How To Get To Bocas del Toro
by Rebecca Hollman
updated June 12, 2019
How to Get to Bocas del Toro, Panama
Do you have a trip to Bocas del Toro, Panama planned? Have you ever wondered how to get from Panama City to Bocas del Toro? Bocas is one of the most popular and beautiful destinations in Panama. Unfortunately, it’s far away from everything and so can be quite complicated to get to. A lot of travelers want to know (1) how to just get to Bocas del Toro and (2) how to get there the cheapest. Below I break down all the different ways you can get to Bocas and compare them on time, cost and efficiency and how to get from Panama City to Bocas del Toro.
There are two directions you can come from to reach Bocas. One is from Costa Rica - across the Costa Rica border either from San Jose or from Puerto Viejo. You could also get there from the western side of Costa Rica by reaching San Jose and then following the directions from there. The other is from Panama - coming north from Panama City or Boquete into Bocas.
How to Get From Panama City to Bocas del Toro:
There are three options for how to get from Panama City to Bocas del Toro.
1. FLY FROM PANAMA CITY TO BOCAS DEL TORO
Option 1 is to fly via Air Panama. This is the only airline that flies into Bocas. They have a small airport on Isla Colón, which is the most popular island, and offer a few flights a day. They do direct flights that are about $100-150 one way. This is by far the most convenient option and will save you 10 hours of traveling on a bus, but it is also the most expensive. A bus ride will cost you $35 one way and a catered shuttle costs you between $50-80 so honestly a flight isn’t that much more expensive. This is the only flight to Bocas del Toro from Panama City.
For the amount of time and hassle you save by flying, I think this is the best option. The ride on the overnight bus really and truly sucks. However, if you have a ton of baggage (like multiple surf boards) then you might consider taking the bus as they don’t charge extra for luggage. All luggage (no matter how many bags or the size) are included in the cost of your ticket. Another thing to consider if you fly is that you don’t have to leave the Panama City airport. If you take the overnight bus, you need to pay a taxi to take you to Albrook Mall across the city.
2. OVERNIGHT BUS FROM PANAMA CITY TO BOCAS DEL TORO
The second option is to take the overnight bus. This bus goes directly from Panama City to Almirante with no stops. After dropping you at the Almirante bus station, you will need to take a taxi (or walk) to the boat transfer point. From there, you will take a water taxi from Almirante across to Bocas Town. The water taxi price is included in your bus ticket, but the taxi from the bus station IS NOT. This bus trip costs $35 and takes 10 hours in total. This is an excruciatingly long bus ride and you will most likely not get sleep even though the bus is overnight. Also, be forewarned - they keep this bus cold! I was wearing a sweatshirt, pants and had a blanket and was still cold.
This is actually quite a complicated process as you need to transfer to different transportation at three different points. You need to go to the Albrook Mall bus station to buy tickets and get on the bus. In Panama City, have a taxi or uber drop you off at the Albrook Mall BUS STATION. There is also just the Albrook Mall entrance and this is not where you want to go - they are far apart from each other. Once in the Albrook Mall station, there is a booth labeled Bocas del Toro on the first floor where you will purchase your ticket. The whole first floor is lined with counters with different destinations written across the top. Just walk up and down until you find the Bocas del Toro counter. They usually have multiple buses leave for Bocas everyday, especially in high season. The buses start running at 6 PM, and go every hour after that until everyone in the station who bought a ticket that day has gotten on a bus. Usually the 6 PM bus is sold out earlier in the day so be prepared to get there early but not get a bus until later. We arrived at 4 PM and made it on the 8 PM bus (bring stuff to keep you entertained).
Once you and your stuff are on the bus, you will head to the town of Almirante - the last town on the mainland of Panama before reaching Bocas. The bus usually stops once or twice over the night for snacks and for people to use the bathroom. Once in Almirante (usually right when the sun is coming up), they will drop you off at a bus station. There are usually a lot of taxis waiting around for the bus to arrive. Hop in one and have them bring you to the Bocas water taxi stand. That’s is the only place people are going from this bus so it’s pretty obvious they need to take you there. The taxi is usually $3. You could walk to the water taxi stand if you want but if you have a lot of bags it’s worth it to take the taxi.
Get on the water taxi which takes about 20 minutes to reach Bocas Town. Once in Bocas Town, you will need to arrange your transportation to your accommodation.
3. LOCAL CHICKEN BUSES/COLECTIVOS FROM PANAMA CITY TO BOCAS DEL TORO
The third option is to take local buses. I have never done this option myself but it would involve getting a bus from Panama City to Santiago, Santiago to David and then David to Almirante - finished by taking a water taxi from Almirante to Bocas. This is the cheapest option, with each bus probably only costing $5, but is the most complicated and most time consuming. They pack the local buses with so many people that sometimes 20 people are standing in the center aisle, along with a box of chickens and a kitten in someone’s bag. I would not suggest this option unless you feel comfortable speaking in Spanish.
At the Albrook Mall bus station, get on a colectivo headed to Santiago, which is about 3 hours. From there, transfer onto a bus to David - about another 3 to 4 hours. At the David bus station, transfer on a bus to Almirante, another mountainous and windy 3 hours. Once in Almirante (usually right when the sun is coming up), they will drop you off at a bus station. This is the same bus station that the overnight bus stops at. There are usually a lot of taxis waiting around for the bus to arrive. Hop in one and have them bring you to the Bocas water taxi stand. That’s is the only place people are going from this bus so it’s pretty obvious they need to take you there. The taxi is usually $3. You could walk to the water stand if you want but if you have a lot of bags it’s worth it to take the taxi. Get on the water taxi which takes about 20 minutes to reach Bocas Town. Once in Bocas Town, you will need to arrange your transportation to your accommodation.
