Puerto Villamil: Exploring Isabela's Sleepy Fishing Village

Puerto Villamil is a blissfully relaxed fishing village and the main port of the largest Galapagos Island, Isabela.

5 Brilliant Beaches in Bocas del Toro

One of the biggest attractions of Panama’s Bocas del Toro islands is undoubtedly the beaches. Long stretches of golden sand, fringed by palm trees; they tick all the boxes when it comes to the stereotypical exotic beaches from the brochures.

Whilst certain Bocas del Toro beaches offer some amenities, many remain undeveloped and still retain a certain wild charm, without a parasol in sight. We dodged Bocas' famous storms to visit some.

Red Frog Beach (Isla Bastimentos)

This is usually most sun-worshipers first port of call in Bocas del Toro. Red Frog Beach is a popular stretch of golden sand on the windswept northern side of Isla Bastimentos. This is one of the more developed beaches on the islands - a good place to have a lazy day on the beach sunbathing, with cafes and other amenities close by. Even on a cloudy day it's very picturesque. 

To get to Red Frog Beach, follow the stony path from the Isla Bastimento docks and bear left at the crossroads. There is a large café so you can’t miss the entrance.

Ironically we didn’t spot any of the tiny red frogs the beach takes it’s name from, but there were some hiding nearby..

Tortuga Beach (Isla Bastimentos)

Just adjacent to Red Frog Beach on the eastern side of the large cliff face is the lesser known – and for us, superior – Tortuga Beach. Lacking any facilities and slightly tricky to find at first, Tortuga Beach was virtually deserted and for the majority of our time there we had the entire beach to ourselves. Like Red Frog Beach, the waves crash in pretty fiercely and spray spectacularly against the cliff face.

I was disappointed not to find any of the tiny red poison dart frogs at Red Frog Beach but managed to track one down in Tortuga Beach’s undergrowth. Barely bigger than a thumbnail, getting it to stay still long enough for a photo was a challenge!

To get there, take the stony path from the Isla Bastimentos landing dock, branching right at Red Frog Beach and then turning left down a narrow pathway shortly afterwards.

Starfish Beach (Isla Colón)

No prizes for guessing what this beach is famous for. Under the shallow water in front of the beach are scores of starfish of all shapes and sizes ranging from some hefty adults to baby, palm-sized starfish.

It’s sad that signs have to be put in place to tell people not to touch the starfish like the one below – this should probably also have a section saying not to lift them out of the water. Unfortunately any search for Starfish Beach photos online will provide some mindless examples as to why.

Starfish beach isn’t directly accessible from the road. It’s around a ten minute walk along the palm-strewn beach from Playa Boca del Drago (main image), at the end of the westerly fork of the road that crosses Isla Colón. If you’ve hired a quad, it’s best to leave it near the collection of small restaurants at Boca del Drago and then follow the sandy path past the large house onto the beach. Then turn left and keep walking until you see the sign.

Hospital Point (Isla Solarte)

It may be just a short water taxi from lively - and at times grimy -Bocas Town but it feels like a million miles away. Hospital Point is a great snorkelling spot tucked away on little-visited Isla Solarte. It's included on some boat tour itineraries, but we were lucky enough to have the tiny beach to ourselves.

Taking its name from the first hospital to be built in the islands which was nearby, this tiny, shaded beach has a wonderfully secluded ‘desert island’ feel to it. In amongst the palm trees backing the beach you can see orange poison dart frogs. 

Unfortunately due to the heavy rainfall in the days before, the visibility wasn’t good enough to take any good quality underwater photos, but there were plenty of colourful tropical fish and plants to see.

To get there (without going as part of a tour group) take a water taxi across from Bocas Town and arrange a pick-up time.

Cayos Zapatilla

Found in the outer-lying reaches of Bocas del Toro, Cayos Zapatilla are two uninhabited islands famed for their pristine white sand and clear waters. The cays are surrounded by coral reefs filled with multi-coloured tropical fish. Given the distance and the lack of amenities, it’s best to try and visit on one of Bocas’ drier days, but there’s still something special about visiting an uninhabited tropical island whatever the weather.

