La Coralina Island House
Sitting on an entire bay and one of Bocas del Toro’s finest white sand beaches, La Coralina Island House offers the idyllic island escape of days gone by. To a soundtrack of whispering coconut palms and the sigh of the turquoise Caribbean Sea, our house provides spectacular views, seclusion, and the balance of indoor/outdoor living with exceptional private villas and rooms, magical gardens, world class restaurants and bars, and a holistic wellness spa.
Home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Panama's first National Marine Park, Bocas del Toro has become one of Panama's most visited eco-tourism destinations. Considered the Galapagos of the Caribbean, the archipelago of Bocas del Toro is also one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth.
It is a one-hour flight from Panama City or a 90-minute flight from San José in Costa Rica. Wildlife and scenic views are just a part of what awaits you at our house at La Coralina Bay. Whether you’re looking for a fun-filled adventure in a natural environment or a serene escape from everyday life, there’s something for everyone.
Uniquely designed 8 villas and 23 rooms that blend buildings and nature. They are based on the fundamental belief that living close to nature is the greatest luxury. The rooms offer spectacular ocean and rainforest views, seclusion, and the perfect balance of indoor/outdoor living.
Standard Double
Garden Queen Rooms feature garden views, queen size beds, and terraces with a lovely sunrise view.
Superior Double
Garden/Rainforest Rooms feature king size beds, large windows, and terraces overlooking our bromeliads and palm trees gardens, the rainforest or partial ocean views.
Deluxe
Ocean View Rooms feature king size beds, large windows and terraces with a privileged front ocean view.
One Bedroom Villa
Junior Villas feature private terraces, ocean views, king size beds, and spectacular views of the sunrise.
Superior Villa
Two Floor Villas with magnificent views of the sunrise, comfortable living areas, two bathrooms, and private terraces and jacuzzis.
Grand Villa
Two-Floor Villa with magnificent sunrise and ocean views with king size bed, comfortable living and dining areas, full bar, two bathrooms, walk in closet, and private terraces and jacuzzi.
The resort offers wellness programs, yoga, fitness, relaxation and beautiful grounds and beach to explore on foot or by bicycle. There’s also snorkeling available, cooking classes and cultural programs. The resort can make arrangements for activities and excursions you'd like to do.
Here, you can find white Caribbean beaches, a fantastic underwater world, lots of giant starfish and, if you’re lucky, even a sloth. You can relax on beaches or visit an organic cocoa farm up in the hills. And you can taste fresh fish and seafood while looking out over the sea.
Top Things to do in Bocas del Toro
#1 Visit Starfish Beach
Bocas del Toro is famous for its white beaches, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of them made it to the top of this list. You can find Starfish Beach on Isla Colon, near Bocas del Drago. As the name reveals, this beach is famous for its many starfish, and you have a good chance of seeing them while swimming. But even without the starfish, this would be one of the best beaches to visit in the area. The water is calm, warm and crystal clear, the beach is long and full of white sand, and you can find restaurants serving fresh seafood.
#2 Relax on the Cayos Zapatillas
Besides Starfish Beach, you can find many more fantastic beaches in Bocas. If you want to relax on a deserted island, you should head to the Cayos Zapatillas. This group consists of two islands, none of which are inhabited, and makes for a fantastic day trip. As you can’t find any bars or restaurants on the islands, you need to bring your own food and drinks. Pack a towel and a swimsuit, a few snacks and a bottle of water, and you’re ready for a day out on an island with perfect white beaches!
#3 Go snorkeling & Diving
You can find a few excellent snorkeling spots in Bocas del Toro. As we just mentioned, we went on a tour that included a snorkelling stop. These kind of tours are the easiest way of seeing the underwater world in Bocasdel Toro. Hospital Point, is also a nice diving spot. If you want to learn how to dive, to get an even closer look at the underwater world, then you can find multiple dive shops on the islands.
#4 Walk around Bocas Town
If you’re visiting Bocas del Toro, you will most likely stay on Isla Colon, in Bocas Town. It would be a shame to leave the island without exploring this town.
