About Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro is considered the Mentawis of the American Continent. Bocas is an archipelago with about 60 islands and thousands of islets. There is lots of reef, mountain, rivers, and incredible scenery. No doubt, Bocas is one of the most beautiful and interesting places in Panama, possibly Central America. Gran Kahuna is located on the main and most populated island of the archipelago, Isla Colon. Bocas Town, located on Isla Colon, is a bohemian town of only a few thousand inhabitants. It is a multi-cultural melting pot full of a diverse amount of bars, clubs, and restaurants. Gran Kahuna Hostel is located in the middle of town, only a few steps from all the major tour operators, restaurants, and bars.
Bocas Town is only a small part of this beautiful archipelago, there is still lots more. Just on Bocas Island (Isla Colon) alone there are many different sites to check out. While staying at Gran Kahuna visit the best beach on this island Bluff Beach. Bluff Beach, stretching almost 7 kilometers long, is a beautiful pristine beach with strong current, so be careful if you decide to swim out. Another quiet beach is Boca del Drago. Boca del Drago has beautiful and peaceful Starfish Beach which is full of just exactly that- starfish! The easiest way is the catch the bus from the park, however biking there is just as fun. The bike ride is along a 10 kilometer paved stretch. The road is in fairly good shape in comparison to Bluff Road; however the stretch is long and very hilly. There is a beautiful cave site on the way called La Gruta which is worth checking out.
Right next to Bocas Town is the small island of Carenero. Carenero is a small island but already filled with lots to do. Carenero is also a fun and easy island to kayak around. Definetly a tourist attraction in Bocas del Toro.
Carenero Island faces two islands- Bastimentos and Solarte. Solarte has some cool snorkeling/ diving and a fun place to stop by when kayaking. Bastimentos is much more Afro-Caribbean culturally. Virtually everyone there speaks Guari-Guari, a local dialect used by Afro-Caribbean Panamanians. Check out Restaurant Reef and try their whole fish (fried whole red snapper) with coconut rice and patacones (friend plantains), a perfect meal after a day at the beach. Wizard or First Beach is across the town, and over the island, about a 15 minute walk. The beach is popular with tourists and locals alike. After Wizard Beach you can find Red Frog Beach, which has a restaurant and bar. The beach is accessible by land but much easier by boat, which Gran Kakuna can set up complete with food and drinks. This beach, like most on Bastimentos has lots of rip current, so be careful when swimming. After these beaches there are a few more along the Bastimentos National Park offering great diving and surfing. We offer tours to these spots, just ask us for special deals or tour packages. After Bastimentos you can reach some beautiful outer reefs and islands such as Zapatilla Cay and Cayo de Agua, which also has excellent surfing and fishing. Even farther is some of Bocas best surfing and even more remote beaches waiting for you to come and enjoy. Luckily we can make that possible, just ask anyone of our staff for more information on our tours and neighboring islands.
Surfing in Bocas del Toro
In a 10 kilometer radius around the Gran Kahuna Hostel you can find more than five world class waves to choose from, and considered some of the best surfing in Panama. Bocas best surfing season is during high season from November till April, February and March are the two most consistent months of the year. From November till January strong north winter winds cause ground swells to slam into these coasts offering world class heavy surf. Most local breaks such as Carenero and Paunch are reef bottom, so booties are recommended. June and July offer swells with less power but just as fun with less crowd and sunnier days. Farther from the hostel, but only 30 minutes away are other beach breaks, some located in beautiful protected national parks. These breaks are recommended for skilled surfers, however on small days these spots can be lots of fun for even the intermediate surfer. But, if you just want to learn, Bocas also offers some easy Waikiki style waves, relatively close and with beautiful scenery. At Gran Kahuna we offer full surf packages of all type from discovering surfing as a sport to women orientated packages with massages and yoga classes. We offer boat services with lunch, drinks, and surfboards for rent. We have long boards, foam boards to learn on, and regular surfboards to rent. We offer surf classes with great surfing instructors at pristine spots where no one else goes. Let Gran Kahuna be your surf tour guide in Bocas del Toro!