Nayara Bocas del Toro review: treehouses and over-the-water bungalows on a private island in Panama
Nayara Bocas del Toro hotel video tour by Rosie Bell
1) The backstory
Only accessible by boat and blissfully off the grid (but not off the luxe), Nayara Bocas del Toro is an all-inclusive eco-luxury resort nestled on a private island, Isla Frangipani. This overwater jungle fantasy sits pretty off Panama’s Caribbean coast with floating villas, treetop hideouts, and a stillness so serene you can hear fish jump. It’s adults-only, unapologetically dreamy, powered entirely by solar energy and rainwater, and the only The Leading Hotels of the World property to be found in the region for miles.
Originally opened in 2021 as Bocas Bali and relaunched under the Nayara Resorts brand in 2022, this adults-only property is part of a respected collection comprising standout locations in Costa Rica and Chile (including Easter Island).
2) The rooms
This is everything your vacation mood board has been trying to manifest. The rooms are temples of rest, sanctuaries suspended over water or cradled in trees.
There are 16 overwater villas, seven of which are in the Deluxe category. All the villas feature thatched roofs, private plunge pools, direct ocean access, and four-poster king beds with a cinematic Balinese Tumpang Sari canopy and end-of-bed concealable smart televisions. I was in villa 9 and spent almost all my time staring at the sea from my pool. From my bed, I loved being able to see marine life through the glass floor at night.
Villas come with hot water rain showers, dreamy double sinks, own-brand toiletries, and your very own tablet concierge. Want wine delivered to your plunge pool at sunset? Ask. Craving kayaks at dawn? Just tap.
The treehouses are ethereal, curvaceous cocoons made from wood rescued from the depths of the Panama Canal. Raised above the jungle floor, you’ll ascend a spiral staircase, pass through a whimsical egg-shaped door, and sleep 50 feet in the air among the sounds of the jungle. The treehouses are the only accommodations that are not wheelchair accessible.
3) Food & drink
Your mornings begin with a breezy breakfast at The Coral Café by the main pool. Think tropical fruits and fresh juices with a side of birdsong. Breakfast can also be delivered to your lodging. Evenings shift to the sultry, overwater Elephant House for candlelit dinners with a Caribbean kick. Elephant House is a restored century-old Balinese pavilion imported from Indonesia and now suspended above the Caribbean Sea.
The Coral Café. Image courtesy of Booking.com
4) Services & amenities
Expect service that’s polished yet personal, a central pool for lazy lounging, a no-plastic policy that proves they walk their eco-talk, a fitness center, and a miniature manmade beach complete with a well-stocked swing-seat bar. The overwater beach was built on stilts to protect the mangroves. Guests can also enjoy in-villa spa treatments.
Every villa comes equipped with a set of snorkels. Guests at Nayara Bocas del Toro paddleboard through mangroves, kayak into the blue, and snorkel over coral gardens.
Refreshments are thoughtfully offered even during transfers. Your boat ride from the main island includes a cooler stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Mini fridges are replenished regularly. Feel free to specify your thirst-quenching preferences; more or less of anything can always be arranged via your in-villa tablet.
While not expansive, Nayara Bocas del Toro’s aerial beach, a 90-foot-long raised structure, is the world’s first over-water beach on stilts.
5) Style, decor & character
Indoors, you’re living in a design magazine, and outdoors, you’re surrounded by tropical gardens and mangroves. Nayara Bocas del Toro is a Balinese soul in Caribbean sandals, and the Balinese influences are not merely decorative, but devotional. The overwater bungalows look like they were carved by hand—and were, by Balinese artisans who know their way around wood. The handful of treehouses were created by Elora Hardy of Bali-based architects Ibuku, using reclaimed wood from the Panama Canal.
6) Location & nearby sights
Frangipani Island is a 20-minute boat ride from Bocas Town, the archipelago’s main hub on Isla Colón (where guests arrive by plane), but feels several galaxies away from real life.
The resort’s location offers both seclusion and access to Bocas del Toro’s natural wonders, ample snorkeling, surfing, boat trips, bioluminescent plankton shimmying at night, and dolphin cameos. Most guests, however, fall under the spell and stay put. One day trip not to miss is an escape to Cayos Zapatillas, a pair of islands that are said to resemble God’s feet walking in the water (“zapatillas” is Spanish for shoes).
7) Who it’s right for and what to pack
This is for grown-ups who still believe in treehouses and anyone seeking an over-the-water bungalow experience without spending hours on a plane to Bora Bora or the Maldives. Adults-only Nayara Bocas del Toro is honeymooner-heavy, and tranquility is part of the promise. It’s a particularly good fit for those looking to enjoy intentional design.
Leave the stilettos, laptops, and urgency behind. Pack breezy resortwear, reef-safe sunscreen, something to write in, and swimwear you’ll want to live in. Solo travelers are certainly welcome, but you’ll do well to bring someone to watch the sunset with.
