Bastimentos Island

Bastimentos
Corregimiento and town
Bastimentos
Coordinates: 9°21′N 82°12′W / 9.350°N 82.200°WCoordinates: 9°21′N 82°12′W / 9.350°N 82.200°W
Country  Panama
Province Bocas del Toro
District Bocas del Toro
Area
 • Total 60.55 km2 (23.38 sq mi)
Population (2000)
 • Total 1,663
Time zone ETZ (UTC-5)

Bastimentos Island (in Spanish: Isla Bastimentos) is an island with eponymous town, and corregimiento located in the Bocas del Toro District and archipelage of Bocas del Toro Province, Panama. The island is about 20 square miles (52 km2), one of the largest in Panama. Often considered the more relaxed alternative to the busy streets and bars of Bocas del Toro District but at only 10 minutes by water taxi Isla Bastimentos is becoming an increasingly popular destination for backpackers.

Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park encompasses a large portion of Bastimentos Island, Zapatilla Cays, in addition to the waters and mangroves that surround the island. The western tip of the island, better known as Bastimentos, is clearly visible from Bocas town, and is not part of the National Park itself. There are several private residences here.

History

In 1727 the coast here witnessed the demise from tropical disease of much of the fleet of Francis Hosier.[1] It is estimated that more than 4.000 out of the 4.750 men and officers who sailed with Hosier during the three-year expedition perished on the voyage.[2]

Geography

Landscape

The north eastern side of Bastimentos Island faces the Caribbean Sea. Five beaches are found here along with stretches of cove inlets and coral reef. These beaches are: Wizard Beach, Red Frog Beach, Turtle Beach, North Beach and Playa Larga. The south western side of the island has a mangrove coastline with very calm water year round. The landscape is much more dramatic, with large rock faces, stretches of long beaches, in addition to coves and inlets. Most tourists take a 15-minute water taxi ride from Bocas Town to the south side of Bastimentos and walk across the island to Red Frog Beach.

Virtually all of the beaches are located on this western side of the island, including the popular Red Frog Beach, which got its name from small, red frogs known as Strawberry Poison-dart frogs that inhabit the forest near the beach. The most common entrance point is via Red Frog Marina, which is located on the western (opposite) side of the island.

Red Poison-dart frog (Oophaga pumilio) - detail.

Crawl Cay and Zapatilla Cays are situated on the southern portion of the island. No interior trails or roads exist on the island.[3]

Flora and fauna

The island's eastern side is lined with dense, lush mangroves and enjoys calmer water, partially due to the water's shallow depths. White faced and Titi monkeys are common, as are sloths and the ever so popular red poison dart frogs, much beloved by visitors, despite the fearsome name. They make a loud, raucous sound throughout the day. Red Frog Beach is the island's most accessible and frequently visited beach area. During the rainy season, dolphins can regularly be seen swimming with their offspring within the various coves in the area, accessed only by boat these sightings are truly memorable experiences.

Climate

Between the months of August and October the water conditions tend to be the calmest, and at times this portion of the island can be accessed.[4] Although the wet season stretches from March to August, the island can still be accessed easily, and there are many sunny days during this period.

Tourism

There are a handful of places to stay on Bastimentos: Tranquilo Bay, Al Natural Resort, Bocas Bound Hostel, Bubba's House, Casa Cayuco, Red Frog Beach Resort, Eclypse de Mar, Hostal El Jaguar, Hostal Bastimentos to name a few. Idyllic beaches, panoramic views of Caribbean coast lined with rainforest and the relaxing atmosphere are just some of the attractions of this fabulous island. There are numerous trails across the island, through lush rainforest that provide a taste of nature in its purest form.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Clark, J. C. D. (1994), Samuel Johnson: Literature, Religion and English Cultural Politics from the Restoration to Romanticism, Cambridge University Press, p. 161, ISBN 0-521-47885-5
  2. ↑ Marley, David (2008), Wars of the Americas: A Chronology of Armed Conflict in the Western Hemisphere, ABC-CLIO, p. 376, ISBN 1-59884-100-9
  3. ↑ Bastimentos Island "National Marine Park". Bocas del Toro Inc. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  4. ↑ "Boca del Drago Beach, Isla Colon". Bocas del Toro.org. Retrieved 17 March 2011.