It’s a tale as old as time—or at least one that goes back a few decades now: The surfers come first, then the cute cafés, restaurants, and boutique hotels follow. Bocas del Toro has a similar story. Panama. Wave riders began arriving in the winter of the 1990s to conquer the legendary off-shore break Silverbacks. Nonsurfers would usually stumble upon Bocas—which sits on Isla Colón, an island off the country’s remote northwestern Caribbean Coast, a 10-hour journey from Panama City—while road-tripping Along the Pan-American Highway. Many people who settled in Bocas never left. They were seduced by its slow lifestyle, empty beach, and mixture of bohemian expats and locals. “Bocas’s 1970s-style vibe has been around for a long time. Key West Richard Kiibler says, “It has an authentic vibe where nothing feels artificial.” He arrived in 2006, and opened his hostel a year later.
Bocas didn’t used to be so hidden. It was one of Central America’s largest agricultural and port centers in the late 19th Century. In the export trade bananas are known as “yellow-gold” and it was a boomtown for United Fruit Company. For a while, more than 30,000 workers were employed by United Fruit Company. The banana industry crashed in the 1920s. There were five consulates in colonial style buildings, three newspapers and a hospital.
Now Bocas is beginning to boom again, due in part to the efforts of the Panamanian government, which hopes that Isla Colón’s pristine beaches, coral reefs, and rainforests will make it the next Tulum (before traffic jams and the hordes influencers). More than 150 million dollars have been invested to hardwire this island onto the national grid. The hospital has also been modernized, as well as new roads, homes, and other infrastructure. These infrastructure upgrades are significant for a small Central American town.
The soul of Bocas’s transformation is driven by new expats who have transformed waterfront buildings into casual bars and restaurants, such as the open-air La Buga Gastro Market or the brunch spot Casa Papaya. Dan Behm is a retired Grand Rapids tech entrepreneur and the developer behind Casa Papaya. Nayara Bocas del ToroThe latest branch of sustainable luxury brand Nayara. “The biggest difference is Bocas growing into an international destination without losing it’s charm or identity.” Kiibler is preparing the eco-friendly Four Elements Resort, which is set to open in 2020. It will have multiple pools, restaurants and shops, as well as a fitness center and spa. He says that the goal is to become an integral part in Bocas, and not just a base camp for passing surfers.
This article was published in the July/August issue of 2025. Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to our magazine here.
