Hiking and Waterfalls in Bocas del Toro

If you love walking through wild scenery, this is the perfect place for you: Bocas del Toro, in the Panamanian Caribbean. It has extensive natural areas where trails have been beaten to reveal hidden beaches, waterfalls, coves, cliffs, caves and lagoons to the adventurer, both in its mainland and in its large archipelago.

Bocas’ Trails

The Bocas archipelago features more than 20 trails spread around its three main islands: Isla Colón, Isla Carenero and Isla Bastimentos.

On these trails, you’ll explore the jungle until you reach the breathtakingly beautiful beaches or natural pools. There are easy trails with paved sections, such as Red Frog, while there are other, more natural ones that will take you to breathtaking caves.

Bocas has 4 protected areas that have contributed to the growth and care of its biodiversity. 3 of them — La Amistad International Park (PILA,) the Palo Seco Protected Forest and the San San Pond Sak wetland — are located in the continental area of the province.

Explore Waterfalls

If you want to visit the most spectacular waterfalls in Panamá, follow the Naso community leaders through the Palo Seco Protected Forest.

This is a biological corridor, which links the protected areas of the PILA and the Fortuna Forest Reserve. There the families have organized themselves into cooperatives to guide visitors along the trails and show them their culture and traditions. Together with them, you can complete the Waterfall Path in the community of Bonllik.

If you dare to walk under the highest layers of the forest, you will find movie-worthy scenery just a short distance away. Roaring waterfalls, such as the Alto Chorro, up to 100 ft high, backed by rocky walls and framed by the deepest green of the forest, will leave you with no alternative but to dive headlong into the water.

Wildlife

The San San Pond Sak wetland is of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. It is home to manatees that you can visit and see up close from a special platform.

On the marine side, the Isla Bastimentos National Park protects most of the natural resources of the province. Here you will find trails on the beach and under the forest. The Park includes Cayo Zapatilla 1 and 2, where several species of turtles come to lay their eggs.

If you are an experienced hiker, you already know that the final destination is not everything. Surprises are found along the way. Be sure to look up, as Bocas is home to a large number of monkeys. If you are in Bastimento, look down, as there are 20 varieties of the little arrow frogs, with their red, yellow, green or blue shades.

On the islands and the mainland, do not miss the encounter with a two or three-toed sloth; and in Escudo de Veraguas, try to find any of the few specimens of pygmy sloth. Drive through Bocas to arrive at totally deserted beaches. Visit the Ngäbe region, where its inhabitants will guide you through their territories and show you their treasures. Experience, absorb and walk around every corner, Bocas awaits you.

Bocas wildlife is an explosion of diversity. Its trails bring together mangroves, waterfalls, bat caves, turtle nesting beaches, and islands where you can see endemic and migratory birds. Bocas del Toro is a destination to hike, explore and connect deeply with nature. Here are 12 of its most