Why Condé Nast Traveler Named Nayara Bocas del Toro #1

Why Condé Nast Traveler Named Nayara Bocas del Toro #1

Albert Ghitis
Oct 6, 2025

For decades, the dream of the overwater bungalow belonged to the Maldives, Bora Bora, and Tahiti, but 20-hour flights, jet lag, and heavy carbon footprints have turned the fantasy into a contradiction.  Once there, their beauty often narrows into repetition: a traditional beach holiday of sand and sea.

Bocas is different. We offer the same overwater dream, but closer, richer, and more alive. Here, coral gardens glow beneath your deck, mangroves stretch into the sea, and tropical rainforest meets reef. This stunning biodiversity is why we’re known as the Galapagos of the Caribbean, and that uniqueness has just been recognized

Nayara Bocas del Toro was just named the #1 Resort in Central America in Condé Nast Traveler 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards. This recognition signals  a shift that today’s traveller doesn’t measure luxury in miles flown or distance. 

We recently described how time has become most precious resource in modern travel, and that its finite nature is precisely what makes it the New Currency of Luxury. When comparing Bocas to distant islands halfway across the world, the greatest luxury may actually be proximity. 

From the U.S., the travel time to Panama averages one-third that of the Maldives. That means less stress, fewer connections, and more sunsets that actually belong to you. For couples celebrating honeymoons, anniversaries, or just escape, it means the moment doesn’t get lost in transit.

The future of overwater luxury now belongs to a private island in Panama — built entirely for romance and entirely off-grid. 

And its floats on the Caribbean, not the Indian Ocean.

Because it Sits at the Meeting Point of Rainforest and Reef

Overwater villas at Nayara Bocas del Toro in Panama.

This year, more than 757,000 travelers took part in the 38th annual Readers’ Choice Awards one of the most trusted recognitions in global travel.

It’s not just a ranking; it’s a reflection of how travelers themselves see the future of luxury — authentic, sustainable, and firmly rooted in Panama.

Not long ago, Bocas del Toro was known mainly to backpackers and surfers chasing empty breaks. It was remote, hard to reach, and defined by its rhythm — slow, local, and mostly unplugged. Then something rare happened: it began to evolve without losing itself.

According to Forbes, Bocas is “about to become the coolest place on Earth,” a statement not about hype but transformation. Over the past five years, Panama has quietly invested in new infrastructure that supports low-impact tourism: upgraded air connections from Panama City, a modernized hospital on Isla Colón, fiber-optic connectivity, and a planned airport expansion designed to handle sustainable traffic — not mass tourism.

A separate Condé Nast Traveler feature called it “a place evolving at its own pace,” highlighting how this archipelago is moving from rustic charm toward refined eco-luxury. But unlike other tropical islands that surrendered to overdevelopment, Bocas is charting a new course — one that merges exclusivity with ecology.

That balance between development and preservation, between world-class design and local soul — is what Forbes and Condé Nast Traveler both recognized as the foundation of its rise.

Bocas del Toro is no longer a secret and romance is rewriting the rules.

Because our Overwater Villas are Built for Privacy

Proximity transforms honeymoons from logistical marathons into effortless escapes. It turns anniversaries into long weekends, not week-long expeditions. It gives the gift of time, which may just be the most valuable currency of romance too.

Bocas is proudly adults-only. That choice shapes everything. Privacy and intimacy aren’t afterthoughts here — they are the blueprint.

Our villas aren’t just overwater,  they are private sanctuaries designed exclusively for couples. Each has a plunge pool, a wrap-around deck, and a ladder descending straight into the Caribbean.

Romance here is not staged. It stars is built into the architecture, the landscape, and the rhythm of the resort.

 Because We're The New Standard for All-Inclusive Travel

The term “all-inclusive” often conjures images of buffets, wristbands, and overcrowded beach resorts. But a new era of all-inclusive is emerging — one built on elevated experience, not uniformity.

The Zoe Report frames this shift: “As a luxury experience, it is best described as ‘all-encompassing’ rather than ‘all-inclusive.’”

You won’t find lines. You’ll find a private island where comfort, cuisine, and connection coexist without compromises so couples can focus on each other, not logistics

Every meal is fine dining, every drink is hand-crafted, and kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkel gear aren’t checked out, they’re simply waiting at your overwater villa.

