How to Get to Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro Flights & Bus Routes
Bocas del Toro is easily accessed as follows:
by plane through daily 45 minute flights from Panama City or San Jose, Costa Rica
10 hour bus ride from Panama City,
10 hour shuttle or bus from San Jose, Costa Rica
4 hour journey by road plus a 30 minute boat ride from David.
See below for more details about all options on how to get to Bocas del Toro.
Table of Contents
Flights to Bocas del Toro
How to get to Bocas del Toro by Plane
There are daily flights available from Panama City to Bocas del Toro. TripAéreo is a tour operator that sells flights from Tocumen International Airport and International Airport Marcos A. Gelabert in Albrook. Flying with FlyTrip is a real game changer when it comes to arriving to Bocas del Toro, with their charter flights you can land in Panama and take a direct flight to Bocas del Toro without having to stay a night in Panama City. It’s definitely worth your time seeking availability with FlyTrip before any other airline if you are flying into Panama City and want to arrive to Bocas del Toro the same day. As of this moment Trip Aéreo offers 1 daily flight everyday.
BOOK FLIGHTS TO BOCAS DEL TORO WITH TRIP AEREO
Air Panama offers 2 to 4 daily domestic flights from the International
Airport Marcos A. Gelabert in Albrook. To get to Albrook it can take around 30 minutes to 1 hour from the international airport depending on traffic, so if you want to make this journey on the same day you land in Panama, make sure to land by 2pm at the latest or plan to spend the night. To play it safe, it’s recommended to leave a 3 hour window between your landing time in Tocumen and your departure time with Air Panama.
How to Get to Bocas del Toro by Bus
How to get to Almirante from Panama City
Buses from Panama City leave in the evening between 7pm and 8pm from the Albrook bus terminal, and the journey takes about 10 hours to Almirante. From there, you will have to take a water taxi to the main island, which takes another 30 minutes and costs $6 per person. You’ll be arriving to Almirante at around 7.00 am. Tickets have to be purchased on the same day you travel at the Albrook Bus terminal ($30). The buses are ice cold at night, so make sure to wear a sweater and trousers.
How to Get from Panama City to David, Chiriqui, then to Almirante
Buses from Panama City leave in the evening between 7pm and 8pm from the Albrook bus terminal, and the journey takes about 10 hours to Almirante. From there, you will have to take a water taxi to the main island, which takes another 30 minutes and costs $6 per person. You’ll be arriving to Almirante at around 7.00 am. Tickets have to be purchased on the same day you travel at the Albrook Bus terminal ($30). The buses are ice cold at night, so make sure to wear a sweater and trousers.
How to Get from San Jose, Costa Rica to Bocas del Toro by Bus
In San José, Costa Rica you can take a bus from San José to Sixaola from the Coca Cola bus station, get your passport stamped in Sixaola at the border, cross the bridge on foot to the Panamanian side to do the rest of the immigration procedures, and then continue by bus to Almirante.
You can also go by shuttle from San José, Costa Rica with Caribe Shuttle.
Shuttle Boquete to Bocas del Toro / Shuttle David to Bocas del Toro / Shuttle Chiriqui - Bocas del Toro
One of the most popular places to visit outside of Bocas del Toro is the highlands of Chiriquí, places like Boquete, Volcán and Cerro Punta are excellent places to discover and also very easy to access from Bocas del Toro thanks to shuttle services that run between Chiriqui and Bocas del Toro. There are two options available for shuttle Boquete to Bocas del Toro and vice versa.
Hello Travel Panama offers shuttle services between Boquete and Bocas del Toro price is about $35 per person. Contact via WhatsApp: +507 6771-0170
Panamá Adventours offers shuttle services. They offer shuttle services to both Boquete and David, Chiriqui at around $35/ per person. You can also contact their office via WhatsApp: +507 6879-5506
PanaBocas Express also offers shuttle services running between Chiriqui Grande and Boquete leaving both in mornings and afternoon, contact them via WhatsApp: +507 6030-8204
Drive to Chiriqui Grande, Bocas del Toro / Bus David, Chiriqui to Chiriqui Grande
Cut your trip down by a little over an hour with this option. Instead of driving all the way to Almirante keep going straight to the coastal town of Chiriqui Grande, Bocas del Toro. After passing the town of Rambala you will see a gas station where most buses on their way to Almirante stop at for bathroom break and snacks. Instead of turning left, keep going straight to Chiriqui Grande. Once arriving to the end of the road inside of the town there is a stoplight. Turn left and you will find a gas station with a dead end road leading to a public dock. The road has a chain, park near the chain. On the left side of the dock next to the water there is a Maritima office with the office of PanaBocas Express located inside. They offer secure parking for your auto at $3/ night as well as transportation service from Chiriqui Grande to Bocas Town, Isla Colón. The rate is $8/ per person and takes about 40 minutes to arrive. The ride is beautiful passing Loma Partida and the Solarte/ Isla Bastimentos mangrove islands. The service runs on a schedule, schedule your arrival a little before the next boat leaves. Waze works for most of the drive to Bocas, except when going over the highest parts of the mountains but once you arrive to Rambala it should work again. We recommend contacting PanaBocas Express via WhatsApp to confirm times and availability. WhatsApp Chiriqui Grande office: +507 6030-8204
