Casa Cayuco Review: Eco-Adventures in Bocas del Toro
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission (at no cost to you).
We miss our monkey friend at Casa Cayuco Adventure Lodge.
Each morning, the baby white-faced capuchin monkey would hop about the tree just off our cabin’s porch, foraging for berries among the branches.
He (let’s call him a “he” though he could have been a “she”) was wild, wary – and delightfully wily.
The moment we moved in for a camera close-up, he’d dart to the far side of the trunk, out of sight. But when we gave up and just watched quietly, he’d creep back into view and nibble away, red juice dripping from his chin.
Truth is, there’s a lot we miss about this secluded eco-lodge on Isla Bastimentos in Bocas del Toro!
Here in this Casa Cayuco review, we cover the lodge, the food, the island adventures – and what makes it all so special.
About Casa Cayuco (in brief)
Bocas del Toro is a laid-back Caribbean archipelago off the coast of Panama, known for its off-the-beaten-path islands and barefoot vibe.
Surrounded by jungly rainforest and hugging a narrow beach on Isla Bastimentos, Casa Cayuco is one of three small lodges we stayed at in Bocas del Toro.
For Isla Bastimentos accommodation, TripAdvisor reviewers rate Casa Cayuco the #1 place to stay in the “B&Bs/Inns” category.
Casa Cayuco lodge rooms
Casa Cayuco offers eight unique types of accommodations, each sleeping between two and eight guests.
Most are breezy timber cabins with covered outdoor porches and a mix of queen, king or single beds.
The most unusual accommodations?
A two-story treetop cabana perched 40 feet high, with four twin beds and a bathroom on the lower level, and a king bedroom plus bathroom above – complete with jaw-dropping views over the rainforest canopy.
There’s also a brand-new, two-story villa with three en-suite bedrooms, a full kitchen, dining and living areas, and ample outdoor lounging space – ideal for families or a group of friends.
We stayed in a cozy beachside bungalow for two, just steps from the sea.
As an eco-lodge, there’s no air-conditioning. Instead, all accommodations have ceiling fans and wooden louvered shutters you can crank open for breezes and birdsong.
Staff from the local Panamanian tribe, who live in a nearby village, do a meticulous job of daily cleaning – changing bath towels and refreshing the vase of flowers brightening your bathroom every two days.
In a homey (and handy) touch, a clothesline with pegs is strung off your deck so you can hang out your wet swimsuits and clothes (which get damp with the humidity) to dry.
Things to do at Casa Cayuco
Discovering a monkey that “comes” with your cabin is all part of the experience at Casa Cayuco.
Here, nature rules.
And there’s no shortage of nature-filled adventures, from jungle hikes to snorkeling trips and island excursions.
Swimming
When we weren’t being entertained by our shy little monkey, we loved wading into the sea to swim.
We’d do the “stingray shuffle” – shuffling our feet along the sandy bottom – to enter the water to swim.
This is the way to alert any stingrays in your path, so they’ll glide away (so we were told!).
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP)
When conditions are calm, you can paddle or kayak for miles on turquoise water, flat as a mirror.
We saw huge rays and silvery balls of jackfish flying out of the sea when we went stand-up paddleboarding.
We’ve enjoyed stand-up paddleboarding in Kauai, Mexico, Canada and Alaska, but paddleboarding off Casa Cayuco’s shores was hands-down some of the best we’ve done!
Snorkeling Isla Bastimentos
Snorkeling is another top activity here.
Casa Cayuco offers boat excursions to the Zapatillas – two pristine uninhabited islands ringed by vibrant coral reefs in Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park. Think baby nurse sharks, spiny lobsters, octopuses and colorful reef fish.
The Zapatillas are also a key nesting site for sea turtles – and you’ll likely spot a few while snorkeling!
Zodiac excursions
One night after dinner, we were taken out in a Zodiac and dazzled by “star fire” – brilliant white twinkles from bioluminescence in the water.
Hiking
We also hiked along the sandy beaches and on boardwalks through the island interior, looking for birds native to Central America and lizards.
Hanging out
Of course, sometimes the best activity is doing nothing at all – swinging in a hammock strung over the sea, watching the sun sparkle on the water.
Other Isla Bastimentos activities
There are various other activities and excursions on offer too:
- A visit to a local botanical chocolate farm
- Hiking to Nidori Beach (full-day trip)
- Surfing, fishing and bat cave tours
- Lionfish spearing (lionfish aren’t native to the Caribbean and cause widespread damage to the coral reefs and marine life)
As well, you can enjoy a complimentary guided visit to Salt Creek, the indigenous village where many staff members live. This includes a peaceful boat ride through the village’s mangrove-lined channel.
Free equipment at Casa Cayuco
Sea kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and snorkeling gear are free to use at Casa Cayuco whenever you want.
Oh, the food at Casa Cayuco!
You won’t go hungry at this Bocas del Toro eco-lodge – the food is absolutely delicious!
Meals are shared family-style around one long table, creating a friendly, communal vibe.
