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Major city · Panama

Bastimentos

Spend 2 days on Bastimentos for beaches, dive and relaxed village vibe; longer if you want multiple hikes or night tours.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Bastimentos Island offers a quiet alternative to Bocas town with walk‑only access, surf‑friendly Wizard Beach, Red Frog Beach, a PADI dive centre and a few budget lodges. A short boat ride from Bocas town makes a 2‑day stay enough to see the main sights and enjoy the laid‑back atmosphere.

basic guide: no trip line yet
More
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
PAB
Best months
Feb–Mar, Sep–Oct
avoid Jun–Aug (rainy season, trails slippery)
Airport
BOC
Nights
2

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide for Bastimentos: no airport-to-bed path, walking clusters or day plans yet. Fares and schedules here are unverified. What this page does cover
Rules in force · 6Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) giv…
  • Central America ↗Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) give one shared entry allowance, usually 90 days in total; leaving for Belize, Costa Rica or Mexico and coming back does not always reset it — check with immigration before a long stay.
  • Central America ↗Cross land borders in daylight and early in the day; many posts close or empty of transport by late afternoon, and the approaches are where robberies happen.
  • Central America ↗Several borders charge entry, exit or municipal fees in US dollars (Belize exit, Nicaragua entry and exit, Honduras entry); carry small, clean US notes and ask for a receipt.
  • Panama ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Panama's National Migration Service or a Panamanian consulate; proof of onward travel and funds may be asked for.
  • Panama ↗Do not travel independently in the Darién; the UK and other governments warn against parts of it, and there is no road crossing to Colombia.
  • Panama ↗Guna Yala (San Blas) is governed by the Guna people: visitor fees apply, and photography of people usually needs permission and payment. Book through Guna-run or licensed operators.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Bastimentos104 ▾
  • Police104
  • Fire and ambulance103
  • General emergency911

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Bastimentos, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Wizard BeachRed Frog BeachPADI dive centre The Dutch PirateUp in the Hill café
Airports
BOC Bocas del Toro (Isla Colón) Airport (Taxi‑boat $5 from Bocas town to Bastimentos)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    not flagged

    30°C (86°F)

  2. Feb

    Best

    30°C (86°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    32°C (90°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    33°C (91°F)

  6. Jun

    Avoid

    33°C (91°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    33°C (91°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    33°C (91°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    32°C (90°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    30°C (86°F)

  12. Dec

    not flagged

    30°C (86°F)

Best: Feb–Mar, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jun–Aug. Month by month →

Warmest May (33°C (91°F)), coolest Jan (23°C (73°F) low), wettest Jul (13 rain days), driest May (6). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Bastimentos: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

30°C (86°F)

23°C (73°F)

10 rd

Feb

30°C (86°F)

23°C (73°F)

9 rd

Mar

31°C (88°F)

24°C (75°F)

8 rd

Apr

32°C (90°F)

25°C (77°F)

7 rd

May

33°C (91°F)

26°C (79°F)

6 rd

Jun

33°C (91°F)

26°C (79°F)

12 rd

Jul

33°C (91°F)

26°C (79°F)

13 rd

Aug

33°C (91°F)

26°C (79°F)

13 rd

Sep

32°C (90°F)

25°C (77°F)

10 rd

Oct

31°C (88°F)

24°C (75°F)

9 rd

Nov

30°C (86°F)

23°C (73°F)

8 rd

Dec

30°C (86°F)

23°C (73°F)

9 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

No cars; walk the village paths or use water taxis ($4‑5 per person) to beaches.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Bocas Town (Isla Colón)

go

Door to door: ≈30 min round trip

Taxi‑boat $5 one‑way, 15 min

Catch connections to other islands or mainland.

Red Frog Beach night bioluminescence tour

go

Door to door: ≈1 h total

Water taxi $4 each way, then walk

Tours run on dark moon nights; bring flashlight.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Beverly's Hill

Wooden cabins, 7 rooms, $20+ per double room, walk 100 m from pier

La Loma Jungle Lodge

Handmade cabins, $30+ per double room, walk from pier

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$30–45 excl. bed
Mid
$45–70 excl. bed
High
$70+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Beverly's Hill cabin2 × 3 nights × PAB 25PAB 150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × PAB 45PAB 270
Trip total≈ PAB 70 per person per day, bed includedPAB 420

2026 estimate; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Meal at Roots or Alvin$5–$10
Bottle of water$1
Boat from Bocas to Bastimentos$5 per person
Water taxi to Red Frog Beach$4 per person

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Robberies have been reported on the Old Bank–Wizard Beach trail; keep valuables in your lodge and travel in groups, especially after dark.
  • Robberies with machetes reported on the Old Bank‑Wizard Beach trail; keep valuables in your lodge.
  • Strong undertow at Wizard Beach; only experienced swimmers should enter.
  • Public drinking prohibited; police may confiscate alcohol.

Emergency numbers

Police
104
Fire and ambulance
103
General emergency
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BastimentosBastimentos

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Emergency

  • Police104
  • Fire and ambulance103
  • General emergency911

Embassy

My embassy: —

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Bastimentos. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Feb–Mar, Sep–Oct · avoid Jun–Aug (rainy season, trails slippery) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 2 day-trips, door to door
  6. 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Boat‑to‑bed contract for BOC‑Bastimentos $5 per person, fallback taxi‑boat.
  2. Walking clusters: Old Bank, Wizard Beach, Red Frog Beach, Cerro Bastimentos hill.

Meanwhile

Back to Panama

Sources

Ask about Bastimentos

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