Bastimentos Island National Marine Park.
About one third of Isla Bastimentos and the two Cayos Zapatillas, to the southeast, lie within Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos (Bastimentos Island National Marine Park). The park’s 13,226 hectares (32,668 acres) comprise an array of ecosystems ranging from sea-grass beds to rain forest, and include some spectacular and ecologically important areas. A few of these are a large lake on Bastimentos, the vast expanses of coral reef to the north and east of the island, and the beaches of Playa Larga and Cayos Zapatillas, which are nesting areas for several sea-turtle species. Playa Larga is a long, pristine beach on the northern coast of Isla Bastimentos that is remote enough that few people make it there. It is nearly impossible to visit it at night, when turtles nest, which makes Playa Bluff a better option for turtle-watching. Playa Larga is most easily visited from Old Point, where a trail leads through the forest to that seemingly endless ribbon of windswept sand. Much of the park is almost inaccessible, especially the island’s forested interior, but you can see most of its flora and fauna in the private reserves of adjacent jungle lodges.
Most people experience the park’s reefs at Cayos Zapatillas, two cays southeast of Bastimentos that are the park’s crown jewels. Their name translates as “Slipper Cays,” which is may be due to their shoelike shapes. Those small, elongated isles with ivory sand shaded by coconut palms have the kind of picture-perfect tropical scenery that northern travel companies put in their brochures. But the Cayos’ most impressive scenery is actually in the surrounding ocean, which holds 500 hectares (1,235 acres) of protected coral reef ranging from a shallow platform around the islands to steep walls pocked with caves. Scuba divers can explore the reef’s outer expanses, but snorkelers can enjoy views of the shallow platform adorned with some impressive coral formations. The park tends to have more fish than Crawl Cay and other unprotected dive spots, and divers can expect to see tiny angelfish, parrot fish, squirrelfish, octopi, eels, stingrays, and countless other marine creatures. But when seas are rough, as they often are between December and March, skin diving is limited to the leeward side of the island, making Crawl Cay a more attractive dive spot then. There is a ranger station on the island, and a small nature trail through the forest. Bring sunblock, insect repellent, a hat, a towel, water, and snorkeling gear.
Cost: $10 Open: Daily 6-6
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