Panama's oldest marine park encompasses the southern half of Isla Bastimentos along with surrounding waters, mangroves, and coral reefs. It's a serious biodiversity reserve: the park protects nesting beaches for all four Caribbean sea turtle species, jaguar habitat in the island interior, and the most extensive stretch of Caribbean mangrove forest in the country. Howler monkeys, sloths, caimans, and a dazzling range of poison dart frogs — including the famous Strawberry poison-dart frog, red with black spots, found nowhere else on earth in quite this form — all live in the forest interior.
Getting there requires a water taxi from Bocas Town, a 20–30 minute ride. From the park entrance at Old Bank village, trails wind through the forest to the beaches. The best time to visit for turtle watching is June through October, at night with a guide. Snorkelling around the park's coral formations is exceptional, with visibility often exceeding 20 metres in the dry season (September–October and February–April). Day tours can be arranged in Bocas Town; independent access is also straightforward by water taxi.