It’s best to visit the Cays as part of a day trip from Isla Colón as they are too far away to get to by water taxi (around an hour and a half). Many operators will combine a visit here with other popular spots around the inner islands.

Which one of these Bocas beaches would you most like to visit?

Exploring Bocas del Toro by Catamaran

Sometimes when travelling your best laid plans are futile. For all your planning, wherever you are in the world you just end up at the mercy of the weather. This could've been one of those days in the Bocas del Toro archipelago in Panama - an area renowned for its fantastic beaches, but also its frequent rainfall.

It appeared we had not chosen our day to explore the islands by catamaran wisely. The sky was leaden with clouds and it was raining so hard on leaving our hotel I dispensed with normal ‘land’ clothes and just went straight to trunks and a diving undershirt.

On our arrival at the dock in Bocas Town there was a short discussion amongst the five in our group as we were unsure if the day’s trip would go ahead, but sure enough our captain arrived ready to set sail. Anyone that wanted to try their luck with the weather the following day was given the option to swap; given that it had rained at some point every day, and as seasoned veterans of UK summer downpours, we decided to go for it.

Dolphin Bay

Our first stop was a very windswept and rainy Dolphin Bay, around half an hour’s sail from Bocas Town. The visibility wasn’t great but after a short wait we managed to spot some arcing out of the water in front of us.

Mangrove Reef

Our next stop was Mangrove Reef – a more secluded spot sheltered by the dense mangroves that dot the seas around Bocas del Toro. By this point it was getting pretty chilly and damp out on the deck and it was a real treat to jump into the warm water.

I’ve always been more interested in marine animals than plants but the coral was absolutely fantastic, almost as if it had been painted like a gaudy aquarium ornament (in a positive way). There were some distinctive starfish lurking amongst the mass of tangled underwater plantlife, and despite the heavy rainfall, visibility was pretty good.  

The only downside was getting out of the water again, which felt like getting out of a warm bath when your bathroom has no heating.

Lunch was a delicious ham and cheese baguette which we ate in the inner sanctum of the catamaran out of the wind. Thankfully, fish – which usually seems to be served on this sort of trip - was not on the menu. I’ve always had a vague sense of guilt about enjoying watching fish under the water and then eating one immediately afterwards.

Feeding the Sergeant Majors

That may sound like a strange euphemism, but I’m talking about the yellow and black striped fish that are ubiquitous in many popular diving and snorkelling spots like the Caribbean and Red Sea. It turns out they’re quite partial to fruit and bread and we watched from the boat as they swarmed around the chunks of of food being thrown their way like vegetarian piranhas before jumping in for a closer look.

Any unfinished leftovers were finished off by the parrot fish lurking lower down in the depths. It was amazing seeing such huge swarms of fish feeding up close – and the weather even brightened up a bit by the time we were out of the water.

On our way back we saw some of the local guides in their speedboats, hammering through the waves and racing each other across the bay. It looked pretty uncomfortable for the passengers but of more concern were the dolphins that lived in the bay. 

It may have been more expensive but our catamaran trip certainly seemed the more comfortable option, for us and for the marine life. 
Search Bocas Sailing to find out more.  

5 Amazing Encounters with Galapagos Animals

The Galapagos Islands are renowned for being home to a breathtaking array of animals but it's not just the variety of creatures on the islands that are so exciting. By avoiding the large cruise groups and making your own way to some of the Galapagos' best spots it's possible to enjoy some get up close and personal with some of these amazing creatures.

Whilst there are lots of high-end boat tours around the islands, it’s certainly possible to see the animals up close if you know where to look. By combining day-long boat trips and making unguided trips around the islands themselves, we managed to see so many amazing Galapagos animals. Here’s the top five:

Playing with a Sea Lion on Isabela

Undoubtedly my favourite moment from our stay in the Galapagos was getting to swim with an adult female sea lion on Isabela. We headed down to Concha de Perla – a kind of natural swimming pool at high tide - early in the morning when there were few people about. We hung our legs over the small jetty and she swam around our feet before hopping up onto the jetty to investigate us.

We took that as an invitation to play and spent an unforgettable ten minutes swimming around with her under the water before she swam back out to sea.

