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Activities and Culture
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. Price: $22 US Surfing: Catch the waves at on of the several sufing beaches on our main island Isla Colon or one of the surrounding islands only a short boat ride away. Lessons and boards available in one of the local surf shops. 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.
$30US. half hour, $45US one hour. Kayaking: Camping Playa Bluff: 
Price: $ 3.00 per person/day
$12.00 per person/day with breakfest, lunch and dinner
Fresh water available.
You can see various species of fauna and flora such as parrots, monkeys, sloths. From April to September you can see nesting of turtles.
You can also surf and boogie boarding in the HIGH season form November to April and in the LOW season from June to August.
The restaurant offers a good variety menu every day. You can also have a massage at the beach.
For information and reservation write to: cgrisini@hotmail.com
Visit to Indian Village.
Surfing
Exploring the area
In Colon island, where Bocas del Toro town is located, there are a great diversity of attractions to see. The caribbean architecture is the first thing that the tourist notes and is part of our regional culture. Inland, Colon island has forests, rivers, creeks and the remainings of fauna and flora once very aboundant. The coast can be appreciated for the coral reefs, mangrove forests, beautiful rocky formations and many sea birds. Bocas del Toro is a town with a strong personality. Walking along the main street (3rd.) or any of the adjacent ones, is like going back to the past. A past that, some times was splendid, and at other times was decadent... sad. The architecture of the old houses, with their old caribbean style, is part of the identity of Bocas. These two beautiful islands are located on a coral platform that is defined, toward the open sea, by the breakers that are formed as the waves crash on the reef. Zapatillas Keys, lie inside the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park. They are famous for their beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, coral reefs and small but shady forests. They are named after a fruit: the zapatila. The western island, Zapatillas Minor, is the occasional base of scientists, researchers of the green marine turtle. The leatherback and the hawksbill turtles also come to lay their eggs, in season, on these beaches. On Zapatillas Major there is the Park Rangers refuge, the only habitation on the islands, managed by INRENARE, the Government Agency for Protection of the Natural Resources. When Christopher Columbus arrived in Panama from Costa Rica, the first place he visited was Boca del Drago, entering what is now known as Admiral Bay (or Caribaro by the indians) via the channel that separates the main land from Colon Island. Today, this region of the archipelago is an attraction for tourists. There, you find beautiful beaches at the tip of the island and shady trails to walk. Coral formations beyond the beaches attract the snorkeller. Hospital Point is a close and small place with a great diversity of attractions. Tourists can scuba dive or snorkel in the reef nearby, or swim and rest in the protected small beach, know about the history of the islands with the owner of the point or walk in the forest with a local guide, looking for the tiny colorful and poisonous frogs and the tombs from the beginning of the century. Hospital Point was the place where the main hospital of the region (owned by the United Fruit Company) was established in 1899, standing there until 1920 when was moved to Almirante (main land). The island of San Cristobal occupies an important sector of the Admiral Bay. There is also the place most visited by dolphins in the entire Bay. There are three important indian villages in the island: San Cristobal, Bocatorito and Valle Escondido. San Cristobal is one of the more important of the region, with electricity (generator), public phone and a primary school. Bocatorito and Valle Escondido are smaller but of some importance. The Marine Park comprises the central sector of the Bastimentos Island, both Zapatillas Keys and the waters surrounding them, and the mangroves zone at the south of Bastimentos island. Long Beach, on the north of this island, competes with the beaches on the keys, due to is size and wild beauty. There is where marine turtles come to nest during the months of April to Ooctober. Access is not easy, by land or by sea, due to the heavy surf and the fact that thick forest encroaches upon the very edge of the beach. Back to Top |
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One one-tank dive from 6:30 to 8:30PM
Price: $235 US