In the Bocas del Toro archipelago, the main street is liquid. Lanchas, those motorized water taxis, dart from island to island throwing up sprays of foam, dropping off schoolchildren, fishermen and travellers in front of wooden houses built on stilts. You can also rent a bike to ride along the waterfront, the town's only real land route. The ship anchors off Isla Colón, the main island of this archipelago in northwestern Panama, and landing boats bring passengers into the heart of the archipelago's capital, a town with a distinctly Afro-Caribbean flavour.

Bocas Town, a Balcony Over the Water

The town can be explored on foot in under an hour: colourful houses with wooden galleries, restaurants perched over the water, surf shops and fruit stands. The atmosphere owes much to the Caribbean labourers who came to work the banana plantations in the 19th century, whose descendants have kept the Creole language, coconut-milk cooking and a contagious easygoing spirit. Sit down to a plate of grilled fish, watch the lanchas go by, and let time settle into the rhythm of the tides.

The Starfish Beach

At the northwest tip of Isla Colón, a road crosses the island to Boca del Drago, from where a coastal trail leads to Playa Estrella, the famous starfish beach. In shallow, nearly still water, large orange starfish rest on the sandy bottom, best observed without ever touching them or lifting them out of the water, as their survival depends on it. Leaning palm trees, beach huts and warm water complete the scene; it's the most requested outing of the port call, and the easiest to combine with a tour of the island.

Dolphins, Reefs and Cacao

Boat excursions make up the real menu of the day. In Dolphin Bay, among the mangrove islets, resident bottlenose dolphins hunt in the calm waters. Around Cayo Coral and Hospital Point, the reefs are well suited to snorkelling: fan corals, parrotfish, and sometimes a ray gliding along the bottom. The mangroves in the neighbouring bay, meanwhile, shelter sloths, which guides spot with the naked eye tucked into the forks of the mangrove trees. The Zapatillas Cayes, two uninhabited islets within Bastimentos Island Marine National Park, offer pale sand and clear water for those wanting a full morning of swimming. On dry land, cacao farms open their trails to visitors: you follow the bean from pod to chocolate bar, tasting included, surrounded by sloths and tiny frogs that populate the forest.

Bocas del Toro Port Call at a Glance

• Landing by boat in the centre of Bocas Town; the whole town is walkable.
• Playa Estrella: about a 25- to 30-minute drive to Boca del Drago, then a short walk or boat shuttle.
• Lancha excursions: negotiate or book at the dock; the sea in the archipelago is generally calm, a hat and sunscreen are essential.
• Currency: the US dollar, locally called the balboa, is accepted everywhere.

Leaving the Archipelago

On the way back, as the boat runs alongside the stilt houses of Bocas Town one last time, it becomes clear what sets this port call apart: here, the sea isn't scenery, it's everyday life. Children go to school by boat, shops receive their goods by sea, and for a few hours, travellers have lived at the same pace. The archipelago slowly closes in behind the ship, but the sound of the lanchas splashing against the town's pilings stays with you long after.