smithsonian tropical research institute

You take a boat from the dock to the island. They give you a video overview and then hike through the rainforest. We saw an ant eater and lots of birds and animals. Diffictul to get any pictures as it is quite thick. Lunch was amaizingly good. Guide Natalie was warm and personable. A highlight of our trip

This small research station is studying and cataloging all the plants and life in Panama. This and 9 other centers report to the main center in Panama City. I was given a free guided tour by a very informed volunteer. Saw a Holler Monkey on the property. Read more in my blog http://marilynontheroad.wordpress.com

after canal was formed what was top of the mountain became an Island and a research InstituteIts a 45 minute boat ride and then about a 2-3 hour tour with a guide.Its pleasant to ride on the canal and see rigs at work and hear about the unique engineering and then tour this natural wildlife habitat that may have more unique wildlife per hectare then anywhere

mostly this place seems like a lost idea of someone. Tried several times to tour what they offer & found no one interested to provide any info. The security guard at the gate was friendly, but offered NO benefit other than a walking tour of the dock & back. lol

We arrived in Bocas from Costa Rica on a Friday, thankfully I had written down the times the institute was open. We dropped our backpacks at the hostel and raced to the Smithsonian. I am so glad we did! This is probably one of the only free tours you will ever get to do on the islands. It takes under an hour and a half. You get to walk around the complex and explore as your guide is pointing out wildlife,explaining and informing you with tons of valuable information about Bocas. You even get to touch some sea creatures :) Make sure you can make it as they only do tours Thursdays/Fridays 3 and 5. We got there early but expect to wait around...You're on Bocas time !

Tours are free on Thu and Fri at 3 and 4 pm. Marlon gave us a wonderful tour of the research station and pointed out lot of local plants and animals.

My wife and I recently took this tour on a Friday afternoon. The tour was worthwhile and was similar to what other reviewers describe. We stood around for 25 minutes waiting for our guide, however - he didn't start the 3:00 tour until almost 3:30.

That was one of the highlight points of this trip. For the first time of my life, after washing my hands, I could touch in a beautiful alive red sea star from the Aquarium. Also, I saw some of shark birds in the same aquarium as the turtles. The shark babies is part of an environmental project by local Biologists; after six months the babies will be released to the sea.

Anyone interested in learning about the wildlife of Panama should go on this short, free tour. Our guide was delightful, full of information and an enthusiasm for his home. The Smithsonian is the first institution to do research in Central America and they are known worldwide for their excellent scientific contributions. In the short 1.5 hours we were there, we saw caiman, monkeys, iguana and a variety of wonderful birds. There is also a touching pool where the kids got to touch sea urchins, sea worms and anenome. We did not need a reservation. We went on a Thursday at 3 pm.

Our guide, Marlon, was very knowledgeable and showed us many animals: caimans, iguanas, and aquatic birds (boat-billed heron, ringed kingfisher) around the lake. We then went near a mangrove swamp. The tour is about one hour (thursdays and fridays from 3:00 to 5:00 pm). Reservations are required but it is free. I highly recommend this tour.

Our hostess, Dona Lovinia, at Hotel Dos Palmas, mentioned the presence of the Smithsonian in Bocas and after a quick search on the net I found out there were free tours on Thursdays and Fridays. Our tour guide, Christian, was very knowledgeable and guided us throught the various buildings and labs explaining what the Smithsonian is doing to preserve the fauna and flora of the region, to educate the young generation in schools, to clean the beaches, etc. We were able to see birds, iguanas, not the "the oso perezoso" probably hiding in the tree, nor the alligator but we saw firsthand how the starfish get on all five after being turned over!Lucky, the students who get a chance to study there for a while!

This is an iconic landmark in Panama. We visited Baro Colorado and Bocas del Toro. Very informative & there is a small visitors center. If you are lucky you might find a copy of the Story in the Stone written by Tom Gidwitz about Bocas del Toro.

I took the free tour offered at the Research Institute on Thursdays and Fridays. It was outstanding, providing many opportunities to view birds, aquatic species, iguanas, and sloths. Our tour guide, Marlon, gives fantastic tours and answers questions very well, he also explains a lot of interesting information. Over all it was AWESOME from this fourth graders perspective.

They gave a great little tour around. Not very exciting..but a nice different thing to do here in Bocas. They have a "Touching Tank" where you can touch all sort of sea life life starfish and anenemones. That makes it all worth it.

Very interesting and worthwhile, but tours less frequent than in the past. Call first. Research on sea creatures and mangrove impact among other things.n