Despite its awesome good looks, Bluff receives few visitors.
©2007 Scott Doggett, Special to WhozHereNow.com

Eight miles or so from Bocastown, on the eastern shore of Isla Colón, Bluff is the loveliest beach on the island. Its wide, golden sand spreads three miles and is flanked by breaking waves on one side and a wall of lush jungle on the other.

Bluff is one of those magical beaches that secretly summons sunbathers and beer-ad models, as well as nature lovers who would appreciate the parrots, monkeys and sloths that inhabit nearby trees year-round and the sea turtles that nest on the beach from April on into September.

From November to April, and during June and July, the breaks out front of Bluff set the stage for some heart-pounding surfing and boogie-boarding; see Doing—>Bluff Breaks for details.

There is a fly in the ointment, however: Bluff (indeed every Panamanian beach) is a chigger cafeteria just before, during, and after sunset. For about 45 minutes, zillions of the nasty little noseeums hunt humans, gnawing on their ankles and legs and creating an itch so bad you wanna scratch to the bone.

Chiggers can be just as annoying during sunrise, so pack bug juice or prepare to dance the funky chicken if you'll be on a Bocas beach at sunup/sundown. Otherwise, the beaches are insect-free and this one in particular is a treat to the senses.

Despite its beauty, Bluff receives few visitors. That's because the last four or five miles of road leading to the northern end of the beach make the moon's craters look like Noriega's pockmarks by comparison. They are so big that if the smallest of them were filled with donuts, it would take Homer Simpson the remainder of this century to chow 'em down.

Of course, that doesn't stop most pickup-truck taxi drivers in Bocastown from going there, but expect to pay big bucks for the ride [like, $25 if you ask the driver to take you to the far (northern) end of the beach]. You'll know you've reached the end of the road (and near the northern end of the beach) when you reach a sign for "Finca 101010034."

A better bet, if you're up for it, is to have a taxi drop you at the place where the road out of Bocastown splits, with one fork, a paved one, heading inland (toward La Gruta and Boca del Bravo) and the other, a dirt road, hugging the coast and heading to Bluff.

From the intersection, stroll two and half miles till you reach the southern end of Bluff. On your way you'll pass the garbage dump for the entire island. It's somewhat remarkable in that it is always smoldering. A storm dumping rain has no effect on the burning pile of garbage, which couldn't be more unsightly and stinky without the inclusion of rivers of raw sewage.

A taxi ride to the intersection will set you back $4 or $5; catching a taxi back to town from the fork usually isn't a problem, and don't hesitate to hail down a collectivo (a white minivan that serves as a comunal taxi) or the maroon Boca del Bravo bus. A ride into town on either will set you back no more than $2.

Location

Eastern Shore

Isla Colón

Bocas del Toro Province

Panama