San Blas vs Bocas del Toro – Which Panama Islands Should You Visit?

We have visited both island paradises on the Caribbean side of Panama to answer the question: Bocas del Toro vs San Blas – Which one should you visit? Including everything you need to know about Panama San Blas and Bocas del Toro travel.

• Travel Guide: San Blas Islands vs Bocas del Toro
  • San Blas vs. Bocas del Toro Map
  • Our Personal Conclusion: San Blas or Bocas del Toro

Travel Guide: San Blas Islands vs Bocas del Toro

San Blas vs. Bocas del Toro Map

Things to do San Blas	Things to do Bocas del Toro
You can relax, go snorkelling, hit the beach, visit Pelicano Island if you’re into “Money Heist” go island hopping, eat seafood, learn about the Kuna culture.	You can relax, go snorkelling or scuba diving, hit the beach, go island hopping, enjoy food and drinks, party, spot wildlife like sloths, learn about chocolate.
San Blas islands	Bocas del Toro islands
The archipelago consists of 365 small islands - one for every day of the year.	The archipelago consists of six big islands: Colón Bastimentos Solarte Zapatilla Cristobal Popa
Best time to visit San Blas	Best time to visit Bocas del Toro
The best months to visit San Blas are January - April as well as December	The best months to visit Bocas del Toro are February - April as well as September
How to get to San Blas	How to get to Bocas del Toro
It’s easiest to reach San Blas with a guided tour from Panama City. You could also rent a 4x4 car but the road is pretty bumpy and you have to pay fees to the Kuna people.	You can book a transfer to get from most places in Panama and even Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, to Bocas del Toro. They are relatively cheap and convenient as they should include the boat transfer as well. It’s also super straightforward to diy. Take a bus to Almirante, a 1$ taxi or a walk to the boat, and a 30-minute shared water taxi to the main island Isla Colón. The two main companies are Bocas Marine Tours and Taxi 25. Boats currently leave every 30 minutes during the day and cost 6$.
San Blas Tours	Bocas del Toro Tours
Travel Guides 14 San Blas Tours – 1 to 4 Days on the Best San Blas Islands 14 amazing Panama San Blas Islands Tours from one to four days! Carina 28.08.2023 · 24 min read Open blogpost	Full-Day Speedboat Tour, Wildlife, and Snorkeling Speed Boat tour to Mangrove Point -Starfish Beach -Bocas del Drago and Birds Island
How to get around San Blas	How to get around Bocas del Toro
You are pretty much dependent on your tour company. Our accommodation offered some tours as well but it was pretty much impossible to leave the island on your own.	Water taxis are omnipresent. They even run in the night for an additional charge. A taxi from the main island to Carenero Island costs 1$. If you want to go to other islands like Solarte or Bastimientos it’s more expensive but you’ll pay less sharing a boat from the main pier on Colon but you can also opt for a private boat.
Where to stay in San Blas	Where to stay in Bocas del Toro
Again, you’re pretty much dependent on your tour company. Independent accommodations are picking up since the pandemic. Currently, there are around 30 listings on booking.com starting at 50$ per night.	Here, you have more options than islands. prices start at 12$ per night. Here are our recommendations: Colon: Selina for party and meeting people Carenero: Aqua Lounge for partying hard Solarte: Bambuda Lodge for water slide into the ocean Bastimientos: Palmar Beach Lodge for relaxation at the beach
San Blas Nightlife	Bocas del Toro Nightlife
At night, there is not much going on in San Blas. Our accommodation did not even have electricity except for a light bulb in the common area.	In addition to Panama City, Bocas del Toro is the nightlife hub of Panama - and most definitely the hub of backpacker nightlife. The Selina on Colon and Aqua Lounge on Carenero are the two main addresses on the archipelago. If you don’t want to miss the biggest backpacker party in Panama, make sure to go to the Filthy Friday boat party which runs every Friday.
San Blas restaurants	Bocas del Toro restaurants
