Chilling in Bocas del Toro

Trip Start May 01, 2010
1
20
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Trip End Apr 30, 2011


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Where I stayed
Careening Cay

Flag of Panama  , Bocas del Toro,
Tuesday, June 15, 2010

We have spent the last week chilling in Bocas del Toro. We originally intended on staying for 4 nights but decided to extend our visit and move to Isla Caranero, a much smaller island just across the water from Isla Colon. We are staying at a lovely spot called Careening Cay Resort. As it is the low season for tourists at the moment, we are the only guests here so it is very peaceful. There is a bar and restaurant built out over the water on stilts. It is called the Cosmic Crab and serves delicious Caribbean seafood and an infinite variety of cocktails.

A few days ago, we did a boat trip over to Zapatilla Cays, two beautiful desert islands with white sand beaches and surrounded by coral reef. These are part of the Isla Bastimentos marine park and an important nesting site for hawksbill and leatherback turtles. Each visitor pays $10 which goes to the local rangers.

The last few days, we have just taken it easy on Isla Caranero, walking round the island and stopping every now and then for a dip in the sea
Zapatilla Cays
Zapatilla Cays
. Approximately two thirds of the island's coastline remains untouched with small sandy beaches covered with sun-bleached driftwood and backed by forest and mysterious looking swamp full of twisting tree roots. The only downside is the millions of tiny sandflies that have covered us in numerous tiny itchy bites! Apparently most of the land on the island has been sold though. There are already a number of large foreign-owned beachfront homes on one part of the island so it may only be time before the whole coastline is developed. We hope not.

We will be sad to leave our sunny paradise tomorrow. We are moving on further east to a little place called Santa Fe.

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