Giant Tortoises in the Santa Cruz Highlands

On our first full day in the Galapagos Islands we booked a taxi to take us from Puerto Ayora into the verdant highlands of Santa Cruz in search of tortoises. We headed to Primicius Ranch and tiptoed into the undergrowth to see the islands' most iconic animals.

We saw several mid-sized female tortoises before stumbling upon this huge 100 year plus male, who was busy munching his way through some fruit. His size was truly astounding up close.

Blue Footed Boobys and Frigate Birds on Seymour

I’m not usually as interested in birds as mammals and marine life, but the ornithological life on the Galapagos really is unique.

Our one hour stop on a largely barren stretch of Seymour gave us up-close views of the improbable Frigate Birds with their balloon-like red gull pouches and the loveable but dim-witted Blue Footed Boobys, permanently fascinated by their own colourful feet.

Bumping into a Sea Turtle at Las Tintoreras

It was getting towards the end of our time in the Galapagos and I’d still not seen a sea turtle – something that I’d yet to see anywhere despite having been diving in some turtle-abundant dive spots. This changed on our short boat trip to Las Tintoreras – a collection of islets of the coast of Isabela.

The visibility was patchy so I literally gasped - nearly getting a mouthful of seawater in the process - as this huge sea turtle appeared in front of me. It swam around us and grazed on the algae on the sea rocks just underneath. We caught a few more glimpses of him in the murky water before the current took us away.

Swimming with a Damsel Fish at Concha de Perla

There were plenty of colourful fish that could’ve been included here but this Damsel Fish at Concha de Perla, Isabela makes the cut. I hovered over the rocks at the edge of this underwater ledge waiting for it to swim back up and finally managed to get a head on shot of it swimming up towards me.

Top Things to do in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz

Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz is a popular first port of call in the Galapagos Islands and this relaxed little town offers plenty of things to do. Whether you’re using Puerto Ayora as a base to island hop or you’re on a short break between cruises, here is a selection of interesting things you can do in Puerto Ayora; and best of all, none of them require a guide.

Tortuga Bay

In the list of things that make me miss travelling, this place is definitely near the top. Tortuga Bay (main picture) is regarded by some as one of the most picturesque beaches in the world. With roughly a mile of pristine white sand and not a parasol in sight, it's easy to see why. For every guidebook erroneously describing a tourist trap beach as ‘unspoilt’, this is the real deal.
At the southern end of the beach there is usually a large colony of iguanas basking in the sun amongst the scrub and there are hordes of multicoloured Sally Lightfoot crabs dotted on the rocks along the shoreline.

The entrance to Tortuga Bay is at the southern end of Av. Charles Binford. After climbing the steps and signing-in at the gatehouse, it’s a lengthy 35 minute walk along the boardwalk that bisects the mangrove, but its definitely worth the wait. Entrance is free, but the path is only open during daylight hours.

The Charles Darwin Research Station

The Charles Darwin Research Station is ideal for learning more about the various tortoise breeding programmes in progress in the islands. It was once the focal point of a dispute between fisherman and Galapagos conservationists in 1993. This led to angry fisherman briefly occupying the station and making threats against Lonesome George – the iconic Galapagos tortoise – in protest against conservationist opposition to sea cucumber fishing.

Nowadays you can see various breeds of young tortoises, which are nurtured here until they can be released back into the wild on their native islands. So far, nearly 2000 young tortoises have been released back into the wild.

The research station is at the eastern end of Av. Charles Darwin, about five minutes walk down the path to the right of the small cemetery. A leisurely stroll around takes about an hour – entry is included in the initial $100 entry fee payable at the airport upon arrival in the Galapagos.

The Late Afternoon Fish Market

It’s more a collection of fish counters than an actual market, but it’s worth a visit in the late afternoon when the fishermen bring in their catches of the day. You can stand amongst the sea lions and pelicans as they patiently wait for the fishermen to throw them scraps. 

On both our visits there were a group of pelicans and one solitary sea lion who alternated between excited puppy and sulky teenager as he badgered them for some fish. It’s a great way to end the day after a day trip out.

The fish market is about half way along Av. Charles Darwin on the seafront, to the north of Isla Grill.

