Beaches in Bastimentos
Bastimentos island has five unforgettable virgin beaches, besides Zapatilla Keys (two uninhabited islands located in Isla Bastimentos Marine Park)…
Beaches in Bastimentos
Bastimentos island has five unforgettable virgin beaches, besides Zapatilla Keys (two uninhabited islands located in Isla Bastimentos Marine Park).
Note: Bocas del Toro archipelago is part of a marine ecosystem extremely vulnerable to the impact of rapidly growing tourism industry. This is why we encourage our guests to leave beaches exactly as found (*) (**)
(*) We recommend you not to remove any shell, coral or starfish from the area even if they were found out of water or sand.
(**) We recommend you do NOT leave behind plastic waste or litter on beaches and welcome you to bring waste back to the lodge, where it will be separated into into plastic, aluminum and organic waste for subsequent treatment. We count on your support and collaboration. Thank you very much.
Wizard Beach, known to locals simply as First Beach, is a wide virgin beach of golden sand where you can enjoy different activities. Although inaccessible by land, it is highly recommended and can be reached by boat when the tide is calm. There are swells most of the year, attracting surfers to this spot where waves range from 6 to 8 feet (and higher …). You should take water and food with you. (*) The Hotel does not provide beach towels (you should bring your own “pareos” or sarongs reccommended).
Red Frog Beach. After a 10-minute boat ride from Ecly pse de Mar Acqua-Lodge yu can reach Second Beach, known as Red Frog Beach.
It is a long beach of golden sand and surf most of the year. There is a beautiful viewpoint located at the northern end of the beach, which can be accessed by a short rainforest hill trail, overlooking some of the more distant beaches and even other islands.
You will find more tourist facilities than on other beaches on the island. There are 2 restaurants on the beach where you can eat a simple lunch and enjoy a relaxing afternoon in the sun with gentle tropical breezes.
After only 10 minutes walk from Red Frog Beach you can reach the next spot called Playa Tortuga Beach. And if you still feel up to it, you can try and get to Polo Beach, the fourth beach of the island and one of the most beautiful ones, due to its unique location.
Playa Tortuga Beach: Very similar to Red Frog Beach only quieter, the Third beach offers golden sand and waves thoughout most of the year, surrounded by lush vegetation.
Polo Beach: This unique name comes from its previous owner, a colored man named Polo, who has inhabited these beaches all his life, fishing and hunting for food in the area. A pristine beach with calm warm clear water, surrounded by an extensive barrier reef housing a myriad of sea creatures, protecting coasts from waves and making this site a simply wonderful place. It is a perfect place for snorkeling.
You can get there on foot from Red Frog Beach (about an hour walk along the beach), or by sea provided that the tide is low, as the boat goes through a passageway between partially submerged rocks and might otherwise collide or get damaged. You should take water and food with you. (*) The Hotel does not provide beach towels (you should bring your own; pareos reccommended).
Long Beach (Long Beach), the largest beach on Bastimentos island, is located in the south end of the Marine Park. Three different species of sea turtles arrive annually on this remote area to lay their eggs. There are swells throughout most of the year and it’s considered a good surfing spot. You should take water and food with you. (*) The Hotel does not provide beach towels (you should bring your own “pareos” or sarongs reccommended).
Cayo Zapatilla
Zapatilla Keys: two small uninhabited islands located within the Bastimentos Island Marine Park…
Zapatilla Keys
Zapatilla Keys: two small uninhabited islands located within the Bastimentos Island Marine Park. You can reach these beautiful undeveloped beaches by a 40-minute boat ride from Eclypse de Mar Acqua Lodge, also visiting areas where you can snorkel or enjoy a seafood lunch in an overwater restaurant on coral reefs (Coral Key). Dolphins and manta rays are likely to surprise you during the boat ride.
Zapatillas Keys is a unique place, considered the most special spot in the archipelago. This tour provides an excellent opportunity to observe fascinating coral reefs and abundant marine life all the way (with over 200 species of tropical fish) and wonderful pristine beaches, inviting you to relax and genuinely connect with nature.
Each year thousands of sea turtles come out of instinct to these sheltered beaches to lay their eggs. You can also see several species of tiny frogs, iguanas, a wide variety of birds and two different kinds of sloths.
Isla Colón
Colón Island, where “Bocas Town” and the airport are situated also has other attractions such as Bird Island (main meeting point for migratory birds), Drago Beach and Starfish Beach…
Isla Colón
Colón Island, where “Bocas Town” and the airport are situated also has other attractions such as Bird Island (main meeting point for migratory birds), Drago Beach and Starfish Beach.
Towards the other end of the island, you can visit Bluff Beach, an extensive beach of golden sand.
