Panama's finest hotel — 16 Balinese-inspired overwater villas and 2 Ibuku bamboo treehouses on a private island, entirely off-grid, all-inclusive and adults-only. The Elephant House, a 100-year-old Balinese building transplanted here, serves sunset lobster dinners over the bay.
Why We Chose It
Nayara Bocas del Toro occupies Frangipani Island — a small private island in the outer archipelago accessible by 20-minute private boat from Bocas Town (with prosecco, and if you're lucky with the timing of Elket the captain, a tour of the mangrove islands and starfish shoals on the way). The 16 overwater villas were handcrafted by Indonesian artisans — teak wood furniture, colored tiles brought from Bali, glass-panel floors for marine observation, private plunge pools, and terraces where the warm Caribbean laps below. The two Ibuku bamboo treehouses, built from reclaimed hardwood salvaged from the Panama Canal, rise into the jungle canopy. The entire property runs on solar power and rainwater catchment — the most serious sustainability commitment of any luxury hotel in Central America. The Elephant House restaurant, a century-old Balinese building physically transported to the island, serves locally caught seafood with wine pairings at sunset. The guided night swim with the bay's bioluminescent plankton — described by one guest as 'holding the night sky in your hands' — is the signature experience and must not be missed. AFAR Best New Hotels in the World; Town & Country Best Beach Hotels of the World; Forbes Best All-Inclusive Resorts.
What Stands Out
- Private island resort — entirely off-grid (solar + rainwater), the most serious eco-luxury in Central America
- Bioluminescent night swim: 'holding the night sky in your hands' — the experience of Bocas del Toro
- Elephant House restaurant: 100-year-old Balinese building transplanted to the island — sunset seafood dinners
- Handcrafted Balinese overwater villas with glass-floor marine observation and private plunge pools
- AFAR Best New Hotels in the World · Town & Country Best Beach Hotels · Forbes Best All-Inclusive