Mamallena

Top choice in Bocas del Toro Town


Our favorite hostel in Bocas town is this stylish new over-the-water option with tropical prints, palms and a wraparound bar with a pool table on the ocean deck. Big enough to meet folks but not industrial sized, it has regular happy-hour events and kayaking right off the dock (US$20 all day). The 14 rooms are all air-conditioned, some with balcony.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bocas del Toro Town attractions

1. Playa El Istmito

0.54 MILES

Playa El Istmito, also called Playa La Cabaña, is the closest beach to Bocas town (2.5km away), but as it's on Bahía Sand Fly the chitras (sand flies)…

2. Finca Los Monos Botanical Garden

1.2 MILES

One of the joys of visiting Bocas is touring the 'Monkey Farm' botanical garden a couple of kilometers northwest of the center. Painstakingly carved out…

3. Castillo Inspíración

1.72 MILES

French-Canadian Robert Bezeau crafted this four-story castle from 40,000 plastic bottles. The epitome of recycling, it's one of a kind and worth a good…

4. Playa Punch

2.68 MILES

Further up the coast from Playa El Istmito and Sand Dollar Beach is Playa Punch (or Paunch), which is dangerous for swimming but good for surfing. It's…

5. Wizard Beach

3.13 MILES

The most beautiful beach on Isla Bastimentos is awash in powdery yellow sand and backed by thick vine-strewn jungle. It's connected to Old Bank via a…

6. La Gruta

4.08 MILES

If sun, sand and surf isn't your thing then consider a trip to this cave in Colonia Santeña, a small village of cattle farmers 7km northwest of Bocas town…

7. Playa Bluff

4.18 MILES

This lovely beach is pounded by intense waves. Though you wouldn’t want to get into the water here without a board, the soft, yellow sand and palm-fringed…

8. Red Frog Beach

4.5 MILES

Small but perfectly formed, Red Frog Beach is named after the rana rojo (strawberry poison-dart frog), an amphibian you're most unlikely to encounter here…