Beaches, Coral Reefs and a Caribbean Culture that Dazzles Everyone
The Atlantic is the marine sector with the largest number of islands, a very long list to name. However, it is the best proof that visiting one or several islands in this region of the country is a mandatory adventure for all visitors.
Bocas del Toro
This province is an ecological jewel, full of islands with abundant nature, marine activities and a unique Caribbean culture created by Afro-Antillean Panamanians and people who live in this region from all over the world.
- Colon Island
This island is the most populated of the Bocas del Toro archipelago and is home to Bocas, the main city that is home to most of the hotels, restaurants, and nightlife venues.
Here is Playa Estrella, a destination where you can find a large number of giant starfish. Another place to visit is Playa Bluff, where you can practice world-class surfing and learn about local sea turtle conservation efforts. However, on the way to Playa Bluff, is Paki Point, a quiet beach that has the largest beachfront resort in the area.
To get there are two options: by plane from Panama City on a flight that takes 50 minutes, three airlines offer weekly flights. The second option is to take a bus from the Albrook terminal that leaves in the afternoon every day and takes between 10 to 12 hours to the town of Almirante. From there you take a ferry at the pier or rent a boat to cross to Isla Grande. It is also possible to travel by car, traveling along the Pan-American Highway to Chiriqui Grande and from there follow the highway to Almirante.
- Escudo de Veraguas
This isolated island in the Atlantic is only 3 km2, and is located 20 miles from the Gulf of Los Mosquitos and belongs to the Ngäbe-Bugle region. Mostly uninhabited and in its natural state, Escudo de Veraguas offers turquoise-emerald waters with unique species and subspecies in the world such as the golden-collared manakin, the Panamanian salamanders of the genus Oedipina and the three-toed pygmy sloth, endemic to this area among others.
There are also curious cliffs and hidden beaches, where it is possible to go down to “La Cueva de la Virgen” as the Ngäbles and Bugles call it, due to its rocky roof that looks like a cave.
On this island there are tropical marine ecosystems such as coral reefs (barrier, coastal and reef), sea grasses and mangroves. It is also possible to navigate its shallow channels between the islets and find corners with flat, translucent waters for snorkeling.
To get there you can travel by plane or road (car or bus) to Isla Colon in Bocas del Toro and from there take a boat. The boat trip has a duration between two to four hours depending on the weather and sea conditions, the boat’s engine and the number of passengers. You can also travel by road to the town of Calovebora in the Veraguas Atlantic region and from there take a boat. This last option is the fastest by boat since it takes just over an hour to get there.
Colon
This province in the Panamanian Atlantic is full of beautiful coasts and islands that are surrounded by corals and crystal clear waters. Destinations full of an incomparable Afro-Antillean atmosphere.
- Mamey Island
In the town of Portobelo the highway comes to a Y, to the right it leads inland to Colon and to more distant places such as Nombre de Dios, but to the left it leads to Isla Mamey and Isla Grande. The first is a private island that is minutes from the mainland by boat and where people can enjoy a beach with turquoise waters and snorkel thanks to the coral reefs that surround the island. On this island there are public toilets and showers for all visitors. It is possible to spend the night camping, and all food must be brought, leaving the area clean. To get there you must drive to Puerto Lindo where you take a boat and in five minutes you will reach this paradisiacal island.
- Isla Grande
Following the road after Isla Mamey is the town of La Guaira, from where you take a boat to Isla Grande. This island is home to nearly a thousand inhabitants of Afro-Caribbean descent, a place where there are no cars, only beaches lined with palm trees and a town that lives to the rhythm of Caribbean music and where it is possible to find hotels, restaurants and activities. Here it is ideal to go snorkeling, diving, hiking to the famous lighthouse built by the same architect as the Eiffel Tower and try the delicious Afro-Caribbean cuisine. To get there, you must drive to the town of La Guaira and from there take a boat that in 10 minutes reaches this island that is very popular with local tourists on weekends, but on weekdays it is very quiet and extremely relaxing.
