Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica >> Bocas del Toro, Panama (via Sixaola/Guabito)

To get from Puerto Viejo on the southeastern coast of Costa Rica to Bocas del Toro in the northeastern corner of Panama, you must cross the border at Guabito/Sixaola. Autotransportes Mepe provides bus service from Puerto Viejo to Sixaola regularly from 6:30am to 7:30pm. It takes an hour and a half and costs $1.660 CRC ($3.30USD). Check the photo to the right for a full schedule of departures from Puerto Viejo.

NOTE: The Guabito/Sixaola border closes every day at 5pm (Costa Rica)/6pm (Panama). They also close for around an hour for lunch at noon. As it takes at least an hour and a half to get from Puerto Viejo, you must get on the bus no later than 3:30pm (CR) — and even then you’re pushing it.

It costs $3USD to enter Panama at Guabito. From the Panamanian side of the nerve-wracking bridge, look down and to your right for the chicken bus to Changuinola. It leaves about every half hour while the border is open, takes a half hour to get to Changuinola and costs $0.95USD. There are two bus stations in Changuinola, a five-minute walk from each other. The bus from Guabito drops you off at the SINCOTAVECOP terminal, where you can catch another chicken bus to Almirante for $1.75USD. Ask to be dropped off near the ferry terminal.

You can also grab a taxi all the way to Almirante for $20USD, $5USD per person for four people.

From the bus stop in Almirante, walk to the water taxi office. The water taxis to Bocas del Toro generally leave between 6am and 6pm once there are at least 5 passengers. It costs $4USD to get to Isla Colon (Bocas Town), and once you are in Bocas Town you can take another small boat to Isla Carenero ($1USD to near side, $2USD to the far side where the beach is) or Isla Bastimentos for $3USD. These boats leave from up and down the main road between the ferry and the park. If you use the same company to get back to Almirante, ask for a return fare and you can get a $1USD discount.

David >> Bocas del Toro (via Almirante)

From the central bus terminal in David (all buses that say “David” stop there), take the bus heading towards “Changuinola”. You must buy your ticket before getting on the colectivo. It will cost $8.45USD to get to Almirante, where you can catch a water taxi (“lancha”) to Isla Colon. You can walk from the bus station in Almirante to the docks, or take a cab for $1USD per person. To walk, look for the red mini-market on the corner across from the bus station. Take the road to the left of the minimarket for about ten minutes. There will be a road leading to the ferry/lanchas on your right.

The water taxis to Bocas del Toro generally leave between 6am and 6pm once there are at least 5 passengers. It costs $4USD to get to Isla Colon (Bocas Town), and once you are in Bocas Town you can take another small boat to Isla Carenero ($1USD to near side, $2USD to the far side where the beach is) or Isla Bastimentos for $3USD. These boats leave from up and down the main road between the ferry and the park. If you use the same company to get back to Almirante, ask for a return fare and you can get a $1USD discount.

Take me to SLEEPING: BOCAS DEL TORO

Take me back to BOCAS DEL TORO // Take me back to PANAMA // Take me HOME