Caribbean West
Discover Caribbean West
The Caribbean West region of Panama includes all of Bocas del Toro province and Ngöbe-Buglé province as well as the northern portion of Veruguas province. Bocas del Toro Province is centered around the water. Much of the hinterland of this Province is difficult to access.
What to Experience in Caribbean West
Taste of Caribbean West...
True to the history of the region, the food of Bocas del Toro has a lot more Caribbean influence than the rest of Panama. For one thing, you will find coconut used a lot more here than in other parts of Panama. While there are places you can find more traditional food (platos típicos), for the most part the majority of restaurants have American style dishes (pastas, pizza, sandwiches, etc...).
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThere are two road routes into Bocas del Toro Province, one over the lush, jagged mountains from Chiriqui, the other from the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Buses travel both of these routes. If you are traveling from Costa Rica, take the bus to the border. In David terminal look for buses to Changuinola and ask a driver to stop in Almirante ($9 / 4 hr). In Almirante take a taxi ($2) or walk (1.6 km) from bus stop to water taxi and then $5-6 boat to Bocas del Toro. Most of buses are small coasters and they will make a short stop for bathroom breaks and food near Rambala in Bocas del Toro province. There are as well several flights into Bocas del Toro (town) from San Jose, Costa Rica and Panama City. From the border in Panama (closes at 6PM Panamanian Time and 5PM Costa Rica time as there is a time difference!) you can take a mini bus(US$10) to Almirante and a 25 min boat from there to Bocas town (US$6)....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
True to the history of the region, the food of Bocas del Toro has a lot more Caribbean influence than the rest of Panama. For one thing, you will find coconut used a lot more here than in other parts of Panama. While there are places you can find more traditional food (platos típicos), for the most part the majority of restaurants have American style dishes (pastas, pizza, sandwiches, etc...).
Language & Talk
English is widely spoken along much of the Central American coast, and Panama is no exception. The locals of Bocas del Toro are descendants of West Africans caught in the slave trade and speak English. One might also notice the mixture of several tongues in the Creole that the natives speak amongst themselves. As in the rest of Central America, note that English is more spoken on the Caribbean side than the Pacific side. There are two road routes into Bocas del Toro Province, one over the lush, jagged mountains from Chiriqui, the other from the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Buses travel both of these routes. If you are traveling from Costa Rica, take the bus to the border. In David terminal look for buses to Changuinola and ask a driver to stop in Almirante ($9 / 4 hr).
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Caribbean West
a small island in the middle of the ocean
a woman sitting on a bench wearing a red skirt
a woman in a red dress with a tiara on
a woman wearing a head piece and jewelry
a woman in a belly dance outfit holding a piece of cloth
a close up of a woman wearing a necklace
a woman wearing a head piece and jewelry
One of many beaches in Isabela, PR
The Carenage | Grenada, West Indies
a view of a body of water with waves coming in
a small island in the middle of the ocean
a woman sitting on a bench wearing a red skirt
a woman in a red dress with a tiara on