Snorkeling

The best way to get out to the dive and snorkeling sites quickly and efficiently is by tour. The standard trip is offered by almost all tour operators and is great for both divers and snorkelers. It heads to Dolphin Bay for some dolphin spotting, then to Coral Cay, where there is snorkeling over a small patch of interesting coral or diving with micro-organisms; then its off to the Red Frog Beach for some surf and a final snorkel at the coral drop-off at Hospital Point, or a dive on a barge wreck. Snorkel gear is included, but check its quality before you leave the quay.

Scuba diving

When diving in Bocas you will be able to see some of the best preserved hard and soft coral in the world. You will also have the opportunity to see sting rays, lobsters, many species of crabs and a countless variety of tropical reef fish. Some of the most popular dive sites: Tiger Rock, Crawl cay, Hospital Point, Zapatilla Cays Caves, Ola chica.

Surfing

The sites of Bastimentos are less visited by surfers. The first two beaches, from Bastimentos town, offer good conditiones but they are more difficult to reach: by boat from Bocas, weather permiting, or by boat to Bastimentos and then a 15 minutes walk to the other side of the island, to arrive to the first beach. The boat ride is about 15 minutes. The third site, in Carenero island, is as dangerous as The Dump, with many coral reefs close to the waves. It is visited as an alternative and to arrive there demand a short boat ride to Carenero and a walk along the eastern coast of the key.

Visit to Indian Village.

In the Archipelago boundaries there are several communities of the ngobe indians. These communities are, in the Bastimentos Island: Quebrada Sal and Bahia Honda; in San Cristobal: San Cristobal, Bocatorito and Valle Escondido; in Solarte: Solarte; in Popa: Popa 1, Popa 2 and Isla Tigre; in Cayo Agua: Cayo Agua. If you are interested in indian cultures, is a good idea to visit San Cristobal, Popa 2 or Quebrada Sal, where any local will tell you about their communities and customs. Although they are not prepared to receive tourists, they receive any visitor with kindness. chica.

Exploring the area

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, 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, of interest to the snorkeller. Five minutes from here, toward the open sea is the bird sanctuary Swan Key. In the way back to Bocas, make a point of stopping in the middle of the island to see the Bats Cave with its beautiful grotto.

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