Top Things to Do in Isla Colon
Things to Do in Isla Colon
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Book these experiences for a close-up look at Isla Colon.
- fromper adultR 1 309
- fromper adultR 1 257
- fromper adultR 1 249
- Full-day Toursfromper adultR 4 482
- Bus Toursfromper adult (price varies by group size)R 23 778
What travellers are saying
- WorldTravelerDDPittsburgh, PA136 contributionsWe stayed near this beach. It is fantastic. Larger waves to play in but a lot of sand to relax on.
At one point we had more than 2 miles of beach to ourselves.Written 13 January 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Lockie HAsheville, NC708 contributionsReview of Nividia Bat Cave, which is part of Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimento but managed by a local family.
1. You need to rent a boat as it is difficult to access otherwise as you need to wind through the mangroves. Find a tour company or private driver (we had a private boat and guide for the day through our VRBO). The ride there is through mangroves and is gorgeous and winds through the Bahia Honda River.
2. This is an active tour. This is not a tour for those who cannot handle walking through the jungle for a bit and then descending into the cave (gentle slope but slippery and you can lose your footing).
3. Water shoes and headlamps and gloves are provided.
4. Bring your own bugspray!! You will need it!
5. Your guide will lead you on the walk to the cave and also be with you inside the cave. Since we took a private boat, our boat guides were not part of the bat tour. They handed us over to one of the owners of the cave. He spoke excellent English and was full of stories and also info about the jungle. He went with us on our journey. It will take about 20 minutes to hike from the place you get your gear to the mouth of the cave. The hike is part of the fun and our guide showed us frogs and sloths and monkeys.
6. Once at the mouth of the cave, you will walk in and there are parts where the water is quite deep (up to my neck). After about 30 minutes of hike/swim combo, you will come to the swimming hole. The swimming hole is small and you can jump off the top of a rock there. Be careful as my daughter is tall and we needed to shine a flashlight onto the celling so that when she jumped she did not hit her head on the ceiling of the cave. The water is refreshing.
7. The bats are nectar bats and though they fly around a bit, they are not swarming you and flying into your bodies. It is not overwhelming or scary.
8. The only downside? The guide at the cave charged us $20 each, and we were initially told it was $10 each, but we did not wish to argue with him as it was awkward and, like most tourists, we have plenty and his place seemed humble, so why quibble over a few dollars?Written 6 August 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - PondHopper23Atlanta, GA81 contributionsI was not sure what to expect, but overall liked visiting this beach. Our taxi dropped us off at Drago. You can take the walking path from there, which goes through a beautiful jungle (nice photo opps) and takes around 15 minutes. Or you can hire one of the boats, which I believe charged my family of 3 about $10 (we walked there and took a boat back). The walking path is a bit adventurous at times - having to cross a log or two and jump over some puddles. Would not be ideal for senior citizens. When we got to Starfish, I heeded others' advice and we walked well past all of the vendors/restaurants and set up on the far end of beach. The sand where you can sunbathe is very narrow and it got crowded fast. If you go early, you will have more privacy and a better chance for photos without people in them. The water was clear and gorgeous. We saw some starfish and took great photos. I loved swimming in this beautiful ocean and seeing starfish and also looking back at the shore with the palm trees. So tropical! Sitting on the beach was not great. There was a foul odor from the swamp behind the beach. It was very hot, and as mentioned, it got crowded with not much personal space. It was hard to find a restroom. I walked back towards the cluster of restaurants and found a couple of them. They were in poor condition (water on floor, little TP available - bring your own to be safe). There were signs saying you had to pay $1 to use the restroom, but I did not see it enforced or know who to pay. When we were ready to leave, we didn't know how/where to catch a boat. The best place seemed to be in the area where all the vendors were set up. We asked one guy and he went and told another boat to take us. When we got back to Drago, we were stranded for awhile. There were no taxis around and the bus to town was not for 45 minutes. I also couldn't get an internet connection. I recommend to pre-arrange your pick-up with a driver for a certain time unless you plan to take the bus. The bus ride itself was an experience. It was air-conditioned which was nice. They played music and picked up lots of people on the bumpy way back to town. They took us to the center of town (Centro). A local told me from there if you need a cab, walk to the park. This worked for us to get from Centro to our rental house. There was also a restaurant across from the park (Mama's Kitchen) that had Wi-Fi, cold drinks and good restrooms. We did not eat there so I can't comment on the food.Written 16 January 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Oatgirl12New Berlin, WI365 contributionsOur best beach day was just past Boca del Drago when we rode here on an ATV, and then walked the trail to Starfish Beach. A cute town with a few restaurants. Boca del Drago itself seems to have limited beach space, or you need to be a customer of a restaurant to sit on the beach.Written 13 January 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- AlmostbrokenCalgary, Canada22 contributionsThis was a very good way to see what the Smithsonian is doing here. Our guide was pleasant and informative during the hour we spent with her. We have never been so close to a Caiman but given it was only a foot long not much of a threat! The flora and fauna on their grounds was nicely discussed. We learned there are jellyfish that stay attached to the bottom and don’t float on top of which they are poisonous.
