The final stop in Panama, as part of my multi-country Central America backpacking trip, was a few days of hanging out in the Bocas del Toro, a cluster of islands off of Panama's northwestern coastline, near the border with Costa Rica.
My mission while planning out my Central America trip was to make it as varied as possible, visiting both big cities and small towns, gorgeous beaches and remote forests. We started in Panama City before a snorkeling trip to Coiba National Park on the south coast. From there, we headed inland to the Lost and Found Hostel in the Fortuna Forest Reserve before heading up to the Bocas del Toro.
We spent three nights staying at the Bambuda Lodge on the Isla Solarte, just a short boat ride away from the main island of Isla Colón.
→ Check out my detailed guide to visiting the Bocas del Toro!
The Bambuda Lodge offers a whole host of different activities which you can join in while staying. A few days a week, you can join a guided hike across Isla Solarte. You have to go with a guide because it's barely marked and very muddy. You can borrow rubber boots from the hostel and then trek your way through gorgeous, untouched jungle, spotting red frogs, lots of bugs and birds and maybe even some sloths as you go. The hike ends at the postcard-worthy Hospital Point beach where you can wash off all the mud from your hike! A hostel boat picks you up at the end to bring you back to the lodge - thankfully it's a one-way trek.
Although it was a lot of work, I made daily vlogs on Instagram reels of every single day of my Central America trip which I branded "the backpacking series".
→ Check out my episode of the Backpacking Series of hiking across Isla Solarte!
When: a few days a week, guided by a staff member or volunteer from Bambuda Lodge
Where: hike begins from the Bambuda Lodge and crosses Isla Solarte
Difficulty: intermediate, but especially after rain it can be extremely muddy and the air is quite muggy
Length: from the Bambuda Lodge, we did a one-way hike of 2.9km which took us just under one and a half hours of moving time
Directions: starting from the Bambuda Lodge, you will head towards the inland of Isla Solarte. You have to go with a guide because it's barely marked and very muddy. You can borrow rubber boots from the hostel and then trek your way through gorgeous, untouched jungle, spotting red frogs, lots of bugs and birds and maybe even some sloths as you go. The hike ends at the postcard-worthy Hospital Point beach where you can wash off all the mud from your hike! A hostel boat picks you up at the end to bring you back to the lodge - thankfully it's a one-way trek.
→ Check out my exact route on Strava!
Bathrooms: yes, at Bambuda Lodge before you start
Public Transit: no, you can only do this hike as a guest of Bambuda Lodge
BOOK AN EXPERIENCE IN BOCAS DEL TORO!
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
