There are some gorgeous beaches in the Panama Bocas del Toro region, and any island you’ll visit will offer clear blue water and white powdery sand with top-notch snorkeling. I haven’t tried all the beaches and islands in the area, but of all those that I did the Isla Zapatilla beaches with a special tour leaving from Bocas del Toro Town were, by far, the least touristic and spoiled. For the most part, it was just us. It’s part of the Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park so fishing is forbidden, and the area is mostly well-preserved and untouched. You’ll find no hotels, restaurants, or anything touristic of any kind. As far as real island and beach life go, this is as good as it gets. The reality show Survivor, unsurprisingly, chose one of the nearby deserted islands for one of their seasons.
There are two islands, a walk around each island will take less than an hour, and it’s all just breath-taking. The water is warm and transparent, there were surprisingly no waves, all very comfy. Perfect.
What does it look like? glad you asked…
Location:
If you’re visiting Bocas, and want a real nature beach experience, make this a beach-day trip combined with some snorkeling. It’ll be a day to remember.