Carmen's Place

When you go to Bocas, take a water taxi to Carmen’s Place on Bastimentos instead of stopping there. You’ll find great hospitality, a wonderful setting, exquisite food and everything you need. They can set up activities for you, or you can spend the day relaxing on their dock.

We stayed three nights in the jungle cabin, built cleverly into the steep hillside behind Carmens Place. It had good, relaxing beds, mosquito nets, a nice bathroom with hot water, and a private terrace high enough to look over the bay. At night, you really are in the jungle, with birds and other animals all around. The bay is right in front of you, with fish and dolphins, while rainforest rises behind the accommodation. The location is quiet, tucked into a bay on Bastimentos, but not far from the city of Boca. From here you can reach Red Frog and Wizard beach. You’re not entirely reliant on water taxis to explore. We didn’t hike to Wizard beach, but one evening we followed a narrow plank path through the mangroves to Old Bank, the island’s largest village. It’s lively and colorful. We watched children arriving from school by water taxi at the central square/riser, then had a delicious meal at Mammies, one of the restaurants overlooking the bay. Carmen is a fantastic host who knows the local community well. You can see that they work with people there rather than operating as a self-contained resort. In the evening, you can join dinner on the dock. Carmen cooks with local ingredients, including freshly caught fish and salad, and the meals exceeded our expectations. Breakfast on the dock was delicious, with different fruits and pancakes to set you up for the day. Marcel can tell you about the fish and other wildlife in the bay, including sister sharks, which fortunately aren’t dangerous. We didn’t go sport fishing, but Marcel has an impressive speedboat and all the gear if you want to. You can also head out on a tour or walk, or explore in a kayak from the dock. Carmen can help arrange everything, and the tours are fairly priced, so the local community can earn an income from them too.

A beautiful waterfront place, far enough from the chaos to unwind but close enough to get out and enjoy things. Carmen was a fantastic host, and Marcel is a great fishing guide if you’re hoping to catch something big. They make a perfect team. Thanks for having us!

The open windows let us hear the jungle at night, and the rooms were very clean with lovely sea views. It’s a great spot if you want to enjoy nature and the people around you. Carmen and Marcel were kind and helpful, made us feel at home straight away, and we didn’t want to leave. Carmen’s cooking and hospitality left us speechless. Marcel impressed us with his knowledge of spotting sloths, fish and other animals. They also helped us plan trips and have great connections all over the island. Thank you for everything! We really recommend staying here and hope we can return one day. ❤️