This is a good choice for spending a lazy hour one afternoon.Written 17 January 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Gael J7 contributions- Very gentle owner who took time to show his castle and explain what motivated him
- He built a nice hotel with the prison theme (we are environmental sinners and staying there will earn us our redemption)Written 5 January 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - s0phiesundbergTamarindo, Costa Rica39 contributionsYou can see some dolphins that is very cool. Kinda overpriced but like isn’t every tourist thing in Bocas overpriced?Written 3 December 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- CaseyMMMNew York City, NY104 contributionswe had a lot of rainy days and were looking for some fun things to do. This is a very cute place and it's about a 10 minute boat ride from colon. The guy who owns it or works there was very sweet and gave us a tour. Butterfly hide out when it rains so best to go on a sunny day or expect to see about 4 butterfly. Very cool place that being said. Just make sure you have a taxi planned ahead of time to pick you up on your return.Written 20 January 2015This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- workhard2playhardTishomingo, OK32 contributionsWe enjoyed our quad for 4 days. The quad ran great and we had no problems. Getting around the island is easy, The employees were awesome and very helpful. Great addition to a wonderful vacation.Written 7 November 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Ivan T1 contributionThere are 2 caves to walk through, a lot of bats and other wildlife. It's possible to rent
(by donation) headlamps and water boots at the house right before the caves.Written 5 October 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - John BStafford, VA577 contributionsNice place to people watch or just take a break from exploring the town. If you aren't staying in town or just need a ride to the airport, etc., highly recommend you call Edgar Taxi # 0227. Lived there all his life. Drove us around all week. Reliable, timely, pleasant and knowledgeable. Great communication skills too.Written 13 February 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Traveling Mom84 contributionsWorth stopping for picture of sign and taking a moment to orientate your self to the various little towns/hamlets around Boquete. Even better is the family of animals like raccoons that live behind the wall behind the visitor center. Hard to see in the wild but right there to see living behind the center.Written 7 July 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions about Isla Colon
- The top attractions to visit in Isla Colon are:
- Starfish Beach
- Plastic Bottle Village
- Boca del Drago
- Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos
- Dolphin Bay Preserve
- The best outdoor activities in Isla Colon according to Tripadvisor travellers are:
- Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos
- Boca del Drago
- Starfish Beach
- Dolphin Bay Preserve
- Simon Bolivar Park
- The best day trips from Isla Colon according to Tripadvisor travellers are:
- Full-Day Speedboat Tour, Wildlife, and Snorkeling in Bocas del Toro in Panama
- Speed Boat tour to Mangrove Point -Starfish Beach -Bocas del Drago and Birds Island
- Dolphin Bay and Coral Cay with Drinks Private Tour in Zapatilla
- The most popular things to do in Isla Colon with children according to Tripadvisor travellers are:See all kid friendly things to do in Isla Colon on Tripadvisor