHF 68 before entering, and come in by daylight the first time.
- Clear in at Bocas Town before 3 pm on a weekday to avoid overtime.
- Pick your berth: Bocas Marina for town, Carenero for quiet, Red Frog for resort and big boats.
- If you anchor, lock the boat, lift the dinghy and lock the outboard every night.
- Check MiAmbiente's current park fee before visiting the Cayos Zapatilla.
- From June to November, check the NHC tropical outlooks.
Frequently asked questions
What marinas are in Bocas del Toro?
Three: Bocas Marina in Bocas Town, Marina Carenero on Isla Carenero opposite town, and Red Frog Marina (IGY) on Isla Bastimentos. None has a Travelift; the nearest yard is near Almirante.
Can I clear into Panama at Bocas del Toro?
Yes. Bocas is a port of entry, with the port captain, Aduanas and Migración in Bocas Town. The port captain closes at 3 pm on weekdays, so arrive early.
How far is Bocas del Toro from Colón by boat?
About 140 nautical miles along an open coast with few safe stops. Most boats do it in one passage in settled weather.
Does Bocas del Toro get hurricanes?
Panama is south of the usual tracks, but Bocas is the closest part of the country to them. Hurricane Otto made landfall just north of the Costa Rica border in 2016. Watch the NHC outlooks from June to November.
¿Qué marinas hay en Bocas del Toro?
Bocas Marina en el pueblo de Bocas, Marina Carenero en Isla Carenero y Red Frog Marina en Isla Bastimentos. Para sacar el barco del agua, el astillero más cercano está cerca de Almirante.
En español: navegar en Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro es un archipiélago del Caribe panameño, cerca de la frontera con Costa Rica, con aguas protegidas y tres marinas: Bocas Marina, Marina Carenero y Red Frog Marina. Es puerto de entrada, con capitanía de puerto de la AMP, Aduanas y Migración en el pueblo; la capitanía cierra a las 3 de la tarde de lunes a viernes. La marea es mínima, pero llueve todo el año y las tormentas eléctricas son frecuentes. El Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos, que incluye los Cayos Zapatilla, lo administra MiAmbiente; consulte la tarifa de entrada vigente. Los robos de lanchas auxiliares y motores fuera de borda son comunes: asegure todo de noche.