Bocas del Toro (Colon Island, Panama)

Colon Island (officially Isla Colon) is the northernmost and main isle in Panama's Bocas del Toro archipelago. The province's capital city is named Bocas del Toro and is located on the island's southern tip.

Bocas del Toro (aka Bocas Town) has a land area of approx 67 km2 (26 mi2) and a population of around 8,000. The town is one of the country's main year-round tourist destinations. receiving over 150,000 tourists per year, and boasting a steady annual tourism growth rate of around 8%. The town (and the Bocas del Toro islands group) is served by the Bocas del Toro "Isla Colón" International Airport, located 1,5 km (1 mi) northwest of downtown. Bocas Town (Colon Island) can be reached from the capital Panama City via the regional airline Air Panama, and from San Jose (Costa Rica's capital city) via the airline Nature Air.

Colon Island is populated mainly by foreigners and wealthy Panamanians. Most of the service staff working on the island lives on the mainland and travels by ferries and boats (private, rental or water taxis). Ferries and water taxi services are offered from Almirante.

Colon Island offers numerous beachfront hotels, nightclubs, and discos, popular restaurants, residential districts. Its most famous beaches are named Big Creek, Bluff, Bocas del Drago, Itsmito (aka La Feria), Mimitibi, Starfish. Other popular tourist sites are Main Park, Hotel Bahia, La Feria, Bluff, La Gruta (a bat cave), Governor's Building.

For private yachts and boats, Bocas del Toro has several marinas. Local (island) transportation is by taxis - yellow-colored pickup trucks and 15-passenger mini-buses (for small groups).