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Bocas del Toro Day

Happy Bocas del Toro Day!

A little celebration of Bocas del Toro Day in Panama through the only way we know how – Instagram! This article contains some affiliate links, where we will make a small commission if you purchase anything after clicking, at no extra cost to you.

We always try to celebrate national holidays around Central America, but every now and then we like to get regional, especially in places we love. And so, here we are to give a shout out to Bocas del Toro, Panama, which is celebrating its special day today.

Yep, today is Bocas del Toro Day, which celebrates Bocas’ birthday on November 16, when it split from Colon to become a brand new province in 1903. This happened almost two weeks after Panama itself split from Colombia to become an independent nation.

We’ll let our friends at the Bocas Breeze explain a little more in their Instagram post below:

Nico at the Bocas Breeze is a good friend of ours, so we’re happy to give his newspaper a little shout out. For anyone with any interest in the Bocas, he has a great resource for everything you need to know. And if you want to hear a little more about the Bocas, you can check out the podcast we made with him earlier this year.

Also, make a point to listen to Keara Mahoney, another expat living in the Bocas. We also spoke to her about life in this beautiful Caribbean archipelago. Bocas del Toro is that kind of place – it attracts cool, go-getting expats who want to contribute to the islands they now call home.

So now, without further ado, we’ll celebrate Bocas del Toro day in the only way we know how… through the power of Instagram.

Below, you’ll find our most popular videos from the Bocas del Toro that we’ve feature on our Instagram account in the past year. There are five in total, all highlighting the beauty of the islands. Each video is its own compelling reason to travel to, or relocate to the Bocas del Toro.

So grab a coffee, stick in your headphones, and check out these videos while listening to Nico and Keara talk about the island lives they’ve created for themselves:

9. There’s nothing like the view you get when coming into land on a small plane into Bocas del Toro, especially if it’s your first time. You get an amazing insight into Bocas Town, and you can’t wait to get out of the airport and start exploring:

8. Another way to gain insight into the Bocas is by water taxi. These boats are the mainstay of island life, moving people and goods all over the archipelago. And the views can take your breath away, too…

7. Isla Zapatilla is one of Bocas’ favorite boat trip destinations. Surrounded by turquoise seas, which lap onto pristine, white sands, it’s easy to see why.

6. Isla Bastimentos is the second-most populated island in the Bocas archipelago, and makes an ideal base for those who want something a little more laid back than the hustle and bustle of Bocas Town on Isla Colon.

5. Isla Pájaros (Bird Island) is another great Bocas site – you’ll find it out in the open Caribbean Sea, where it’s a haven for sea birds (hence the name) with some cool rock formations and arches to check out.

4. Another drone shot here, this time of the remote Playa Lagarto on Isla Colon, where the jungle meets the Caribbean.

3. Back onto land here, and to the Bluff Beach area of Isla Colon, where you can find white-faced capuchins monkeying around in bamboo groves:

2. This husky puppy might grow up to be hot living in the tropical Bocas, but for now, at least, he/she’s enjoying another water taxi ride.

1. And our final, most popular video to celebrate Bocas del Toro Day is also the cutest – a young sloth saying hi at Bluff Beach on Isla Colon!

We hope you’ve enjoyed our little video celebration and exploration of the Bocas del Toro. If you’re interested in finding out more about life in these islands, contact any of the video creators mentioned here, and they’ll be happy to help. We wish them all – and you – a wonderful Bocas del Toro Day!

James Dyde is the editor of centralamerica.com. He lives in Escazu, Costa Rica.

James Dyde

James Dyde

James Dyde is a British immigrant to Costa Rica and the editor of this website. He has lived in Central America since 2000 and retains a deep love for the region. He lives in Escazu, Costa Rica.