Las Grietas

Las Grietas (the cracks) is a series of deep volcanic fissures that collect a mixture of water from the Santa Cruz highlands and tidal seepage from the ocean.

Las Grietas is known for its landlocked marine life, including parrot fish and even hammerhead sharks. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much in the way of marine life on our visit, apart from some faintly visible shapes deep down below. Unfortunately, with only snorkels at our disposal, we couldn’t investigate further. That said, it’s still an interesting place to visit and a cool place to spend half a day, just keep an eye out for the locals leaping from the sides of the chasm!

To get to Las Grietas you'll need to take a brief water taxi across the harbour from the jetty. Once on the other side, walk past Finch Bay Eco Resort and Playa de Los Alemanes, past the pungent sulphur lake and then over the rocky, cacti strewn landscape that follow. Much of the walk from the jetty to Las Grietas is over rocks rather than a path so trainers are definitely an advantage.

Las Grietas is down the steep rocky steps tucked away in a chasm in the rock. Getting from the first section body of water to the second requires climbing over slippery wet rocks so tread with care! 

In Pursuit of King Penguins in Tierra del Fuego

The bad news arrived a week or so before in Buenos Aires; our much anticipated visit to see the penguin colony on Isla Magdalena had been cancelled as the penguins had apparently left the island for winter. We knew that by arriving in mid April we were on the cusp of penguin season in Chilean Patagonia. 

Having already committed to flying out of Punta Arenas we had no room to manoeuvre; we were resigned to making the lengthy bus journey from El Calafate in Argentina down to the southern tip of Chile via an overnight stay in Puerto Natales, with nothing much planned for our two and a half days there.

Fortunately on our arrival in Punta Arenas – a town of at the southern extreme of mainland South America - we received better penguin-related news. We had been advised to drop in at Hospedaje Magallanes – a homely hostel/hub of tour organisation incongruously tucked away behind a tattoo parlour on a rather plain stretch of Calle Magallanes. After a series of phone calls we managed to secure two places on a day trip to see some king penguins on Tierra del Fuego - the island at the very tip of South America, grudgingly divided between Chile and Argentina.

Setting off under the cover of darkness at 6.30 am the next day we were picked up by our ebullient guide Diego whose demeanour and volume belied the early hour. After an hour and a half’s ferry ride over the Strait of Magallen with an occasional glimpse of a dolphin cavorting in and out of the water from the windswept deck, we arrived on Tierra del Fuego in Porvenir – a small town founded by Croatian settlers in 1883.

A dolphin in the Strait of Magellan

We spent an hour at the town’s museum – a strange mix of open air automobile artefacts and an array of glass cabinets. These contained, amongst other things, a miniature depiction of a traditional Selknam ceremony, photos of the first settlers on Tierra del Fuego, a mummy and a collection of stuffed animals. 

Depiction of a traditional Selknam ceremony

After lunch, we began the slow drive south into the wilderness, passing the unusually named Bahía Inútil (Useless Bay) so called because of it’s uselessness as a port. The journey didn’t exactly fly by as the emptiness of the landscape began to lose its novelty somewhat, as did the poorly maintained roads. 

Abandoned farm near Useless Bay

After at least two hours of trundling along a dirt track we arrived at the Parque Pinguino Rey. 

The long awaited King Penguin Park, Tierra del Fuego

At the park’s entrance was a large tent sheltered from the wind; home to two touchingly dedicated conservationists that were monitoring the penguins. Just 20 metres behind them on a grassy islet was what everyone had come to see; around thirty King Penguins. 

Amongst the throng was one chick, incongruous with its thick brown fur amongst the sleek black and white bodies of the adults. Whilst most of the group were subdued, there were a handful of more boisterous penguins amongst them.

We spent a good half an hour watching them in near silence, enjoying their distinctive trumpeting and marvelling at their neck gymnastics. The elasticity of their necks was amazing; their heads proudly stretching out at the peak of their hooting before disappearing completely from view.

After half an hour our time was up and we began the lengthy journey toward Primavera for a shorter crossing back to the Chilean mainland. Whilst they weren’t the miniature Magallanic penguins we were originally planning to see, it was still an unforgettable experience seeing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat.