One-Week Active Marine Adventure in Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama

The Trip

Escape the winter doldrums and immerse yourself in this small group, multi-sport tropical adventure. Explore the beauty — and frailty — of Bastimentos National Marine Park (Panama’s first such protected area), where lush tropical rain forest meets the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. The secluded northwestern Caribbean coast of Panama is sparsely developed, and Bocas del Toro is largely off-grid; its laid-back vibe attracts the backpacking, adventure-seeking crowd rather than the luxury tourist. The marine environment here is so unique the Smithsonian Institute selected it for their Tropical Research Station.

With 20 million years of geological history, and islands that separated from the mainland due to sea level rise, Bocas del Toro is a natural laboratory for studying evolution, climate change, and human impact on Caribbean ecosystems. The archipelago is comprised of nine or so inhabited islands, with about 50 cays and some 200 tiny islets, many of which are made up entirely of mangroves. All travel except on the main island of Isla Colon, where we spend our last night, is by water taxi and private, outboard (read: small and open to the elements) boat.

Naturalist guides from our eco-lodge accompany us on our daily activities here, which include snorkeling and kayaking crystal-clear waters and mangrove areas, birding and viewing wildlife from a small boat and birding tower, and hiking through tropical jungle. We’re likely to see two- and three-toed sloths, poison dart frogs, white-faced capuchin monkeys, night monkeys, parrots, toucans, hummingbirds, and green iquanas; among hundreds of other birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Our trip begins in Panama City, a modern city with an impressive skyline, set at the Pacific Ocean entry to the Panama Canal. We meet our group over happy hour and dinner in enchanting Casco Viejo, a peninsula settled in 1673 and designated a World Heritage site in 1997. 

Our enchanting home for five nights is a remote eco-lodge in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, where we enjoy fresh tropical meals, sleep in charming cabanas, and take delight in our remote setting, off the beaten path and off the grid. We’ll learn about and see first-hand the amazing biodiversity and overwhelming natural beauty of this special area.

Notes:

• This small-group trip is planned to accommodate 10 participants with double-occupancy, ideally. As there are limited rooms and limited singles available in our eco-lodge, it is possible that we will need to accept participants based on how the initial sign-ups are comprised.
• Panama Canal visits and excursions are not included in this trip; however, those interested in viewing or transiting this engineering marvel are encouraged to plan a visit before or after the trip.

Note: The leader will make every reasonable effort to meet the goals outlined in the itinerary. Please keep in mind that weather or other conditions beyond our control may cause us to modify the itinerary in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the group. The following itinerary may also vary according to the availability of accommodations.

Day 1: (Panama City & Casco Viejo)

We gather in our hotel at 4:30 p.m. for a Welcome Orientation and then enjoy a happy hour at a rooftop bar (depending on weather and availability) overlooking Casco Viejo and Panama Bay, where we should be able to see cargo ships lining up to enter the Panama Canal. We continue getting to know each other over dinner in Casco Viejo, the city’s old quarter and a UNESCO-protected district, with its lively dining and nightlife scene, cobblestoned streets, charming Spanish and French Colonial-era architecture, and bougainvillea-filled plazas. Overnight: Panama City/Casco Viejo.

Day 2: (Fly to Bocas del Toro & transfer to eco adventure lodge)

Today we depart from Albrook airport (PAC) on an approximately one-hour flight to Bocas del Toro. We will be met in Bocas Town by our eco-lodge boat captain who will transport us (30 minutes by boat) to our home for the next five nights. Depending on flight schedules, we’ll enjoy breakfast or lunch at the lodge, have free time to get settled, meet for a lodge orientation, enjoy a jungle hike and dinner, and see birds and stunning views from the observation tower high above the canopy. Overnight: Eco-lodge, Isla Bastimentos.

Days 3-6: (Bastimentos National Marine Park)

Covering 32,700 acres of Isla Bastimentos and its surrounding marine habitat, this park is an important nature reserve for a variety of plant and animal species. Bastimentos National Marine Park was created in 1988 as Panama’s first national marine park. The park protects forests, mangroves, monkeys, sloths, caiman, and 28 species of amphibians and reptiles. We spend four full days exploring the area kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, and boating.

