Bocas del Toro Hostels: A Backpacker’s Guide to Where to Stay

During my weeks there, I was able to get a pretty well-rounded idea of where to stay in Bocas del Toro. I experienced Bocas del Toro hostels, hotels, and even resorts, and have seen the islands from both a backpacker’s and a luxurious perspective.

I spent a while sailing in Bocas del Toro and experiencing the archipelago from a boat before heading back to land and island-hopping for a while, often taking my time to explore not only my own but other accommodations in the area as well.

For the sake of this post I’ll be telling you about the amazing hostels in Bocas del Toro, but check out a seperate post for Bocas del Toro Resorts and Hotels here. There is an AMAZING backpacker scene here, with some amazing Bocas del toro party hostels, some unique hostels (yes, the one with the slide), some hostels on nearby islands by the beach, and also some more low-key hostels as well.

Before you start, though, make sure to check out my complete Bocas del Toro Travel Guide for all your other Bocas needs. It opens up in a new tab so you can read it later!

Don’t miss my Complete Panama Backpacking Guide if you’re traveling around the area!

Bocas del Toro Hostels: Where to Stay in Bocas del Toro for Backpackers:

Klika Bocas del Toro (prev. Selina) (Bocas Town, Isla Colón)

Selina was a big franchised Bocas del Toro hostel that rebranded as Klika Bocas del Toro, but is still a fantastic hostel. Selina was a chain of hostels present all through Panama, Costa Rica, parts of Colombia and Nicaragua, and even up into the US and Europe, and they always put out a great product.

Klika is a large-size hostel and not the most intimate, but has great parties, spaces, and tours available right in the city center. Klika Bocas del Toro is super stylish and has little chair hammocks on a deck that opens out to a channel, where people swim, sunbathe, and hang out by the bar.

You do pay extra for this, being the biggest and most well-known of the Bocas del Toro hostels, though. At up to $25+ for a dorm bed in high season (without breakfast included), it’s important to consider if you want to pay extra or simply go and hang out there from another place (that’s what I did, especially when I was staying on the boat). If you have the funds for that or nice private rooms too, though… this is the place to be.

Palmar Beach Lodge (Isla Bastimentos)

Staying at the Palmar Beach Lodge as a backpacker is like a life hack. It’s a STUNNING eco lodge right on Red Frog beach (like, on the sand) and they offer some of the most beautiful dorm rooms in all of Bocas for $20-$35.

Yes, it’s more chill and more like hotel vibes, but it’s a true luxury upgrade from some of the dorms you’re used to, with a picture-perfect location. And, they offer tons of social events like beach and jungle walks, live music, bonfires, and BBQ’s! It’s out of the city center so I would stay here a few nights and in town a few nights on your trip.

La Guayana Hostel (Bocas Town, Isla Colon)

La Guayana is a cheaper and smaller of the Bocas del Toro Hostels. With just a couple of smaller common areas, it’s much more of a community vibe where everyone knows each other and chats. There’s not much of a party scene (you can go to Selina for that – just a short walk!), but there’s free breakfast for much less $$ less than Selina (at my time of booking), and the dorm beds are totally fine (ensuite too!).

The location is a bit farther out from Bocas town, but still totally walkable. There’s aircon in each room too.

Skully’s House Hostel (Paunch, Isla Colon)

Skully’s house is on Isla Colon, about 10/15 minutes away from Bocas Town via bike or car. It’s a bit more secluded away from the bustling town and has its own incredible space right on the water. It’s definitely one of the most visually appealing hostels in Bocas del Toro (well, on Isla Colon anyway).

There’s a lovely, picturesque pool right on the water, which has tables and chairs half submerged in the water. Their bar is fully stocked and you can even come here for a meal if you want, or to chill out in any of their too-perfectly-placed hammocks. They also have a mini beach gym!

Calipso Hostel (Bocas Town, Isla Colón)

Calipso is about the same price as La Guayana and is in the main square of town. Because of this, it can be a bit louder of an area, which is good to keep in mind. The dorms are also totally fine, have ensuite bathrooms, and free breakfast.

Calipso has a nice location, close to the water taxis and all the action. It’s wuaint and cute and colorful! The WiFi was very bad when I was there, but I also just went to Selina to use theirs. 😛

Hostal Hansi (Bocas Town, Isla Colón)

On my last night in Bocas, I didn’t realize everything would fill up for Semana Santa, Panama’s Easter week. I ended up spontaneously booking a private single room here for $22, and it was one of the best nights I spent in Bocas!

This is probably because I had been in dorms, a boat, and camping for literally an entire month, and it was my first private space in ages, but the facilities were great, and a fan worked just fine to keep me cool. There was no free breakfast, but the kitchen was spacious. They aren’t on hostelworld for some reason, but were a fantastic location and space.

Bambuda Lodge (Isla Solarte – Bocas del Toro Waterslide Hostel)

Somehow I didn’t even find it about this one until I left Bocas, but Bambuda Lodge is actually the most well-rated out of them all! It’s a bit more remote on Isla Solarte, but it was voted the best in Panama in 2016 and has a 150ft water slide right into the sea! This one truly is a must-see, even if you just spend a few nights there on your backpacking trip.

I am guessing it was booked up when I was around, or I would have checked it out for sure! Help me ease my fomo and let me know how it is, will you? Check out their video below!

Aqua Lounge Bocas del Toro (Across from Bocas Town, Isla Carenero)

Aqua Lounge is one of the most famous and sought-after Bocas del Toro Hostels. It’s located on Isla Carenero, directly across/a 1-minute water taxi from Bocas Town.

This is a beautiful deck-side hostel with a swimming area and is the final destination for the Filthy Friday’s party each week. There’s a waterside bar and a great view, and it can get a bit crazy on these days. It fills up fast, too, so book up!

Final Thoughts on Bocas del Toro Hostels: Where to Stay?

I know that all these hostels are in different locations and it may be difficult to decide which locations AND hostels to choose.

My ultimate recommendation of where to stay in Bocas del Toro for a backpacker: Spend a few nights in Bocas Town, in whatever accommodation described above works for your needs. Then move to Bambuda Lodge for a few nights to get that experience, and then to Bastimentos island at Bubba’s or Selina Red Frog. You get the whole experience that way!

For the Flashpacker: Bocas del Toro Hostels with Private Rooms

All hostels/Selina’s actually have really nice boutique hotel-style rooms too. This is great for someone with a backpacker mindset but a young professional budget and a need for privacy!

Check the links above under ‘Bocas del Toro hostels’ for hostels that offer private spaces and private hotel rooms. I know that Selina Bocas and Selina Red Frog have incredible private facilities, as do Aqua Lounge, Twin Fin, Hostal Hansi, and honestly probably most of the hostels above have private rooms. Check them out! I know I sometimes need my own space but love also to be social with like-minded travelers!