Beach and palms on the Zapatillas islands near Nayara Bocas del Toro

Because our Private Island is Shaped By Place

Unlike the Galápagos, however, Bocas connects marine and rainforest biomes seamlessly. Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park meets the mainland’s Palo Seco Forest Reserve, forming an unbroken corridor from mountain cloud forest to coral reef. Few places on Earth let you see monkeys, sloths, and parrotfish in the same hour.

Exploring it with your own private boat and captain isn’t just an adventure — it’s freedom made for two. A day might begin on the untouched sands of Zapatilla, where a romantic private picnic awaits on a beach then end with Dolphin pods leaping beside you at sunset.

Beyond the water’s edge, see cacao still harvested by hand, drift past Monkey Island to watch capuchins at play, or spot sloths lounging in the treetops. 

Add to that cultural depth — the Ngäbe-Buglé Indigenous communities, Afro-Antillean heritage, and a new wave of regenerative tourism — and you get an archipelago where biodiversity and humanity coexist instead of compete.

For those seeking more adventure, the archipelago offers scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, and rainforest walks where sloths slumber in the mangroves. And when night falls, bioluminescent waters glow with every stroke, as if the stars themselves had spilled into the sea.

Because our Treehouses Live in the Rainforest Canopy

While the overwater bungalows bring you to the sea, our luxury treehouses, suspended 50-feet, carry you into the forest. 

Conceived by world-renowned design studio, IBUKU, each was crafted from hardwood salvaged from the bottom of the Panama Canal. This unique material not only lends extraordinary strength and character, but also ties them to Panama’s history. 

Wellness also rises with our new Calibri Treehouse Spa. Couples’ massages in the canopy, yoga where light filters through leaves, and spa rituals use native cacao, volcanic mud, and tropical botanicals. 

The Maldives, Bora Bora, and Tahiti will always inspire. But they are oceans away, while Bocas offers the same dream — closer, richer, and designed entirely for romance.

Overwater villas above the Caribbean. Luxury treehouses crafted by history. Wellness suspended in the canopy. Days discovering hidden beaches. Whether you’re beginning your journey together on a honeymoon or toasting an anniversary, Bocas is built for celebration.

Being named the #1 Resort in Central America by Condé Nast confirms what we have always believed: romance, sustainability, and immersion belong together.

The world’s most extraordinary escape — recognised by Condé Nast, shaped by Nayara Resorts, and reserved for adults — is just a couple hours away.

Plan your stay at Nayara Bocas del Toro.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why is Nayara Bocas del Toro considered the #1 Resort in Central America?
    The resort represents a new direction in luxury, built around regeneration, ecological balance, and sense of place. Nayara Bocas del Toro operates entirely off-grid on a private island, combining overwater villas, native landscape design, and community partnership. Its recognition by Condé Nast Traveler reflects this shift toward purposeful, place-driven hospitality.

  2. Why does Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Award matter?
    The Readers’ Choice Awards are among the most respected distinctions in global travel. More than 750,000 travelers cast votes each year, making it one of the largest and most discerning surveys. Being named the #1 Resort in Central America places Nayara Bocas del Toro among a small group of destinations defining the future of high-end travel.

  3. How is Nayara Bocas del Toro different from the Maldives or Bora Bora?
    The property brings the overwater experience closer to the U.S., in an ecosystem where rainforest meets reef. Instead of isolation, guests arrive in a biodiverse setting shaped by cultural heritage, scientific research, and active conservation. It offers the beauty of tropical seascapes with a stronger ecological and community foundation.

  4. Is Nayara Bocas del Toro a sustainable resort?
    Yes. The resort runs on renewable solar energy, uses reclaimed hardwood from the Panama Canal, and harvests rainwater for all uses. Single-use plastics have been removed, and coral restoration and mangrove protection programs help maintain surrounding habitats. Sustainability is not an amenity — it is the operating framework.

  5. Is Nayara Bocas del Toro adults-only?
    Yes. The resort is designed exclusively for adults, offering a quiet environment with private overwater villas, refined dining, and space for deep rest. This adults-only structure allows the surrounding ecosystem to be protected while giving guests a calm, uninterrupted stay.

  6. What is the best time to visit Bocas del Toro?
    Bocas experiences a tropical microclimate with two dry periods — typically February–April and September–October. These months offer calm seas, excellent snorkeling, and stable weather, though the archipelago remains warm year-round.

Sources & Further Reading