Family adventures from Pacific surf to Caribbean shores
When to go
November-September
Trip length
10 days / 9 nights
Typical investmentPrice
from $2,700 pp
Explore Panama’s wild wonders on a family journey from Santa Catalina’s Pacific beaches to the jungle-covered islands of Bocas del Toro. Begin with horseback rides along the coast and a snorkeling adventure at Coiba. Head into Boquete’s cool highlands to hike cloud forest trails, search for quetzals, and follow coffee from bean to cup before zip lining through the canopy. Conclude your stay in a family treetop bungalow on Isla Bastimentos, exploring rainforest trails, snorkeling island reefs, and visiting neighboring communities. Ten days of family adventures, with plenty of time to play along the way.
Along the way
Hike cloud forest trails to waterfalls in Boquete
Explore Santa Catalina's coastline on horseback
Snorkel the protected reefs of Coiba National Park
Discover jungle islands and wildlife by boat in Bocas del Toro
Your route
Waves, wildlife & Pacific sunsets
Travel west to your beachfront retreat in Santa Catalina and spend the afternoon enjoying the Pacific. Stroll the sand, splash in the waves when conditions allow, or simply relax with the family as ocean breezes drift across the shore.
Head out on a guided horseback ride through coastal trails and open fields, exploring Santa Catalina’s landscapes together. Spend the afternoon at your own pace. Perhaps arrange surf lessons, explore tide pools, or enjoy a little more time on the beach.
Set off for Coiba National Park for a snorkeling adventure in Panama’s beautiful Pacific waters. Explore reefs and schools of tropical fish, watching for sea turtles, rays, and other marine life along the way. A wonderful day discovering the world beneath the waves.
A breath of mountain air
Leave the Pacific coast behind and travel with your private driver to Boquete. Check into your coffee-country lodge surrounded by green fields and forest. Spend the afternoon exploring nearby trails or watching for birds right outside your suite.
Hike into a vast sea of greenery on a guided expedition in search of hidden waterfalls and the elusive resplendent quetzal. Return to your coffee-country lodge to relax and soak in the mountain air.
Explore Boquete’s coffee fields with local experts, following the beans from cultivation and harvesting to roasting and tasting. Learn how the growing conditions and roast influence what ends up in your cup. This afternoon, take to the trees on a zip line adventure, gliding between platforms high above the valley.
Tides, treetops & island time
Travel to the Caribbean coast and continue by boat through Bocas del Toro to Isla Bastimentos. Check into your family treetop bungalow surrounded by dense rainforest, with views over the water. Jungle sounds welcome you to your first evening on the island.
Explore your lodge’s private trails with a local guide, learning about medicinal plants and watching for wildlife. Swim from the dock, paddle the shoreline, or relax in a hammock overlooking the sea. Enjoy communal meals and time sharing the day’s discoveries together.
Head out by boat to explore nearby islands and beaches. Snorkel shallow reefs, play on white sand shores, and visit local communities in the Bocas archipelago. Return to your lodge for a final evening surrounded by rainforest and sea.
After breakfast, travel by boat and road to Bocas del Toro airport for your onward connections. Bid farewell to Pacific beaches, cloud forest adventures, and Caribbean island life.
Let's discover your next adventure
Our top picks
Nayara brought its award-winning hospitality beyond Costa Rica for the first time with this adults-only private island retreat in Bocas del Toro. Sixteen overwater villas and treehouse suites sit among mangroves and Caribbean waters, complemented by a floating beach, overwater spa, and Michelin Key recognition. Boats connect guests with nearby islands, coral reefs, and some of Panama's best snorkeling.
La Coralina Island House occupies one of the quietest stretches of coastline on Isla Colón, where rainforest meets the Caribbean Sea. Oceanfront rooms and private villas are complemented by an expansive wellness center, yoga pavilion, destination spa, and one of Bocas del Toro's most beautiful beachfront settings. Guests come as much for the wellness retreats as they do for the islands themselves.
Coffee has been grown at Finca Lérida for more than a century on a highland estate above Boquete. Rooms and suites sit among gardens, coffee fields, and cloud forest trails, with estate-grown coffee delivered each morning and birdlife active throughout the property.
Sansara Resort sits on a quiet stretch of Pacific beach on Panama's Azuero Peninsula, in the surf town of Cambutal. Thirteen oceanfront and garden-view cabañas and suites center around an open-air yoga shala, a farm-to-table restaurant, and a dedicated surf school reaching breaks up and down the coast. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World's Considerate Collection, the family-run property also backs a local sea turtle program and a community school in Cambutal.
La Loma Jungle Lodge & Chocolate Farm sits above Bahía Honda on Isla Bastimentos, reachable only by the lodge's own boat from Bocas Town. Seven solar-powered, open-air bungalows sit on a 55-acre rainforest reserve built around a working cacao farm, with chocolate-making demonstrations, jungle hikes, and family-style farm-to-table meals included in every stay. It's a hands-on, off-grid pick for couples and eco-minded travelers who want the Caribbean side of Panama without the crowds.
Sol Bungalows is a four-bungalow overwater hideaway on Isla Solarte, a short water taxi from Bocas Town in Panama's Bocas del Toro archipelago. Each thatched-roof bungalow has a glass floor panel for watching marine life below, direct water access for snorkeling, and farm-to-table dining drawn from the property's own permaculture farm. Solar-powered and rainwater-fed, the small, family-run hotel hires primarily from the neighboring Ngäbe village of Solarte Uno.
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