Photo Guide to Red Frog Beach in Panama
If you asked me what my favorite beach in Bocas del Toro is, my response is easy: Red Frog Beach. Hands-down. No contest. Despite being one of Bocas’s most popular beaches, it’s remote enough to feel unspoiled (you need to take a boat ride + short jungle walk to reach it), yet busy enough to provide great people-watching. Plus, the amazing fresh fish tacos & blood orange margaritas they serve on the beach will knock your sarong off! To get a feel for this beautiful spot, here’s a quick “Photo Guide to Red Frog Beach.”
Lush jungle gives way to breaking waves & sand in your toes at Red Frog Beach….on Isla Bastimentos.
Map of Red Frog Beach
It’s a 10-minute water taxi ride from Bocas Town to the dock for Red Frog Beach, on Isla Bastimentos. If you’re traveling from a different island ~ no problem. Simply go to that island’s main dock & ask for a boat to Red Frog; your hotel can also hire you a boat.
How to Get to Red Frog Beach
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- The majority of people visiting Red Frog Beach will be coming from Bocas Town. From here, walk to the main “Water Taxi Port” (located next to Hotel Bocas del Toro). Here, simply tell one of the attendants that you’d like to visit Red Frog Beach & they’ll give you a price. If it’s just you traveling, the price will be more expensive (I paid $10 for a solo trip). But if you travel in a group, the ride should only cost $3-4. The ride takes about 10 minutes.
- The boat won’t drop you off directly at Red Frog Beach: there are typically waves there, meaning the boats won’t navigate the surf to drop you off. Instead, they’ll drop you off at the main dock near Red Frog, which requires a 5-minute walk through the jungle to reach the beach. This is a nice, easy walk ~ & you may even catch sight of some animals in the jungle…
Photo Gallery of Red Frog Beach
I took all of these photos during a week’s stay in Bocas del Toro. Click on any photo to search hotel prices at Red Frog Beach!
When you get off the boat from Bocas Town, you’ll land on this dock ~ then it’s a 5-minute walk through jungle to reach the beach.
The jungle you’ll be walking through…
….to reach THIS beach! (And NO: this photo is NOT edited.)
Simply beautiful.
Walk 100 yards to the right for some of the BEST FISH TACOS EVER, at beachfront Nachyo Momma’s restaurant.
Nachyo Momma’s also has palapas & lounge chairs to use. If you buy food, they’re free!
Watching the storm roll in….
Where to Stay on Red Frog Beach: Just a few hotels line the beach here: Red Frog Bungalows is first, as you walk to the right. This is where you’ll find Nachyo Momma’s; it’s also a popular surfer’s retreat. Next-door is hip Palmar Beach Lodge ($74+) ~ where you’ll find private or shared rooms. Think: jungle-glamping chic. And the most high-end option is a little further down the beach, more off on its own: Red Frog Beach Island Resort ($350+), where you can rent multi-story, luxurious villas with kitchens & separate living spaces.
Stay in your own private villa at Red Frog Beach Island Resort…
What You Need at Red Frog Beach:
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- A cute sarong or cover-up;
- A sexy bathing suit;
- Good sunscreen;
- Bring your surfboard or fins if you plan to surf or body surf;
- Headphones ~ this is a great spot to “tune in & turn off;”
- Cash for food & drinks (this island is more remote, & some places don’t accept credit cards);
- Consider bringing your own beach towel, as there is nowhere to “rent” them at Red Frog.
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More Articles on Panama & Bocas del Toro:
- How to Plan a Trip to Panama
- Bocas del Toro Travel FAQ
- Photo Guide to Casco Viejo in Panama City
- The Safest Hotels in Casco Viejo
I highly recommend staying in Casco Viejo before OR after a trip to Bocas del Toro! It’s my favorite neighborhood in Panama City…
Photo Guide to Red Frog Beach
I hope this article helps you pick the best spots to stay during your trip to Bocas del Toro! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me in the comments below…
xoxo Noelia
Read Next: Bocas del Toro Travel FAQ
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We’re headed to Bocas del Toro soon and trying to narrow down where to stay – do you think if we stayed on Red Frog Beach, we’d feel too isolated/be too bored at night? For reference, we’re a young, lesbian couple in our early 30’s. Not crazy partiers anymore, but we like to go out a bit, happy hour, etc. Thanks much!
Hi Darlene, thanks for reaching out ~ I think you’ll love Bocas! If I were you, I’d probably opt to stay max 1-2 nights at Red Frog Beach, then either choose another island to stay on, or Bocas Town if you want to soak up some nightlife. It is only a 10-minute water taxi from Bocas Town to Red Frog Beach ~ but I wouldn’t want to make this ride late at night, as you’ll need to walk through a very dark jungle to reach your hotel. I think staying there a couple nights gives you the best of both worlds : ) Hope that helps! xoxo