Polo Beach
Isla Bastimentos, Bocas del Toro, Panama
Polo Beach sits at the end of a coastal trail on Isla Bastimentos in Bocas del Toro, Panama, reached by a roughly hour and a half hike from the popular Red Frog Beach along the island's jungle coastline. A local named Polo has lived at the far end for decades, and if he's around and has a fresh catch, he'll cook lobster or fish over an open fire in the most rudimentary Caribbean style imaginable.
A genuinely rare, offbeat experience built around one guy's homestead as much as the beach itself, though the hike and unreliable food options mean it rewards low expectations and a sense of adventure.
Bring cash if you're hoping for a meal from Polo himself, and don't count on it being available since it depends entirely on what he's caught that day and whether he's in the mood to cook.
There's no direct boat or road access. Most visitors reach Polo Beach by hiking the coastal trail from Red Frog Beach, itself reached by water taxi from Bocas Town.
The trail is a moderate hike of a couple hours round trip over jungle terrain, not suited to strollers or limited mobility.
The dry season from roughly mid-December through April brings the calmest hiking and swimming conditions, while the wetter season the rest of the year brings heavier rain typical of Panama's Caribbean side.
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