And yet again, you are mostly dependent on what your accommodation serves. Most places we are aware of include all three meals per day in their package. In our case, we had pancakes for breakfast and fish/seafood with rice for the two other daily meals. It can get a bit dull but we did get a surprise lobster one evening and we would never complain about an included lobster…	You have many more food options on Bocas del Toro. On Colon, you’ll find some cheaper street food as well as larger supermarkets. On Carenero, there’s a reasonably sized supermarket. The resorts and restaurants offer some pricier food options. On Solarte and Bastimientos you are mostly dependent on your accommodation to feed you which can add up.
Vegetarian food on San Blas	Vegetarian food on Bocas del Toro
Vegans and vegetarians get the same meal as omnivores minus the fish, i.e. rice and salad.	Vegans and vegetarians have a lot more options on Bocas del Toro. The two vegan / vegetarian restaurants we enjoyed was Leaf Eaters on Carenero and the food at Palmar Beach Lodge.
Beaches San Blas	Beaches Bocas del Toro
Again, you are dependent on the island you stay on as well as on the tours you book. Pretty much all islands are small tropical paradises.	Playa Bluff on Colon is a local favourite. Starfish Beach is super unique (do not lift the animals out of the water!). Our personal favourite is Playa Polo on Bastimiento. It’s the quintessential Caribbean beach with palm trees, coconuts, and some nice snorkelling. The famous Red Frog Beach is nice but the waves and currents are quite strong so it’s tough to swim.
Snorkelling / Scuba Diving San Blas	Snorkelling / Scuba Diving Bocas del Toro
You can go snorkelling from the beach from pretty much all the islands but we did not come across any dedicated snorkelling tours. Snorkelling was nice but not a highlight. There are no dive centres as scuba diving is banned.	If you want to go snorkelling from the beach, make sure that they don’t face the open ocean. Two of the best beaches of the archipelago, Playa Bluff and Reg Frog Beach are not suitable because of waves and currents. There are guided snorkelling tours. Many lead to Zapatilla Island. We have also done some excellent scuba diving with Panama Dive School spotting shipwrecks and octopuses.
Average Cost on San Blas	Average Cost on Bocas del Toro
Transfers, accommodation, food, and activities are included in most tour packages. We paid 180$ for 3d/2n averaging 60$ per day.	On the lower end of the budget, expect to spend around 40$ per day: ~15$ accommodation in a dorm ~15$ food and drinks (min. 10$ per meal out) ~10$ for activities or water taxis
Internet on San Blas	Internet on Bocas del Toro
In contrast to what you read in older blogs, there is some sparse mobile data connection on the islands. You won’t find any Wifi. Do not opt for Claro but Digicel instead. Warning: We had to pay extra to charge our phone.	You’ll have Wifi at most (if not all) accommodations. Additionally, the mobile internet connection is very good. I was able to work at Aqua Lounge on Carenero and in the co-working space of Palmar Beach Lodge on Bastimientos. Of course, the Selinas are excellent hubs for digital nomads and internet addicts.
ATM San Blas	ATM Bocas del Toro
There are no ATMs on San Blas. Some tours offer a stop on the way. You have to pay for everything in cash.	There are currently two ATMs in Bocas Town. Many places accept credit card payments.

Our Personal Conclusion: San Blas or Bocas del Toro

If you have the time, you should visit both.

Bocas del Toro has many different options - from food and drinks to accommodation, from budget to luxury. If you are on a tight budget, you can have a cheaper stay, but you should be aware that Panama is not a budget-friendly country. You even have some land-based activity options like sloth spotting. Water taxis make you super flexible. Additionally, it’s the nightlife hub of Panama.

San Blas is the quintessential Caribbean island paradise. The small cays can be crossed within seconds and the waters are crystal clear. You have much less infrastructure, limited power and internet, which makes this archipelago perfect to unplug. On the other hand, you are much more dependent on your tour operator concerning transport, accommodation, food, and tours.

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