The province of Bocas del Toro, Panama is located on the western part of Panama only miles from the Republic of Costa Rica. The province includes an archipelago of some 68 tropical islands. The islands of Bocas del Toro Panama have been called the Galapagos of the Caribbean. This archipelago has an incredible combination of historical and cultural traditions, with a great variety of aquatic species, coral reefs, mangroves, beaches with crystal clear water and undisturbed jungles with tons of flora and fauna.
So far, the most famous visitor to this piece of paradise was the Admiral Christopher Columbus on October 6, 1502 on his fourth and last trip to the Americas. He entered with two vessels into a wide bay, now called Almirante Bay, took in provisions on the present Isla Bastimentos and careened a ship in the vicinity of Carenero Island.
Since Columbus the province has gone through several rounds of colonization. In the 19th century immigrants arrived from Jamaica and several islands in the West Indies. United Fruit Company began operations in the province in the 20th century. They established towns on the mainland and on several islands in the archipelago.
Some time in the 1990’s expatriates found the sleepy archipelago and began its current round of colonization.
