The best time to visit Bocas del Toro, Panama is during the dry season from January to mid-April.

Locals will also tell you that September, October and November are great months to visit. Overall, these months are statistically the driest and sunniest months of the year and your best bet to have beautiful Caribbean weather during your vacation!

Bocas del Toro, Panama is a tropical destination with warm and humid weather all year round. The average temperature in this region is around 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit), with little variation between seasons.

However, the area is prone to heavy rainfall, particularly during the months of October through December. Despite the rain, the lush vegetation and vibrant wildlife make Bocas del Toro a popular tourist destination. Visitors are advised to pack rain gear and plan their activities accordingly to make the most of their trip to this beautiful region of Panama.

The Best Time to Visit Bocas del Toro Panama

The best time to visit Bocas del Toro, Panama is during the dry season, which runs from January to mid-April.

During this time, visitors can enjoy sunny days, clear skies, and warm temperatures without worrying about heavy rainfall (although it still rains during this time, it just most likely won’t ruin your day).

However, this also means that this is the busiest time for tourism in the region, and prices may be higher. The shoulder seasons of May through August and September through November offer a good balance of lower prices, fewer crowds, and occasional rain showers.

Visitors should keep in mind that Bocas del Toro’s weather is unpredictable, so it’s always a good idea to pack for rain regardless of the season.

Check out our 10 Day Panama Itinerary for your next vacation!

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Bocas del Toro Monthly Weather Guide

Jump To: December | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November

December (Surf, Christmas/ New Years’ Celebrations)

Bocas del Toro in December sees a shift into the Dry Season and Surf Season. December is one of the peak Surf Season Months and big storms that bring good surf and heavy rain are common.

When the waves are good (and big) it is more difficult to do outer island beach adventuring by boat.

The Christmas/ New Years’ Holiday is the peak time of the year for tourism and almost all accommodations are booked during this time!

January (The Best Month for Surfers to Visit Bocas del Toro)

Bocas del Toro in January is one of the best all-around months to visit Bocas del Toro and the best month for surfers seeking big swells.

The weather is mostly dry and sunny but we will get pounded by a few storms throughout the month that will bring rain. These storms also bring the biggest and most consistent swells of the year.

Surfers will love Bocas in January for the usually non-stop head-high swell we experience. Unfortunately, when the swell is big, it means outer island adventuring is more limited as many spots are inaccessible.

Discover 13 Bucket List Things To Do in Panama

February (Sun, Surf & Carnival)

Bocas del Toro in February is beautiful and one of the best months to visit. There’s consistent swell and sunshine and the Carnival Holiday at the end of the month.

February is during Bocas del Toro’s High Season for tourism so overall the beaches, tours and towns are busier

February is one of our favorite months of the High Season because there are less people and still good weather and waves.

March (Dry, Sunny, Surf, Dive, and Spring Break)

Bocas del Toro in March is another one of the best months to visit. You can expect beautiful, sunny, and hot weather almost everyday with some rain mixed in.

March still has swell for the surfers and these swells can bring one or two days of cloudy/ rainy weather. Tourism jumps up again thanks to the USA’s Spring Break Holiday but it is never nearly as bumpin’ as the Christmas/ New Year Holiday.

March can also experience small to flat ocean conditions so beach adventuring by boat and diving are great activities.

April (Easter Celebrations, Small Waves, Mix of Sun and Rain)

April in Bocas del Toro is an OK Month to Visit. It has more rain and starts to see the beginning of the wet season.

Easter or, “Semana Santa” in Spanish, is one of the most popular weeks for vacation for Latin Americans. Bocas usually gets an influx of Panamanian and Costa Rican tourists during this period.

There is still some lingering swell and the beach breaks are usually great for surfing.

General Caribbean Boat adventuring can also be great when the swell is down. Beach going is hit or miss depending on the weather but you can expect sun in the afternoons.

Tourism starts to drop off after Easter in April as Bocas del Toro enters Low Season.

May (Low Season, Mixed weather, Diving and Beaches)

Bocas del Toro in May can be hit or miss. Sometimes this month is super dry and can be a drought month. Other times we have seen it with the dreaded week-straight of overcast and rain.

May has very little ocean swell so it can be good for boat trips.

Tourism is slow and many of the premier destinations in the Archipelago can be experienced completely empty.

Some restaurants and accommodations choose to close in May and June to take a break after the High Season.

