The waterfront
Wooden docks.
Dronepicr — CC BY 3.0 · Carlos Adampol Galindo from DF, México — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Nolabob — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ariel Rodriguez-Vargas — CC BY-SA 3.0
The main town of the Bocas del Toro archipelago on the Caribbean coast near the Costa Rican border, at the tip of Isla Colón, with old colourful wooden houses on stilts over the water from the banana-company era of the early twentieth century, and an Afro-Caribbean culture brought by workers from Jamaica and the Caribbean islands. Restaurants, cafés and shops line the main street, and along the waterfront wooden docks send water taxis to the nearby islands, the archipelago's main way of getting around. The climate is hot and humid, and the sea clear turquoise. On the island's far side lies Playa Estrella, Starfish Beach, where big orange starfish rest in clear shallow water close to shore; never touch them or lift them from the water. Beaches and forest line the road there. Reach the archipelago by small plane from Panama City, or overland then by boat from the port of Almirante. The sea can be rough and small boats stop in bad weather, so bring seasickness tablets and keep a spare day.
Wooden docks.
Starfish.
Music and food.
Isla Colón, Bocas del Toro archipelago on the Caribbean coast
By small plane from Panama City in about an hour, or overland to Almirante and then a water taxi to Isla Colón.