Boca del Drago
Boca del Drago
4
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
422 reviews
Excellent
169
Very good
146
Average
77
Poor
20
Terrible
11
Oatgirl12
New Berlin, WI342 contributions
Jan 2022
Our best beach day was just past Boca del Drago when we rode here on an ATV, and then walked the trail to Starfish Beach. A cute town with a few restaurants. Boca del Drago itself seems to have limited beach space, or you need to be a customer of a restaurant to sit on the beach.
Written 13 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
matkat7
Lisbon, Portugal181 contributions
Feb 2020
We rented e-bikes to cycle out to the beach; the road is quite pot-holed and the asphalt is missing is some places. We enjoyed our journey! The bus costs $2.50 and a cab, $15 one way. No swimming on the beach due to riptides
Written 26 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rhona D
Calgary117 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
It is a bumpy ride to get here from Bocas Town but worth it. The setting is gorgeous and you can have your own part of the beach with no one nearby or choose to sit at the area with drinks and food. Very relaxing. And the drive there (bus, taxi or quad - don’t try to bike) is lovely too, despite the potholes.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rigoberto45
Guadalajara, Mexico25 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
The first time I visited Bocas del Drago or starfish beach was 8 years ago. At that time, there were only a handful of tourists who would go there and they were respectful of the natural wonders of the beach. Eight years later what we find in our latest visit is that the beach is destroyed by human activity and commercialism. The make a buck of tourism by the locals and the foreign tourists destroyed the beauty that was Bocas del Drago.
The beauty that was seeing thousands of starfish in the shallow waters no longer exist. I remember the entire beach was filed with these magnificent creatures. Now eight years later, not one single starfish was found, unfortunately they have all died due to tourism and human activity. Tourists taking out one or several starfish to take photos with them on the sand. Killed them all, a starfish once taken out of the water dies and that is what tourism has done to what was a beautiful place on Earth.
I guess money meant more than preserving natural life, and what made money for the locals is no longer exist, what a shame…
The one star I give is for the destruction of Bocas del Drago, a natural wonder destroyed with tourims activity.
The beauty that was seeing thousands of starfish in the shallow waters no longer exist. I remember the entire beach was filed with these magnificent creatures. Now eight years later, not one single starfish was found, unfortunately they have all died due to tourism and human activity. Tourists taking out one or several starfish to take photos with them on the sand. Killed them all, a starfish once taken out of the water dies and that is what tourism has done to what was a beautiful place on Earth.
I guess money meant more than preserving natural life, and what made money for the locals is no longer exist, what a shame…
The one star I give is for the destruction of Bocas del Drago, a natural wonder destroyed with tourims activity.
Written 1 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JLS123
Sarasota, FL327 contributions
We took the public bus from the main park in town. It was $2.50 each and pretty long bus ride. We had considered biking the day before. I am glad we didn't. It would have been very difficult on beach bikes and a long ways. They drop you off at the end of a sandy road. You walk thru someone's property (follow the path) to the water. There you will find a path along the beach and they the jungle. Keep walking. It is about 20min. Alternatively there are shuttle boats that show up where the bus drops off. We didn't know but we're happy to get some exercise. You will know you are there when you hit about 8 bars and restaurants. We had excellent pineapple piña coladas, lobster meat and lobster tacos. The water is very clear. Nice way to float way the day. There are lounge chairs for $5 or you can just lay in the shallow beach.
Written 27 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VisitorfromNH
New Hampshire186 contributions
Sept 2018 • Solo
If you take the water taxi, it takes you directly to Starfish beach, and you miss the most beautiful beach areas in between Bocas del Drago and Starfish beach.
Otherwise, the taxi drops you at Bocas del Drago (if you have a good driver, he'll ask you how many hours you want him to return in, and he'll come back for you) The fare one-way to Bocas del Drago from my hotel (Playa Tortuga Resort). It's a 10-15 minute walk to Starfish beach. There are no signs. When you get dropped off, there is a little beach restaurant at Bocas del Drago - walk past it, and continue on the path to Starfish. You will pass long stretches of empty and beautiful beach (or, at least, I did). When you arrive at Starfish Beach, it is true to name - many very large starfish laying in the water - PLEASE DON'T TOUCH THEM OR PICK THEM UP!!! There is also a little restaurant/bar here. (If you get the CocoLoco, you can watch the guy climb a tree, chop down a coconut, and prepare it. And, there's a ton of alcohol in it!)
After taking photos, I turned right around and went back to the nice, quiet, secluded beaches before Starfish to spend the afternoon.
Otherwise, the taxi drops you at Bocas del Drago (if you have a good driver, he'll ask you how many hours you want him to return in, and he'll come back for you) The fare one-way to Bocas del Drago from my hotel (Playa Tortuga Resort). It's a 10-15 minute walk to Starfish beach. There are no signs. When you get dropped off, there is a little beach restaurant at Bocas del Drago - walk past it, and continue on the path to Starfish. You will pass long stretches of empty and beautiful beach (or, at least, I did). When you arrive at Starfish Beach, it is true to name - many very large starfish laying in the water - PLEASE DON'T TOUCH THEM OR PICK THEM UP!!! There is also a little restaurant/bar here. (If you get the CocoLoco, you can watch the guy climb a tree, chop down a coconut, and prepare it. And, there's a ton of alcohol in it!)