Breakfast is at 8:30 am, lunch is at 12:30 pm and dinner is at 7:30 pm.
Breakfast and lunch are “serve yourself” and change daily.
One morning, we enjoyed pineapple and melon, yogurt, coconut bread and two fresh-baked quiches (a vegetable quiche and a sausage quiche). Another day, it was scrambled eggs, bacon and warm fried dough drizzled with honey.
And for lunch? They were always hearty and inventive.
One lunch featured chicken stew with carrots and potatoes, cole slaw, coconut rice, black beans, and for dessert, warm-from-the-oven lime shortbread cookies with a sugar glaze.
Another lunch was Mediterranean-themed – falafel, yogurt-and-cucumber, sour dough rolls, green salad, hummus and couscous.
To tide you over until dinner, snacks are offered.
Come evening, we’d head to the well-stocked bar for pre-dinner drinks – the margaritas are still fresh in our memories.
And then there was dinner, a three-course meal, served by candlelight at the table.
Expect fresh seafood – staff catch fresh fish daily.
One night, we started with a mushroom and cilantro soup flavored with ginger and lime, then tucked into fish sauteed with lime and butter, accompanied by fried patacones (mashed plantain then fried like a pancake). Dessert? Fresh baked chocolate-coconut cake.
Meals were made even better by the company, and we had a lot of fun chatting with fellow guests over dinner.
Casa Cayuco attracts well-traveled guests – mostly from the U.S. and Canada –used to venturing to far-off places, who bring with them a spirit of adventure and lots of interesting travel stories.
What to know about staying at Casa Cayuco
Are children welcome?
For safety reasons, the lodge can’t accommodate children under the age of 5.
The price of pristine paradise? Mosquitos
Though mosquitoes are few, the no-see-ums are fierce. You may not even notice some bites until you get home.
So spray yourself! We got lazy about that, nor did we use the insect repellent coils provided and (grumble) suffered the consequences.
Mosquito nets provide protection while sleeping at night.
Casa Cayuco is remote and eco-conscious
The lodge was built by indigenous Ngabe Bugle carpenters, starting in 2005, using native Panamian wood.
All water is supplied from rainwater collected by the lodge and power comes from the lodge’s solar-powered generator.
You’re given a beach towel during your stay, which you can hang up to dry using the clothes line strung above your deck railing.
Casa Cayuco is not fancy. And it’s not 5-star. But it’s a place where you can truly unplug – and isn’t that a real luxury these days?
Casa Cayuco review: Bottom line?
When we knew we’d be visiting Panama, planning a trip to Bocas del Toro was high on our list. But with no big-name hotels and few detailed reviews, booking one of the area’s small, family-run eco-lodges felt like a bit of a leap of faith.
We needn’t have worried.
Casa Cayuco – one of three places we stayed in Bocas – proved to be a standout.
With delightful and competent hosts at the helm, Casa Cayuco is a place you can trust to deliver a casual, comfortable, full-on nature experience.
Even now, we can still hear (and miss) the cicada concerts starting up at dusk and other vibrant jungle sounds enveloping us at Casa Cayuco.
It’s a reminder of the abundant life (our little monkey included) that was close by around us…
For more info about what to expect: See these frequently asked questions about the resort.
Essential booking info
How to get to Casa Cayuco
We flew on Air Panama (one-hour flight) from Panama City to Isla Colon, the main island in the Bocas del Toro archipelago.
The airstrip and shack (which serves as an “airport”) is just outside funky Bocas town.
In Bocas, you’ll be met for your boat transfer to Casa Cayuco on Isla Bastimentos.
Rates
Casa Cayuco is an all-inclusive Bocas del Toro lodge. Rates include:
- All meals and snacks
- Use of kayaks, snorkel gear and standup paddleboards
- Daily housekeeping
- Guided tour of the local indigenous village
- Free WiFi
- Roundtrip, 45-minute, high-speed boat transfer through mangrove forests to and from Bocas Town on Isla Colon
Alcoholic beverages, taxes and extra guided tours are not included.
A 3-night minimum stay is required.
More information and to book
- See the hotel’s website.
- Find more Casa Cayuco reviews on TripAdvisor.
- Also check Booking.com and Expedia, as you may get a better rate than booking directly through the hotel.
Discover more of Panama
Pssst! Save this for later on Pinterest!
Our top travel tips and resources
General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, offering loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.
Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy! (You may prefer Expedia for booking hotels in the U.S. or Mexico.)
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Flights: For the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets are often non-refundable. If you want more flexibility, it’s usually worth booking directly with the airline, even if it costs a bit more.)
Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car is often a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the lowest rates.
eSIMS: Stay connected affordably with Airalo eSIMS covering 200+ countries and trusted by 10 million+ users, including us! (No more huge roaming bills!)
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
If you make a booking or purchase through our site, we may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks!
Photo credits: 2, 5 to 7, 9, 11 to 14, 16, 19, 22 to 24 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | Remaining images Casa Cayuco
About the authors