June (Mix of Sun & Rain, Mini-Season for surf)

Bocas del Toro in June is the beginning of the Mini Season for surf and sees an increase in rain and swell although overall it tends to be dryer.

Tourism begins to increase due to the North American Summer school breaks.

Ocean conditions can be tricky and outer island boat adventuring is limited. Dips in the swell will usually mean sunshine and tropical beauty.

July (Surf & Rain)

Bocas del Toro in July is one of the best months for surfers. July gets just as much swell as the peak December and January months, but with way less surfers in the water.

However, July is the rainiest month in Bocas. It can rain on and off all day for several days in a row. This will mean that the swell is pumping as well. The heaviest rain will fall at night when you are asleep or out partying in Bocas’ famous nightlife!

Don’t worry though, the sun will definitely shine during July, but probably not everyday of the week. Just come prepared to do some of the other amazing activities in Bocas del Toro besides just chilling on the beach all day.

August (More Sun, Less Surf, great all-around month)

Bocas del Toro in August becomes more sunny as the season transitions into dryer months. The swell becomes less consistent and smaller and that means more boat and beach adventures.

• August is a great all-around month to visit. There’s some swell for the surfers, some flat days for the divers, sunshine for the beaches and some rain to keep the water tanks full and the jungles green.

• Typically the end of August is dryer than the beginning.

September (Sun, Diving, empty beaches)

Bocas del Toro in September is one of the best months of the year to visit. You can expect super calm seas, calm winds, plenty of sunshine, and welcomed late-night / early-morning rains that feel like Mother Nature is switching on the Air Conditioner.

Surf is still possible at the beach breaks but it is generally small to flat. The water clarity is at its peak this time of the year and all of the far flung dive spots are accessible.

Beach adventuring and outer island exploration by boat is a dream. September truly is one of the best months to visit Bocas and it is also one of the lowest months for tourism. You can expect that many of the beaches will be completely empty!

October (The Best Time to Visit Bocas del Toro)

Bocas del Toro in October is the best month to visit for the vacationer looking for paradisiacal Caribbean beaches and perfect weather.

October sees very little rainfall (mostly at night), and almost 0 swell and wind. October is the best month for diving and snorkeling and every far flung beach destination is accessible.

Tourism is very low in October so you can expect to have entire beaches to yourself and lower-priced accommodations.

The ocean in October turns into a lake which makes boating activities the best of the whole year!

November (Similar to September and October + Holidays)

Bocas del Toro in November sees more great weather similar to September and October. At some point during November, the season will begin to switch into the surf season.

This means an increase in swell, wind, and rain. November is known as one of the windiest months of the year and this can make boating difficult.

November has a lot of Public Holidays, including 3 Independence Days and Bocas Day and Bastimentos Day. One of the most distinct characteristics of the month of November in the islands is the daily hum of the drums of the local school marching bands as they practice for the holiday parades.

Bocas del Toro Panama Climate

Bocas del Toro has a Tropical Rainforest Climate. That means that it rains a lot while also being hot and humid year-round!

Your typical day in Bocas will be some clouds or rain in the morning that opens up to full sun by lunch time. The average temperature here is 80 Degrees with a water temperature hovering around the same throughout the year.

Rainier months have cooler water and air temperatures than drier months.

Rain in Bocas del Toro Panama

Rain in Bocas del Toro is similar to other tropical destinations like Florida, for example. Although it does rain more here than in Florida, the kind of rains are similar.

In Bocas, we can get really hard, heavy rains for a few minutes or hours and then sunshine the rest of the day. The heaviness of the rain is where such a large accumulation of comes from, and not from a slow, steady rain for really long periods of time. This type of weather is more typical in the high season.

Big storms will bring heavy rains for a few days in a row. These storms also bring Bocas’s world-class surf!

Also, the majority of the rain falls at night, when you are sound asleep in your bed (or our partying). The rain can sometimes linger throughout the morning but normally it will clear up by lunch and the skies will open up for beautiful afternoons. Welcome to the Tropical Rainforest!

Rain in the rainy season or off-season (typically May – November) can be more lingering and longer lasting. Typically the hot afternoon sun will burn off the clouds and open up the blue skies.

Bocas del Toro Tourism Seasons

High Season in Bocas del Toro (November – April)

• The High Season for Tourism takes place from November-April with the highest times being Christmas through Easter (End of December through Middle of April).