After taking photos, I turned right around and went back to the nice, quiet, secluded beaches before Starfish to spend the afternoon.
Written 18 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sherry W
Chicago, IL15 contributions
Nov 2014
This beautiful beach is really great on a sunny day! The water is incredibly calm and clear here, it felt like a swimming pool but with fish and starfish! We wished we brought snorkeling gear.
When we went, we actually saw a decent number of starfish (around 15 in just the main area). Some may say that the beach used to have so many more--while this may be true and unfortunate if so, we still appreciated our visit very much. We did stop someone from taking a starfish out of the water(which kills it) so continued awareness for the marine life is really important to conserve this lovely beach.
As a last note, we got there and back by taking a small bus from the main park in bocas (the ones that leave when they fill up), and it was $2.50 each way. When we arrived at boca del drago, we walked down the path (15-20 min) to starfish beach. On our way back, we water taxied for $1.50 a person.
When we went, we actually saw a decent number of starfish (around 15 in just the main area). Some may say that the beach used to have so many more--while this may be true and unfortunate if so, we still appreciated our visit very much. We did stop someone from taking a starfish out of the water(which kills it) so continued awareness for the marine life is really important to conserve this lovely beach.
As a last note, we got there and back by taking a small bus from the main park in bocas (the ones that leave when they fill up), and it was $2.50 each way. When we arrived at boca del drago, we walked down the path (15-20 min) to starfish beach. On our way back, we water taxied for $1.50 a person.
Written 26 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PanamaDon
Kailua, Hawaii170 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
Starfish beach used to be a pristine, secluded beach that you walked to from Bocas del Drago. The starfish used to be plentiful and fun to look at, but the place had the feeling of a nature preserve. Now it is a slum, jammed full of shoddily constructed bars, made from poles with cheap blue plastic tarp roofs, crappy bathrooms for which the operators charge a buck to pollute the ocean, over priced drinks, ugly plastic tables and chairs everywhere, and ponga boats towing tourists on cheap inflatables up and down the water. It is not just ugly, It has literally been destroyed. Do yourself and the island a favor and stay away, you're not missing anything. For sure not the starfish that used to be so plentiful here.
Written 5 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MoriartyParadise
San Jose, CA160 contributions
Jul 2011 • Couples
If you're in Boca you must go to this spot. You can get to Boca del Drago by public bus (about $5 round trip from the central park, 30-45 min), and Playa de las Estrellas is a 15-minute walk south. it’s a small white sand beach with calm waters and full of orange starfish. If you're looking to get away from the "bustle" of Bocas town and walk and swim in an uncrowded beach, this trip is really worthwhile.
Written 11 June 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
foxy90
north88 contributions
Dec 2011
Our family took a taxi ride to Boca del drago. We heard you could bike it but the road has many hills and winds mostly up. It is a beautiful drive. When you arrive, there is a restaraunt right there that you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner. The breakfast was delicious and reasonable price wise. The walk to the beach is lovely. I would recommend wearing some kind of water shoe. The reason for this is there are small clear thin needles that get into your feet. I found out by a local fisherman and resident that they are the needles of the starfish that wash up into the water edge. Just believe me when i say they are annoying and hurt. I still am trying to get some out of my feet. After that being said, the beach is a white grey and great to swim. The starfish are plenty. Worth a half a day or full day to just lay on the beach. They sell beer and drinks and yellow banana floating chairs for the water.
Written 14 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mirna J
San Jose, Costa Rica
Me gustaría información de algún tour para verlos delfines..!!!
Written 13 March 2018
Hola, hay un tour que dura entre 8 y 10 horas, pasan por bahia de los delfines, mas o menos media hora dan unas vueltas para poder ubicarlos, siguen hasta cayo zapatilla, para mi el mas lindo de la zona bajas mas o menos tres , cuatro horas luego van a una isla cercana a un retaurante( es aparte del tour, tiene otro costo), de ahi a bahia Hollywood para avistajes de estrellas, de ahi a otra isla para avistaje de monos perezosos y emprenden el regreso, salen de los muelles de bocas, hay varias agencias que lo ofrecen, sale u$s 30 por persona, van en lancha , solo te recomiendo averiguar si es epoca que se los pueda ver mas habitualmente ya que no te garantizan poder verlos por que como te dijeron mas arriba estan libres en aguas abiertas y hay meses del año que estan en celo y juntos, en mayor cantidad..suerte¡¡
Written 15 March 2018
Hola me gustaría saber cual es la época del año menos lluviosa y donde nos recomiendan alojarnos a mi esposo y a mi. Gracias!!!!
Written 17 October 2015
December to March tends to be the "Rainy Season" as well as being the High Season with room prices typically increasing. There is always the chance of a light rain shower in the afternoon no matter what time of the year
Written 26 May 2017
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