Seventy-eight point eight nautical miles from the Panamanian Caribbean to the Costa Rican Pacific. It is the only route in the catalogue crossing a border and two oceans at once, and by land it is two days. Quoted per aircraft on request.
Route facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Isla Colón (BOC / MPBO), Bocas del Toro |
| Destination | Puerto Jiménez (PJM / MRPJ) |
| Distance | 78.8 NM · 146 km |
| International | Yes |
| Price | Quoted per aircraft on request |
Two days by land, and not because of distance
The overland journey chains three things that do not fit well together.
Leaving the archipelago by boat to Almirante. Crossing at Sixaola or returning towards David to pass through Paso Canoas. And then heading south on the Interamericana to the Osa turn-off.
It is not a long journey: it is a chain with two transfers and a border crossing whose duration nobody controls. Seventy-nine nautical miles by air.
Departure and entry formalities vary by country and need lead time; we coordinate them with every passenger’s details.
It crosses a border, and the deadlines are the same
An international flight between Panama and Costa Rica. The exit and entry formalities have their own deadlines and require notice. Departure and entry formalities vary by country and need lead time; we coordinate them with every passenger’s details.
It is the same warning as at David–Puerto Jiménez, with the same disproportion: seventy-nine nautical miles do not mean short formalities. The deadlines do not depend on the distance.
It is an international sector that happens to be short, not a short sector that happens to be international.
What you buy here
Predictability, as along this whole border. But with a nuance that sets it apart from David:
From Bocas, the overland alternative starts with a boat. That adds a fixed timetable before you even reach the border, and makes the chain less elastic than from the mainland.
If your plan has fixed dates on the other side, the margin here is tighter than at any other crossing in the catalogue.
It is the difference between a chain you can stretch and one that snaps: missing a boat at Almirante does not cost hours, it costs the connecting day.
And if your destination is Drake Bay
It is 90.5 nautical miles direct from Bocas, twelve more than to Puerto Jiménez.
Both runways are 18 m wide and neither restricts by size. With a large group, arriving via Puerto Jiménez and covering the remaining 23.0 nautical miles overland may be the only workable option. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
From the airport to the gulf lodges there is also a transfer we do not operate. Ground transfer is not included in the fare: your accommodation or a local operator arranges it.
An itinerary of two coasts
Bocas del Toro and Osa are the two rainforest corners of this border, one on each ocean, and they resemble each other in nothing: a Caribbean archipelago against a Pacific peninsula with Corcovado.
Seventy-nine nautical miles join them. By land, almost nobody combines them — which explains why this route is rarely asked for.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Bocas to Puerto Jiménez?
The flight covers 78.8 nautical miles. By land it is two days: boat to Almirante, border crossing and the Interamericana south.
Is the flight from Bocas del Toro to Puerto Jiménez international?
Yes, between Panama and Costa Rica. The formality deadlines do not depend on the distance. Departure and entry formalities vary by country and need lead time; we coordinate them with every passenger’s details.
What sets it apart from David–Puerto Jiménez?
That here the overland alternative starts with a boat. That adds a fixed timetable before the border and makes the chain less elastic.
And if I am going to Drake Bay?
It is 90.5 nautical miles direct, and the strip takes them: 1,000 × 18 m. With a large group Puerto Jiménez may suit. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
Is the transfer included?
No. From the airport to the gulf lodges there is a transfer we do not operate. Ground transfer is not included in the fare: your accommodation or a local operator arranges it.
Why is this route rarely asked for?
Because by land almost nobody combines the two coasts. They are the two rainforest corners of the border, one on each ocean.
Enquire
See also: David to Puerto Jiménez · San José to Puerto Jiménez · Crossing borders by private flight · How much does a private charter to Bocas del Toro cost · All destinations · Door-to-lodge transfer · Bocas del Toro · Private Charter from Bocas del Toro to Drake Bay · Private Charter from Drake Bay to Puerto Jiménez