Bocas del Toro is a province of Panama that abuts Costa Rica, ranging from dense rainforest and a shared national park to beautiful islands with secret beaches and great snorkeling. This is also a diver’s paradise, making for an appropriate name for a hotel with a dive shop and arranges trips.
Divers Paradise is a boutique hotel on Isla Colon, the main commercial island of the archipelago in the Caribbean. My group took e-bikes from one end of the island to the other and back, so it’s not all that big. If you stay here on the southern tip, you will be within easy walking distance to bars, restaurants, shops, grocery stores, and the ferry pier. You’re also right on the water at this property, making it easy to go exploring the region.
The location perched over the Caribbean Sea, with its own boat dock, makes this hotel a handy one-stop shop for divers. It has a 5-star PADI scuba center and arranges regular trips for divers of all ability levels, including those looking to get certified. You just walk downstairs, get your gear, and step onto the boat to get moving.
It’s okay if you’re not a diver, though, as you can still enjoy the waterfront location. The hotel has paddleboards and snorkeling gear you can borrow. They also have bikes for exploring on land.
It’s clear what the focus is as soon as you check in at Divers Paradise: the desk is fashioned to look like a set of underwater goggles. Other decorative elements keep the theme going, joining apparatus on display in lighted wall nooks and plenty of coffee table books focused on nature and the sea.
Dining and Drinking at Divers Paradise Hotel
There’s a full restaurant called Pier 19 that serves all three meals, and the choices tend to expand as the day goes on. The breakfast menu is limited to five items, but they’re all done quite well, attractively presented, and delicious. I had an excellent granola, fruit, and yogurt bowl one day with fresh-squeezed juice and good Panamanian coffee. The next day, an eggs Benedict was excellent.
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Lunch brings in more sandwiches and salads, with a covered section to sit under in case of rain. Dinner by candlelight feels special with the boats bobbing up and down gently and a good selection of seafood joining meat and vegetarian options.
This being a divers hotel, of course, there’s a good full bar on hand next to the restaurant and a happy hour each night with bargain-priced cocktails. Walk a few blocks in any of the three directions, and you’ll find plenty more places to party, including clubs open late into the night. This is also the best restaurant town in the region, with a lot of international options.
Rooms in Bocas Town
The rooms here in Bocas Town on Isla Colon are bright and cheerful, with a nice sense of place in the decorations and artwork. The beds have good reading lights, my room had a fridge, there are mounted TVs, and toiletries are stocked in refillable bottles. These are no ordinary toiletries either: they’re made in Panama, organic, biodegradable, “cruelty-free,” vegan, and hypoallergenic.
I just had one complaint with them: there were no labels! I had to guess which one was shampoo and which was body wash. I probably could have asked the front desk clerk to clue me in, but I didn’t remember until I was in the shower.
Most rooms have a balcony, the best facing the water and others facing the town. Others have some kind of sitting area, including a suite configuration with a sofa bed, making it a good choice for families.
Just be advised that there’s no elevator here, and none of the guest rooms are on the bottom floor. So, there are better options in town if you have mobility issues, but keep in mind that this region is not so great in general, with limited sidewalks and uneven surfaces. Otherwise, though, this is a clean and comfortable hotel with friendly service, which is great whether you’re going diving in Bocas del Toro or not.
Rates range from $112 to $255 double including taxes and breakfast, varying a lot depending on the season. You can book directly with Divers Paradise Hotel at the official website, which is especially useful if you’re looking to put together some kind of scuba diving package. Otherwise, check rates at one of the online booking services.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.
Review and photos by Tim Leffel. He was hosted by the company Eco Circuitos and Visit Panama while working on a Bocas del Toro tour article for another publication. As always, all opinions are his own.