How to Get From San Jose to Bocas del Toro:
There are two options for how to get from San Jose to Bocas del Toro.
1. SHUTTLE SERVICE FROM SAN JOSE TO BOCAS DEL TORO
There are no flights that go from San Jose to Bocas anymore so your pretty much stuck with a tourist shuttle transfer. There are tons of companies that do shuttles from Bocas to San Jose, Costa Rica for around $60-80. My favorite company is Caribe Shuttles and Hello Travel, who even help you with the border crossing. Total travel time from Bocas to San Jose is about 10 hours including the border crossing. The shuttles are usually smaller passenger vans and probably have max 10 people in each van. Most of the vans usually have wifi so you can look up your bus confirmation as well as proof of exit for the border crossing. The van takes you all the way to the border. Unfortunately, you technically have to walk the border crossing with your bags and get in a different Caribe van on the Panama side. You essentially have to walk from the drop off into a building where you show a government official your passport, proof of exit (which as of 2019 must be a flight itinerary - they no longer accept bus itineraries), etc. From there, you have to walk across the bridge and show your ticket receipt on the Panama side. Then another Caribe driver will be there to help you get your stuff in the van and will drive you to the Almirante water taxi stand. From there, you will have to buy a water taxi from Almirante to Bocas Town. This is another 20 minutes on a boat to get you to the main island of Bocas.
There is an $8 tax to exit Costa Rica and a $4 tax to enter Panama. This fee is not included in the ticket price and must be paid in cash. Please have your passport, and printed flight itinerary with you for immigration officials. Panama is only accepting flight itineraries for entry into Panama. (No bus tickets). Your flight can be from anywhere in Central America back to your home country. You are allowed 1 large bag or backpack and 1 carry on size (computer bag) per person. There is a $10 fee for each extra piece of luggage, odd or over size/weight luggage, surfboard bag (Surf boards up to 6 ft 5 in).
Itinerary:
6:00 am to 6:20 am: Airport pick up
6:20 am to 6:50 am: San Jose city hotel pick ups
6:40 am to 11:00 am: Travel to Puerto Viejo
11:00 am to 12:30 pm: Lunch at Banana Azul
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm: Travel to the border
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm: Border crossing (Costa Rica time)
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm: Travel to Almirante (Panama time-1 hour forward)
4:30 pm to 5:00 pm: Boat to Bocas Town
BOOK HERE:
2. LOCAL CHICKEN BUSES/COLECTIVOS + BORDER CROSSING
Since border crossing on your own is quite complicated, this probably isn’t the most ideal option - but it will definitely be the cheapest. From San Jose you would likely need to get on a colectivo headed to Limon, Puerto Viejo, Cahuita or Sixaola. Sixaola is the final town in Costa Rica where you will be doing the border crossing but I don’t know if buses run straight there from San Jose. You might have to go San Jose to Limon, Limon to Sixaola, etc. From there you will get out and walk the border crossing just like you would with the shuttle. On the other side, hop on a colectivo headed to Almirante. Then take a taxi from the bus station to the water taxi station. From there you will need to take a taxi across to Bocas Town, about 20 minutes and $10.
Other Ways to Get to Bocas del Toro:
1. COMING FROM DAVID
You need to take a local chicken bus from David to Almirante (3 hours) and then take a taxi from the bus station to the water taxi station. From there you will need to take a taxi across to Bocas Town, about 20 minutes and $10. There are no shuttle services from David to Bocas.
2. COMING FROM BOQUETE
Hello Travel Panama Shuttle from Boquete to Bocas del Toro
4 hours, $30, includes water taxi transfer from Almirante to Bocas
You are allowed 1 large bag or backpack and 1 carry on size (computer bag) per person.
There is a $7 fee for each extra piece of luggage, odd or over size/weight luggage, surfboard bag (max. 9’ between CR and Bocas).
3. COMING FROM PUERTO VIEJO
Caribe Shuttle from Puerto Viejo/Cahuita to Bocas del Toro
4 hours, $34, includes water taxi transfer from Almirante to Bocas
There is an $8 tax to exit Costa Rica and a $4 tax to enter Panama. These fees are not included in the ticket price.
Please have your passport, and printed flight itinerary with you for immigration officials. Panama is only accepting flight itineraries for entry into Panama. (No bus tickets)
Your flight can be from anywhere in Central America back to your home country.
If your pick up hotel is located in Cahuita, Manzanillo or Punta Uva there is an extra $6 fee per person for this service.
You are allowed 1 large bag or backpack and 1 carry on size (computer bag) per person.
There is a $7 fee for each extra piece of luggage, odd or over size/weight luggage, surfboard bag (max. 9’ between CR and Bocas).
4. COMING FROM OTHER LOCATIONS
If you are coming from anywhere not listed above, then there are no direct flights or shuttles to Bocas del Toro. However, you can easily piece together different shuttles to make your way to Bocas. You can get on a shuttle from almost anywhere in Costa Rica to San Jose and then transfer from there onto a shuttle headed for Bocas. In Panama, you can always head to Panama City or Boquete and from there figure out your transportation to Bocas.