Hostels in Bocas del Toro 
Looking for the best hostels in Bocas del Toro? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Bocas del Toro with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Bocas del Toro hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Bocas del Toro and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Bocas del Toro
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Bocas del Toro, across 3 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Bocas del Toro hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Bocas del Toro. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
All Top Hostels in Bocas del Toro
We help you pick your hostel like no one else. Check our detailed guides to:
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro is an archipelago off the coast of Panama in the Caribbean Sea. Your hostel will be reachable by water taxi from Almirante, a journey which takes about forty-five minutes. From Bocas there are easy connections to Changuinola to the Costa Rica border or to Panamanian cities such as David or Panama City. Temperatures in Bocas del Toro average at more than thirty degrees Celsius year-round but rains are common most of the year also.
If you are staying at a Bocas del Toro hostel and are interested in surfing, there is some excellent surfing in Bocas, though it is not possible to go surfing in Bocas town -- however, it is possible to take a water taxi to the surf breaks. Bastimentos Island also has some good breaks. Beaches in Bocas are reasonably nice. Diving is not highly rated because a number of rivers drain into Bocas, bringing the visibility down to a few metres.
Bocas has a reputation as a party town and this is what attracts most travelers who come to stay at Bocas del Toro hostels. At night, the backpacker bars are full of tourists and some locals for happy hours; some of the establishments in town also run promotions, including ladies drink free. A must-visit venue is Aqua Lounge, a two-minute water taxi ride offshore, where you can jump off the diving board, the swings, or the trampoline into the warm Caribbean Sea! Barco Undido is a well designed popular nightspot that is busy every night, as is Iguana.
There are more hostels than hotels on Isla Colón. All Bocas del Toro hostels have good locations in the small town. Some look to be rundown but are comfortable and have all the facilities needed. You'll also find some additional hostels on the nearby Isla Bastimento (which is also reachable by water taxi).
Handwritten by local expert for Bocas del Toro hostels RayJ
Travel Tips for Bocas del Toro - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Bocas del Toro. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Bocas del Toro. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Bocas del Toro
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Bocas del Toro?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Bocas del Toro here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Bocas del Toro safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.