Daily activities will be determined by weather, including wind, and are planned to include:

• a day at Cayos Zapatillas, two cays (“keys”) that are refuges for coral reefs, mammals, reptiles and birds, and also a nesting place for sea turtles; we enjoy the beach, swimming, kayaking and snorkeling, with lunch on the beach 
• a half day kayaking the mangrove environments around our lodge and a half day group snorkeling
• a half-day Isla Popa kayak, jungle hike, and nature excursion; afternoon open for onsite water or land session
• a full day birding and viewing wildlife by boat at Soropta Canal, an abandoned manmade canal built in the early 1900s to ferry bananas to waiting ships; today it is a nature haven overgrown with hyacinth, and teeming with birds and mammals — with luck, we may see manatees, river otters, caimans and turtles; lunch on excursion

Overnights: Eco-lodge, Isla Bastimentos.

Day 7: (Isla Colon: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute & Bocas Town)

After a morning birding session on the tower, we enjoy our last breakfast at our eco-lodge and return to Isla Colon by boat where we visit the Smithsonian Tropical Research station. STRI’s state-of-the-art facility draws scientists from around the world to study the species-rich marine and terrestrial habitats. We will learn about their marine research focused on mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs; the impact of human activity on Caribbean ecosystems; and terrestrial work, which includes the study of the evolution of multiple colorful morphs of a poison-dart frog. 

We’ll check into our hotel on the water in the funky town of Bocas and walk to our farewell dinner in a restaurant over the water where we’ll enjoy fresh, local seafood and/or other options.

Overnight: Bocas Town, Isla Colon.

Day 8: (Fly to Panama City & depart)

We have a morning flight departure back to Albrook airport in Panama City where we bid our fellow travelers goodbye and safe travels. We will make one transfer to Tocumen (PTY) airport for those departing that afternoon or evening, or staying in a hotel adjacent to the airport. Those staying in Panama City or another location in Panama will make their own arrangements for transportation from Albrook to their desired destination (not included in trip price).

Getting There

The trip begins and ends in Panama City, Panama. You will make your own travel arrangements to Panama City and to our first night’s hotel, where we will meet at 4:30 p.m. for our Welcome & Orientation gathering. Your roundtrip airfare to Panama City and airport shuttle to our first night’s hotel are not included in the trip price. The leader will notify participants of the hotel where we will meet and overnight on Day 1, once confirmed.

Panama City has two main airports: Tocumen International Airport (PTY), Panama’s main international airport; and Albrook Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (PAC). The majority of international flights arrive and depart from PTY, which is about 30 minutes by taxi (or Uber) from downtown Panama City and Casco Viejo.

The trip includes two in-country flights on regularly scheduled airline departures between Panama City and Isla Colon (Bocas Del Toro), which are included in the trip price.

United States citizens do not need a visa to enter Panama.* Your passport should be valid for 6 months following the trip dates. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader. 

* There may be vaccination and testing requirements to enter Panama or re-enter the U.S. (TBD -- information will be shared at a later date.)

Accommodations and Food

Accommodations are double occupancy, so if you are a solo traveler you will be assigned a roommate. A couple of single rooms may be available for a single supplement, but this will depend on the final makeup of the group. 

Our eco-lodge is beautifully situated in the jungle a short walk through the mangroves from our private dock, on a raised wooden walkway. It is secluded and private; a 30-minute boat ride from Isla Colon and Bocas Town. Therefore, while at the lodge, our stay is all inclusive and we will have all our meals at the lodge or on our excursions. Meals are prepared with local (read: fresh and “available”) ingredients. The lodge does not support overfishing of lobsters, conch, and octopus, and will not serve these locally endangered species. If you have special dietary needs, please contact the leader with your requirements before signing up for the trip. 

Bocas del Toro and our lodge are off-grid, with solar power and water catchment systems. This should not alter our comfort; however, some flexibility and patience is helpful. Our cabanas are comfortable and modern, with hot showers and air-conditioning, and are a short walk from the main lodge. 