• High Season is when the islands experience their highest influx of tourists from all around the world. Prices for accommodations are higher, the towns, beaches, restaurants, and waves are busier, and there is an overall higher energy permeating the islands. 

Low Season in Bocas del Toro (May-October)

• Low Season for Tourism is from May through October. However, tourism does pick up in the months of June, July and August due to the North American/ European summer break school holiday.

• Low Season sees lower prices on accommodations, some restaurant closures, and a lot less tourists. Sometimes you walk around the streets of Bocas Town and wonder, “Where the hell is everyone?”

• For many, this is a welcomed break from the busyness of the high season. Some businesses will also close for a month or two over the low season to rest and re-energize for the next high season. 

Dry Season in Bocas del Toro (January – May) + September & Otcober

• Dry Season takes place from January to May with more rain in April and May than in the January, February, and March. 

• There is a mini dry season that occurs in September and October; the two best months to visit.

• It is important to understand that it rains all year in Bocas del Toro. The, “Dry,” season doesn’t mean, “No Rain,” season. It really means, “Less Rain,” Season. Especially since January, February, and March are still peak surf season months. Almost every time a swell hits Bocas del Toro it is accompanied by one or two days of rain. The waves are caused by storms after all!

Question: Is Bocas del Toro still worth visiting outside of the Dry Months?

Answer: Yes! Just be prepared and understand that it might rain a few days during your trip. Enjoy the discounted rates, empty beaches (and waves), and be ready to go with the flow of what each day brings!

Hurricanes in Panama: Does Panama have hurricanes?

Panama does not have Hurricanes and has never been hit by a hurricane. Panama is located too far to the south and west of the normal routes that tropical storms and hurricanes take through the rest of the Caribbean.

In contrast; the best months to visit Bocas actually coincide with Hurricane Season in the rest of the Caribbean. August, September, October and November are absolutely breathtaking in Bocas del Toro. This same time is when other areas of the Caribbean will experience an average of 15 tropical storms and 7 hurricanes per year!

The best Time to Visit Bocas del Toro for Surfing

The best time to visit Bocas del Toro for Surfers is December, January, February, March and April (High Season) and June, July, August (Mini-Season).

If you are a beginner or just learning to surf; then February, March, June, and August might be the best time to come due to smaller swells and sunnier weather.

Advanced surfers will love December, January and July for bigger and more consistent swells.

Keep in mind: most swell that hits Bocas is accompanied by one or two days of rain, since the waves are generated by small storms just off the coast! 

The Best Time to Visit Bocas del Toro for Scuba Diving and Free Diving

The best time to visit Bocas del Toro for Scuba Diving and Free Diving are September and October.

These are the driest months of the year which means amazing water visibility and calm seas due to a lack of storms. Flat seas also mean that more locations are open to diving, like the caves at Polo Beach or Tiger Rock!

The Best Time to Visit Bocas del Toro is September/October

Which are actually two of the “lowest” months for tourism, so you can often find better deals on accommodations! September and October in Bocas del Toro are dry and sunny during the day with occasional showers at night or in the early morning that bring in cooler temperatures.

Our favorite thing about the weather conditions of September and October is how calm and clear the seas are!

The ocean conditions are typically flat during this time with very light winds. Day trips by boat for beach visits, snorkeling, diving, and fishing are amazing. November can also experience similar conditions as September and October but with stronger winds.

Check the Weather Forecast for Bocas del Toro

Try using the Windy App. We have found that it provides the most accurate weather readings for Bocas del Toro and can be downloaded to your smartphone!

They also provide a great interactive map that tracks global weather systems so you can see the storms that are being forecasted and watch them move! You can also check the swell for Bocas with this app.

Check the Surf Report for Bocas del Toro

We use surf-forecast.com and find it to be more accurate for Bocas than other sites, even Surfline! We also love their wave energy reading which gives us a better idea of what spots will be the best for that day!

The Best Way to Prepare for the Weather in Bocas del Toro is to Pack for all Conditions

You can expect that it will rain at least once during your trip. It is wise to bring around a daypack with a rain poncho, sunscreen (reef-safe), and water bottle (re-usable of course!), so you are prepared for both the rain and the sun!

Another Bocas necessity is having a positive attitude and being able to go with the flow! If your planned beach day gets rained out; try going on a hike instead, or rent an ATV and explore the jungle out past Bluff Beach! 

Check out more Bocas del Toro Travel Guides from our Blog:

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