National Parks
Feel the Magic of Bocas del Toro’s National Parks
If it’s an adventure you seek, then look no further, come feel the magic in Bocas del Toro. Whether you want to explore the natural treasures in our lush forests or uncover the magic in our reefs, or dance to the Caribbean rhythms, you don’t want to miss visiting Bocas del Toro.
Bocas del Toro National Parks
Panama National Parks, Municipal Reserves & sites of ecological interest
Bocas del Toro is home to many famous Panama national parks such as Panama’s first marine park- the Bastimentos National Marine Park, founded in 1988, which covers an area of 13,226 hectares, 11,596 of which are marine areas. Stretching from Long Beach to the Zapatillas Cays and the center part of Bastimentos Island, including the surrounding mangroves, this park is a must-see attraction in Bocas del Toro province. The park is home to the largest Caribbean mangrove forest area in Panama, which features black, red and white mangroves and the best-conserved coral reefs on the Caribbean coast, making it an excellent place for snorkeling and diving.
Activities here include diving, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, bird watching, and relaxing on the beaches.
Other parks worth mentioning are Playa Bluff Municipal Reserve, Mimitimbi Municipal Water Reserve, Bird Island Municipal Reserve, and San San Pon Sack National Wetland Reserve. Within the San San Pond Sack National Wetland Reserve, you can see manatees in Bocas del Toro. All of these parks offer similar activities as above as well as surfing and turtle watching tours.
La Amistad International Park is a transboundary park created by Costa Rica and Panama’s governments to join the Reserve of the Cordillera de Talamanca (Costa Rica) and the Amistad National Park (Panama) into a single entity where management is shared between the two countries. Because of the difficulty accessing much of this park, it has not been as explored as others in the Bocas del Toro province.