Our nights in Bocas Town and Panama City are spent in nice hotels and we will enjoy dinners out at charming restaurants where you can order from the menu. 

Trip Difficulty

This is a very active multi-sport trip in what is often hot, humid weather. It is primarily focused on water and boating activities, which require you to be in excellent health and physical condition. Flexibility and good balance/stability are especially important. While no prior snorkeling or kayaking experience is required, trip applicants should have good swimming ability and be able to kayak solo for several hours. Life jackets are required by the Panamanian maritime authorities for boating, so they will be worn during our boating and kayaking excursions.

Our activities include kayaking on sit-on-top kayaks, snorkeling both from the shore on flat water and off a boat in open water, rainforest hiking through the jungle on slippery, wet trails and up a stream, boating in small boats open to the elements and waves, and birding “lite.” 

This trip is planned in the “dry season”; however, as we all have experienced, climate change has largely reduced the predictability of weather patterns everywhere, so some rain should be expected, providing an authentic tropical experience. We’ll want to be prepared to be in the sun or the rain. If you have a tendency toward seasickness, you should bring preventive remedies. Seas should not be huge but we will be on boats a lot and that is the only form of travel for many of our days -- rain, wind, or shine.

Finally, travelers should enjoy the wilderness, and have a good sense of humor with a flexible approach to traveling in Latin America.

Equipment and Clothing

This is a casual, tropical environment that lets you leave your winter coats behind and replace them with shorts and swim suits. We will have two nice dinners out. All snorkeling and kayaking equipment is provided. A detailed packing list will be sent to accepted participants.

Conservation

Since its founding in 1892, the Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our own backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate, and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.

Bocas del Toro is a natural laboratory to study climate change and human impact on western Caribbean ecosystems. During our adventure, we’ll discuss the following topics, among others, and hope to have lively evening discussions with locals involved with some of the many conservation organizations in the archipelago.

Marine environments, climate change and tourism:

From kayaking through mangrove wetlands to scuba diving in the deep sea, marine tourism and its wealth of water-related activities appeal to travelers. Approximately 71% of earth's surface is covered by water, providing travelers opportunity to explore on the surface and below oceans, lakes, estuaries, beaches and coastal environments. Marine ecosystems are becoming increasingly vulnerable from climate change and pollution, and we’ll discuss these pressures when we visit the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute to learn about the effects of acidification, climate change, and human impact on Caribbean ecosystems. We’ll also talk about the turtle conservancy, coral reef restorations, and sloth rescue.

Cultural conservation:

The Bocas community is an example of coexistence and multi-cultural respect for everyone. A combination of races and ethnicities, including indigenous Ngäbe-Buglé, Western Caribe and Latino peoples coexist with expats and extranjeros, all living in harmony with nature. Our lodge works with several indigenous communities, employs local personnel and works to educate their employees for personal growth. 

Eco-tourism, our eco-lodge and carbon footprints:

Our eco-lodge property is comprised of 200+ acres, 75% of which is left to evolve in its natural state, with one kilometer of coastline. The lodge was designed as an eco-friendly destination that protects and preserves the environment. It is small and will remain so to leave the smallest footprint on the lush environment. Most employees live onsite; those that do not, live within walking or paddling distance. Large amounts of the foodstuff is sourced from within Panama, brought in at the largest quantities feasible, and prepared onsite. A fair amount of fruit and herbs are grown onsite. The lodge generates its own power and uses treated rain water. More information about the lodge’s use of plastics, building materials, chemical and water usage, water treatment, and limits to the use of fossil fuels will be discussed on-trip.

Evacuation and Travel Insurance

The Sierra Club provides evacuation insurance to all participants on international trips. Since this coverage does not include any trip cancellation or interruption insurance, we suggest you purchase another policy separately to provide coverage for your trip and other travel costs. This policy also does not cover pre-trip and post-trip travel. Please note the evacuation insurance provided does not cover claims resulting from any pre-existing condition that occurs within 60 days of the trip departure. If you have specific questions about this exclusion, please review the insurance brochure. For information on purchasing a separate policy, please see our travel insurance page.