Bocas del Toro Island Hopping Day Tour in Zapatilla Beach
Description
Join our Zapatilla Island Tour and experience the best of Bocas del Toro in one unforgettable day. Glide across turquoise waters as playful dolphins guide you toward Bahia Honda, where sloths rest lazily in the mangroves. Stop at Hollywood Cove to spot colorful starfish, then snorkel among vibrant coral gardens at Cayo Coral, surrounded by hundreds of tropical fish. Continue to the pristine Zapatilla Cays—two uninhabited islands of powdery white sand and crystal-clear waters. Wander the lush walking trail through tropical forest, relax beneath palm trees, or swim in the calm lagoon. From March to September, you may even spot sea turtles nesting on the beach. Enjoy a freshly prepared Caribbean lunch at a waterfront restaurant before returning via the famous Starfish “Hollywood” Pool. This Zapatilla Island Tour is the perfect combination of relaxation, adventure, and natural beauty—an essential Bocas del Toro experience.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The first highlight of our tour will be resident dolphins greeting you to a new day in paradise as our lancha boat glides effortlessly past them towards our first destination. As we arrive at Bahia Honda, a small bay with mangrove forests, you will be able to see sloths lounging on tree branches, enjoying their life to the fullest.
We continue on to Cayo Coral, famous for its coral gardens and perfect snorkel area. It's time to put on your snorkel mask and plunge into the balmy ocean to marvel at the colorful world below the surface. As you float weightlessly surrounded in the turquoise ocean, witness hundreds of reef fish go about their daily business in their coral and anemone homes.
The Zapatilla cays are famous for its spectacular coral reefs, and its crystalline waters, teeming with marine life. The islands are covered with mangrove and surrounded by fine white sand, palm and coconut trees. From March to September, on the west side of the island you can observe the migration of turtles that come to lay their eggs on these beaches. The local legend is that the islands were formed when God stepped on earth, and that is why the islands have the shape of his shoes. Enjoy this unique paradise. Walk along its beaches, relax in the shade of a palm tree or explore the rich coral reef.
At lunch time we are heading back to Cayo Coral, where a tasty and freshly prepared meal will be waiting for you in the Sea restaurant.
The next destination is Hollywood Cove, which is famous for its many starfish on the ocean floor, only a few feet underneath and ewasily visible from the boat.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Bring Cash for meals and souvenirs
Reviews(89)
It was a great experience. The guide and the driver were very organized, everything went super smoothly at the pickup and other stops. It is really relaxing when you don’t need to think about anything they just drive you around and all you need to do is enjoy your day
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear everything ran smoothly and that our team made the day easy and stress-free for you. That's exactly the experience we aim to provide—so our guests can simply relax and enjoy the beauty of Bocas del Toro. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure soon!
Very knowledgeable tour guide! Very dependent upon weather and we were very lucky! Had a fantastic time, both tour guides were amazing and so helpful they pointed out sloths, dolphins and sharks.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Ariella! We're delighted you had such a fantastic day and that the weather was on your side! Nature always has the final say, so spotting dolphins, sloths, and even sharks made your experience extra special. We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to our guides—they'll be thrilled to know their knowledge and enthusiasm helped make your day so memorable. Thank you for choosing to explore Bocas del Toro with us. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure soon!
This was a terrific tour. We did everything as described. Our guide, Randall, was outstanding. He answered all of our questions and provided a wealth of information. He and Amir went above and beyond by providing a snack of freshly cut fruits. It was terrific because our lunch stop was late - around 2pm. Another great thing was they provided beer on the boat. :) One last bonus, they dropped us off where we were staying and saved us from the hassle and expense of a water taxi. Thank you for a great day in Bocas.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Robert! We're delighted to hear that your day in Bocas del Toro was everything you expected and more. Randall and Amir will be thrilled to hear your kind words. They truly enjoy sharing their knowledge and making each tour special, and we're glad you appreciated the fresh fruit snack and the extra touches along the way. We're also happy the drop-off at your accommodation made your day even more convenient. Thank you for choosing to explore Bocas del Toro with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Panama!
such an incredible time! I got to learn much about the islands and see so much wildlife. all while enjoying a nice beach day <3
Thank you so much for your lovely review, Paige! We're thrilled to hear you had such an incredible time exploring Bocas del Toro. There's something truly special about combining beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife, and learning about the unique islands all in one day. We're so happy you enjoyed every part of the experience. Thank you for choosing to tour with us, and we hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Panama! 🐬🏝️💙
Great experience! We enjoyed ourselves. The places we visited were amazing and the food at the restaurant was great.
Thank you for your review, Juan! We’re delighted to hear you had a great experience and enjoyed the beautiful places visited during the tour. It’s also wonderful to know you liked the food at the restaurant. Thank you for traveling with us, and we hope to welcome you again soon!
The team is super nice and organized, everything is running on time like a Japanese train. Highly recommend, beautiful sight seeing
Thank you so much for your fantastic review, Martin! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the organization and timing of the tour. Being compared to a Japanese train is one of the best compliments we could receive! 😊 Thank you for your recommendation, and we're glad you enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Bocas del Toro. We hope to welcome you back again soon! 🌴☀️
We would definitely do this tour again…and with friends. The guide was wonderful, he quietly helped someone up from the floor from another boat (he just seemed like a caring, overall down to Earth person). We enjoyed seeing dolphins, the sloths, the starfish, and the tropical fish while snorkeling. We’re not quite sure how they fit it all in, but it was quite the day long adventure. Highly recommended!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Nathan! We’re truly happy to hear that you had such a memorable day and that the guide made a positive impression with his kindness and care — we’ll be sure to pass this on to him. It’s great to know you enjoyed seeing dolphins, sloths, starfish, and the incredible marine life while snorkeling. These tours are designed to pack in as many highlights of Bocas del Toro as possible, and we’re glad you felt it was a full and rewarding adventure. We really appreciate your recommendation and would be delighted to welcome you and your friends again in the future! 🌴🐬
Had a great time on this trip! Meeting point was easy to find. We saw a bunch of dolphins to kick off the day, then the Caye itself was gorgeous. Snorkeling was better than expected. Super colorful and lots to see. And very calm water. Lunch was not included and was fine. But they provided yummy snacks.
Thank you so much for your detailed review, Madeline! We’re really happy to hear you had a great time and that everything was easy from the start, including the meeting point. It’s wonderful that you got to see dolphins right at the beginning of the day and enjoyed the beauty of the caye. We’re especially glad the snorkeling exceeded your expectations with so much color and calm conditions. Even though lunch is not included, we’re happy you enjoyed the snacks we provided along the way. Thank you for joining us and for sharing your experience—we’d love to welcome you again for another adventure in Bocas del Toro!
The boat was outfitted with cushions which is rare and such a perk. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the area and wildlife we were seeing. We felt the experience was well worth it and highly recommend
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re really happy to hear you enjoyed the comfort of the boat and the cushions—little details like that can make a big difference on a full day out. It’s also great to know your guide’s knowledge helped enhance your experience with the local wildlife and surroundings. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again for another amazing day in Bocas del Toro!
Randal was a great tour guide and also his captain! The views were beautiful, the only part that made me give a 4 star was the lunch break that was given. The food was expensive and not good. Other than that the excursion was great!
Thank you for your review! 😊 We’re very happy to hear you enjoyed the beautiful views and that Randal and the captain made your day great in Bocas del Toro. We also appreciate your honest feedback about the lunch break and will take it into consideration to improve the experience. We hope to welcome you again soon! 🌴