Drago Beach is located on the northern end of Colon Island, and is accessible by sea or also by road from the town of Bocas (it takes about 25 minutes by bus or taxi). There is a restaurant on the beach and you can enjoy calm, clear waters.
Starfish Beach, or “Playa de las Estrellas”, is located in the north of Colon Island, and offers a relaxing and unusual experience. This narrow stretch of white sands and clear waters is home to hundreds of starfish, of all sizes and colours, which can be seen right from the coastline.
Note: Bocas del Toro archipelago is part of a marine ecosystem extremely vulnerable to the impact of rapidly growing tourism industry. This is why we encourage our guests to leave beaches exactly as found (*) (**)
(*) We recommend you not to remove any shell, coral or starfish from the area even if they were found out of water or sand.
(**) We recommend you do NOT leave behind plastic waste or litter on beaches and welcome you to bring waste back to the lodge, where it will be separated into into plastic, aluminum and organic waste for subsequent treatment. We count on your support and collaboration. Thank you very much.
Bluff Beach is an extensive beach of golden sand, accessible by land (20-minute shuttle ride from “Bocas town”). Alternatively, you can rent bikes for a ride along the beach road. Its remote location offers intimate contact with nature: over four-kilometer long, Bluff Beach invites visitors to discover three different species of sea turtles during the spawning season.
There are swells throughout most of the year.
Punta Hospital
Punta Hospital, a beautiful area located just off Eclypse de Mar Acqua Lodge (just 25 minutes by Kayak)…
Punta Hospital
Punta Hospital, a beautiful area located just off Eclypse de Mar Acqua Lodge (just 25 minutes by Kayak).
Hospital Point is situated on the western end of Solarte Island. Christopher Columbus sailed in front of the island during his fourth voyage in 1502.
As English-speaking bucaneers, pirates and settlers arrived during the next three centuries, the island came to be known as Cayo Nancy. The Spanish name of the island is Solarte.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the banana business prospered and people from different countries came to the islands to take advantage of this new industry. Several banana companies operated in Bocas del Toro at the time. In 1899 giant United Fruit Company replaced all other banana interests in the region, establishing their main office in the city of Bocas del Toro. To ensure a healthy and functional work force, the company built a Medical Center on the west end of Solarte, a place that came to be known as Hospital Point.
The Hospital Service of United Fruit Co. in Bocas del Toro was set up on August 20, 1899. Little was known about appropriate sanitary methods and malaria and yellow fever were very common. The first two years proved to be the worst in the Company’s history, with a mortality rate over 5%. The new building in Solarte, described as a main hospital building with an annex, was inaugurated on June 23, 1900.
When the banana plantations on the islands and on the shores died from a fungus disease, the plantations were moved to the plains on the mainland. The Medical Center of Solarte was closed in 1920 after only two decades of use. The buildings were dismantled and the forest quickly covered this part of the island until recently when private homes were built here.
Today, visitors can appreciate the remains of concrete columns and sidewalks of the complex. In the sea, snorkellers and divers can appreciate the history of Hospital Point in the form of rails, ceramic and bottles.
Surf
Imagine climbing on a boat directly from your bungalow´s private terrace and -just eight minutes later- jumping from the boat directly onto the “wave” … this is the dream of every surfer … and it happens very frequently in Eclypse de Mar Acqua Lodge
Surfing in Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro island area is known among surfers as the epicenter of SO Caribbean. Strong winds from the NE (between 25 and 35 knots), and cold fronts coming down from the Gulf of Mexico, combined with favorable wind conditions in the region,
often produce amazing waves that almost make surfers believe they have arrived somewhere in Indonesia. There are just half a dozen known waves; however, there are plenty more to explore.
Many of the breaks on coral reefs, but there’s one in particular, a beach wave which is very strong. It’s called The Bluff and it’s an excellent wave, perhaps the best of the archipelago, holding swells from half a meter to four meters, but needs a clean sea; otherwise it can turn your surfing experience into hell! Water movement is very intense -it’s not a place for beginners. It is located on Isla Colón (about 15-minute drive from “Bocas town”) where you can also surf Dumpers and Paunch waves.
On the small island of Carenero ypu can find a delicious left break, long and with some piping sections. IT is said to be an easy, loose wave, but this is not the case.
A little further west, on the island of Bastimentos, where “Survivor” TV show was shot, there’s another amazing surfing spot in Bocas del Toro: Silverback, the biggest wave in the area.
The place holds up to five meters and, like all islands except Colon, it’s only accessible by sea. Wizard Beach, located on Bastimentos, provides an excellent opportunity for surfers, plus an extensive and spectacular unspoilt beach.
Also Surf Lessons (Adults and Children) in Carenero island: www.escueladelmar.com