Cayos Zapatilla day trip from Bocas Town (2026)
Door Michelle Wand · 14 november 2026
bocas del torocayos zapatillaisla bastimentosday trip
Reisgids voor Bocas del Toro
Hoor als eerste wanneer deze verhuurder directe tarieven opent of een nieuw verblijf toevoegt.
You can visit Cayos Zapatilla on a guided boat trip from Bocas Town during official park hours (8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.), paying the current MiAmbiente entrance fee (B/.10 foreigners; B/.4 Panamanian nationals) before departure. As of 2026, Cayo Zapatilla 2 is the cay open to visitors under regulation, while visitation at Cayo Zapatilla 1 remains restricted to protect hawksbill turtle nesting. This guide is for Bocas Town guests planning a one-day beach-and-snorkel outing who want the official hours, fees, rules and closure checks in one place.
Key takeaways
Get to Isla Colón (Bocas Town). Tours to Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos—including the Zapatilla cays—depart from here depending on the operator you choose. From our Bocas Town waterfront bungalows, it’s a seven-minute walk to downtown for meeting points and docks.
Choose an operator and confirm your itinerary includes Cayo Zapatilla 2, the visitor-accessible cay per MiAmbiente’s conservation measures (MiAmbiente notice). Your operator will confirm a waterfront meeting point in Bocas Town.
Have payment ready for the park entrance. MiAmbiente notes fees for boat access are ideally collected at embarkation before departure (fees guidance).
On arrival, register with rangers where applicable and follow instructions so your visit stays within park rules and hours (park hours and good-practice rules). Plan your return to Bocas Town to meet the 5:00 p.m. closing time.
Host tip: ask me the day before your trip—I can point you to operators recent guests have used and help you confirm you’re booked for “Zapatilla 2.” Waiting to see morning sea conditions before you commit is easy from here since we’re right on the waterfront.
When booking, explicitly ask for “Zapatilla 2” so your route matches current policy.
MiAmbiente’s visitor guidance for protected areas applies throughout the park (rules and best practices) and is reinforced by the park’s conservation measures (conservation notice):
Following these keeps Zapatilla’s reefs and beaches healthy for wildlife and future visits.
Access to the park can be temporarily paused. MiAmbiente’s updates note that visits resume when the Panamá Maritime Authority (AMP) reauthorizes departures (zarpes) and sea/weather conditions improve, sometimes alongside civil protection advisories (SINAPROC) (MiAmbiente update on resuming visits). On the morning of your trip, check official channels and follow your operator’s call.
If you’re looking for a quiet base right on the Bocas Town waterfront before or after your Zapatilla day, stay with us at Boathouse Bungalows by the Sea.
No. MiAmbiente reiterates that visitation at Cayo Zapatilla 1 is restricted to protect hawksbill turtle nesting habitat; tours take visitors to Cayo Zapatilla 2 when conditions allow (MiAmbiente conservation measures).
MiAmbiente lists 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., every day (official guidance). Plan your return boat accordingly.
For visitors accessing by boat, MiAmbiente states B/.10 for foreign visitors and B/.4 for Panamanian nationals, ideally collected at embarkation before departing for the park (fees note).
Yes. Access can pause when the maritime authority (AMP) restricts departures or when conditions are unsafe; MiAmbiente announces when visits resume (update example).
No camping is designated within the park, per the national tourism authority’s information on Isla Bastimentos (Visit Panamá). Overnight instead on nearby islands and visit Zapatilla as a day trip during hours.
Photos: Maria Adriana Sosa Saldivar, Steven Rogers, Hotel Bocas Town via Google Maps.