Sea Monkey

Isla Bastimentos


Run by an American couple, the bungalows at this luxury B&B hover cheekily over the gin-clear water at the far end of Old Bank harbor. Enormous fan-cooled rooms accommodating three or four people sit 30m from shore, with hand-hewn king-sized beds, high-quality mattresses and fridges. A glass wall with private hammock decks beyond affords uninterrupted sea views.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Isla Bastimentos attractions

1. Wizard Beach

0.76 MILES

The most beautiful beach on Isla Bastimentos is awash in powdery yellow sand and backed by thick vine-strewn jungle. It's connected to Old Bank via a…

2. Red Frog Beach

2.07 MILES

Small but perfectly formed, Red Frog Beach is named after the rana rojo (strawberry poison-dart frog), an amphibian you're most unlikely to encounter here…

3. Playa El Istmito

2.97 MILES

Playa El Istmito, also called Playa La Cabaña, is the closest beach to Bocas town (2.5km away), but as it's on Bahía Sand Fly the chitras (sand flies)…

4. Playa Polo

2.98 MILES

Polo Beach wraps around a sheltered cove and is protected by a reef. It has good snorkeling. Can be reached by short hike from Red Frog Beach.

5. Playa Punch

3.05 MILES

Further up the coast from Playa El Istmito and Sand Dollar Beach is Playa Punch (or Paunch), which is dangerous for swimming but good for surfing. It's…

6. Finca Los Monos Botanical Garden

3.34 MILES

One of the joys of visiting Bocas is touring the 'Monkey Farm' botanical garden a couple of kilometers northwest of the center. Painstakingly carved out…

7. Castillo Inspíración

3.64 MILES

French-Canadian Robert Bezeau crafted this four-story castle from 40,000 plastic bottles. The epitome of recycling, it's one of a kind and worth a good…

8. Nivida Bat Cave

4.52 MILES

One of Bastimentos' most fascinating natural wonders, Nivida is a massive cavern with swarms of nectar bats and a subterranean lake. The cave lies within…