Bocas Town is famous for its many bars and restaurants, which you can discover by walking around. You will come across colourful houses, lively streets, street vendors and restaurants offering seafood. We highly recommend sitting down somewhere to enjoy a drink or a plate of fresh fish. If you want to buy souvenirs, then head to the main square. Here, you will find multiple shops offering everything that you need.
Last, Bocas Town is also famous for its nightlife. We are not huge fans of partying, so we didn’t go anywhere in the late evening. But if you’re looking to have a night out with other travellers, then Bocas Town is a great place.
#5 Explore Red Frog Beach
From Isla Colon, you can easily take a boat to Isla Bastimentos (or you can directly stay at Isla Bastimentos if you prefer). One of the best things to do on this island is to visit Red Frog Beach. You have to pay a small entrance fee for this beach, but it is well worth it. We found Red Frog Beach almost as beautiful as Starfish Beach, but without the crowds. Yes, you will come across other tourists, especially since this beach is connected to a resort. But you will have more space to yourself than on Starfish Beach.
On some days, the waves can get pretty rough on Red Frog Beach, as it faces the Caribbean. When we visited, we enjoyed the waves. They were just large enough to be fun to play around, but not so big that we were afraid of them.
Depending on the season and the daily conditions, this beach is also a great place to learn to surf. Ask around for renting a surfboard for the day if the waves are high enough.
#6 Enjoy a chocolate drink Up in the Hill
Cocoa trees are native to South America, and civilizations in South and Central America started cultivating them a long time ago. The drink played an essential role in their culture, and Spanish explorers report that Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, consumed up to 60 cups a day!
You should take advantage of cocoa trees growing in this area and get some chocolate while you’re here. A great place to do so is on Isla Bastimentos, at Up in the Hill. This organic chocolate farm offers delicious chocolate drinks. You have the choice of either cow’s milk or coconut milk as a base. The latter is especially great as the coconut introduces a whole other layer of flavors into the drink.
#7 Walk around Old Bank
While you’re on Isla Bastimentos, make sure to take some time to explore Old Bank, the island’s main settlement. While the town is not big, it offers plenty of photo opportunities of colourful houses. We found it even more beautiful than Bocas Town. Bocas Town feels as if it caters more towards tourists, while Old Town is better if you want to catch a glimpse of local life in Panama. Yes, you can also find bars and restaurants here, but the place is a bit quieter than Bocas Town.
#8 See dolphins
It would be a shame to visit Bocas del Toro and miss out on seeing the dolphins. You can find those cute animals in the Bahia de los Delfines, Dolphin Bay. Here, they breed and stay year-round, so you have high chances of spotting them. The best time is June and July when the waters are calm, but we spotted them earlier in the year without problems. The easiest way to see the dolphins is by taking a boat tour.
La Coralina Bay also hosts Coral Nation, a non-profit organization committed to preserving marine ecosystems through the engagement of local communities, scientific research and protecting biodiversity. We are regenerating damaged coral reefs by establishing ocean and land-based coral nurseries.
We transplant coral clones onto degraded areas of the reef. When these coral fragments grow, they help to recreate reef habitats. This allows marine life to return and strengthens the reef against future damage.
One Ocean. One Future. One Tribe. One Nation. Join our movement. Let's save the corals together.
Wild Cacao Retreat - 4 days/3 nights
La Coralina Island House - come and join us in this exquisite journey -
Bocas del Toro, Panama
Nov 29-Dec 2nd, 2023
A transformative journey to connect with the origins of tropical cacao and to rediscover its many uses and benefits through wild expeditions, classes, workshops, conscious eating and therapies that nourish the soul.
4 days/3 nights accommodation
Transfers to and from (in & out) Bocas del Toro International Airport (BOC)
Breakfast and dinner (half board meal plan)
Special activities such as: ayurvedic detox, wild cacao tour, mindful cooking workshop, water therapies & sound healing, among others
Ground transportation for touring
Daily yoga & meditation practices
WiFi
Access to the oceanfront infinity pool and plunge pool
Access to the Spa: sauna, polar plunge pool, outdoor infinity pool overlooking the rainforest and deluxe fitness center
Bikes
La Coralina Beach Club: loungers, chairs, umbrellas and towel service
Price: $1650
* Can also be tailored to an independent trip at another time.
