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When Christopher Columbus arrived in Panama, the first place he visited was Boca del Drago, entering what is now known as
Admiral Bay (or Caribaro by the indians) via the channel that separates the main land from Colon Island.
Today, this region of the archipelago is an attraction for tourists. There, you find beautiful beaches at the tip of the
island and shady trails to walk. Coral reefs beyond the beaches attract the snorkeller and the diver.
It is possible talk about two sectors in Boca del Drago: the touristic and the indian community. This is composed by more or
less 300 ngobe indians that inhabit 25 houses, most of them disperse along the road between Bocas del Toro and Boca del
Drago.
Boca del Drago indian community has a primary school in the multigrade system, with around 50 students. They don't have
electricity and the water come from a creek. They are esencially fishermen, growing also vegetals, farm animals and cattle.
Some of the members of the community are employed in the Boca del Drago tourism sector.
This sector is located at the sea shore, taking advantage of the beauty of the coast. There, we can note the presence of a
good restaurant, cabines for lodging and several private houses that are used during the weekends.
Also In this sector, an educative-scientific organization has his field base: ITEC.
But there are other attractions in the site: just a few minutes away by boat, toward the open sea, is the Bird Island, a bird
sanctuary that attracts to nest the beautiful and unique tropic bird (Phaethon aethereus), with their snow white color,
long tail and orange beak. Also nests here the funny looking boobies (Sula leucogaster), while the graceful frigates
(Fregata magnificens), those thieves of the sea, the clever pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis)and seagulls make
the cay their place of stay. For this reason, disembarking on the island is not allowed, nor recommended.
Another place that is very popular and is visited by many tourists is called Playa de las Estrellas (Starfish Beach), so
named due to the large number of starfish of the species " Oreaster reticulatus " there can be observed at close
distance from the beach. These stars should not be handled much less extracted from the sea as quickly die.
Should you still have time up your sleeve, cross over to the main land and make the short trip up the Soropta Channel, an
artificial way built by the banana planters to transport their products along the coast. Today this channel, which goes
through the San-San Pond Sack Natural Reserve, is used only by locals and tourists.
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