flights to bocas del toro, panama

flights to bocas del toro, panama from costa rica

Real time travel
driving: 10 hours (distance: 250 kilometers) / flying: 1 hour

fly to bocas del toro

from $129*

*taxes and fuel surcharge included.

from	stop	departure	arrival	effective
san jose to bocas del toro	0	6:30 am	8:30 am	tu-th-sa-su
bocas del toro to san jose	0	9:00 am	9:00 am	tu-th-sa-su

Flight schedules subject to change.

hotel + flight vacation packages to bocas del toro

Nature Vacations offers vacation packages to multiple locations, including Bocas
del Toro. Packages range from 2 to 4 nights with round trip airfare departing from
San Jose, Costa Rica.

reasons to visit bocas del toro, panama

Just over the border in Panama, this colorful island destination has a vibe all its own. With wooden buildings built on stilts out over the calm ocean, tantalizing local cuisine infused with coconut and spices, and a diverse, friendly population descendant from indigenous tribes, African slaves, and foreign expats, the archipelago is the manifestation of Bob Marley’s hit No Worries. Boating, reef snorkeling, sandy beaches and fun nightlife abound. Locals and visitors alike travel leisurely between the islands in dugout canoes and kayaks amid a truly unique biodiversity that inspired the arrival of a Smithsonian Institute research station.

Book Your Flight to Bocas del Toro, Panama Today!

quick facts

Christopher Columbus dropped anchor in Bocas del Toro on his final visit to the Americas in 1501, as he headed south from Costa Rica. A couple of stories claim Columbus named the archipelago Bocas del Toro or "Mouths of the Bull" after waterfalls shaped like bull mouths, or a large rock on Bastimentos Island in the shape of a sleeping bull, while others attribute the name to one of the last great Indian chiefs, or the roaring sound of the surf. The remains of colonial architecture, particularly in Bocas Town, hark back to a pivotal time in Central American history, a time of banana plantations and the rise of the notorious United Fruit Company, whose influence on trade and agriculture dominated the isthmus for more than a century. The old UFC headquarters are today the Bahia hotel, in the town of Bocas del Toro. Many of the plantation workers and cocoa growers came from the West Indies, whose culture still dominates this stretch of the Caribbean, along with settlers from the 19th century, and the indigenous tribes of Ngobe, Teribe, Guaymi, Bribri and Kuna Indians. The region is part of a much larger protected area, La Amistad, crossing into Costa Rica and spanning some 2.5 million hectares. Its dense biodiversity and pristine state have made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Here four species of marine turtles, including the giant, rare Leatherback turtle, make the laborious climb onto shore to lay their clutches of eggs in the sand, and the endangered West Indian manatee can be found nibbling on sea grass in the shallow offshore waters.

international flight fees

International passengers flying from the Tobias Bolanos Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica to Bocas del Toro, Panama must pay a $28 international departure fee in cash at the airport as required by the Costa Rican government. When departing the Bocas del Toro airport, all travelers must pay a $15 departure fee directly at the Nature Air check in desk.

All non Costa Rican residents with international flights to the Tobías Bolaños Airport in San Jose must carry printed proof of onward travel from Costa Rica (generally a flight or bus reservation departing within 90 days). The Costa Rican Department of Immigration requires passengers to present their travel documents in the airport in Bocas del Toro to guarantee boarding. The same applies to all non residents flying from San Jose to Bocas del Toro.