Excursions
Self-guided Activities
Complimentary kayaks and snorkel gear are provided for your use when you are a guest at Casa Cayuco. There are good snorkeling spots not far off our beach. You can also walk through the rain forest to the other side of the peninsula on our jungle trail or stroll along the beach on footpaths that parallel the coast on both sides of the island. You can explore the rainforests of the island, and hike or kayak to a nearby indigenous village.
Guided Excursions
Explore the natural beauty of the surrounding area. Casa Cayuco offers a guide service to many interesting locations nearby. Choose from a variety of guided excursions for some real adventure. All our guides are fully trained and carry first aid equipment with them. When our trips take us away from the lodge for several hours, we pack picnic lunches, snacks, and beverages. Minimum two adults per trip. Prices include equipment, guide, and park and village fees. Gratuities not included. Per person prices for each excursion are listed below. Children under 12 are half price.
Reef Snorkeling
Experience the colorful coral reefs, which are home to an enormous variety of aquatic life. From sea cucumbers to parrotfish, elkhorn coral to eagle rays, all can be found a short boat ride away on the interior reefs of the bay. We provide the snorkel gear and the fish provide the fun. ($40)
Zapatillas (in the National Marine Park)
Discover the beauty of the white-sand beaches on the two Zapatillas Cays in the National Park. These islands offer opportunities for relaxing beach walks and interesting jungle adventures. They are surrounded by breathtaking reefs, full of sea life, that are perfect for snorkeling. Most of the reefs are only a short swim from shore. A quick boat ride is all it takes to access this pristine and beautiful national park. ($50)
Dolphin Bay (and chocolate farm)
Visit the mainland inlet of Dolphin Bay, where a pod of dolphins resides. Watch them feeding and playing. We can also go ashore and visit a working chocolate farm. Tour the farm and learn how chocolate is produced. The locally produced chocolate is available for purchase. ($50; additional $15 for chocolate farm)
Playa Larga
Known in English as Long Beach, Playa Larga is one of the most important sea turtle nesting habitats in the Bocas. Several species of turtles nest there at different times of the year. We go first to Salt Creek, and then hike to the ocean side of Bastimentos, through the National Park. The trail winds through the heart of the island's tropical rain forest. Along the way we stop at a picturesque jungle waterfall. Once we reach Playa Larga, we can hike back the way we came, or complete a circuit route by following a beach trail back to Casa Cayuco. This is a very adventurous day of hiking! ($50)
Cave Tour
Take a boat ride to Bahia Honda, near the center of the National Park. There we meet a local guide and travel by cayuco up a small creek. Sloths, monkeys, caymen, and numerous bird species live along the creek. From where we disembark from the cayuco, we hike through the jungle a few kilometers to the extensive island cave system. Equipped with helmets, lights, and boots, we enter the caves to marvel at the thousands of bats making their home among the stalactites. You can see a lot from just the entrance, or for the more adventurous spelunker go a few hundred meters in! If time allows on this trip, we can stop by La Loma Jungle Lodge and see their butterfly farm. Owners Henry and Margaret offer a wealth of information about the local flora and fauna. ($65)
Los Tigres
A fascinating area for kayaking and snorkeling! We head across Chiriqui bay in the boat towards Punta Valiente. Just off this long mainland peninsula lie numerous rocky islets called Los Tigres. Schools of fish dwell along the edges of these rocks. We kayak and snorkel around them. A couple have arches and caves that we can paddle or swim right through! ($75)
Punta Valiente
If we go father into the bay by Punta Valiente, we can dock our boat and hike over the peninsula to the most pristine ocean beach around. It is Indian comarca land, and quite remote. The village children love to join us for a soccer game on the beach. The surf here is usually excellent for body boarding and beginning/intermediate surfing. ($75)
Whitewater Kayaking
For a really action-packed day of adventure, we travel by boat to the mainland towns of either Chiriqui Grande or Robalo. We drive into the mountains to the put in for a thrilling ride down the Rio Guarumo or Rio Robalo. We paddle single and double kayaks down these remote rivers of class 1-2+ whitewater. The views of the unspoiled rivers are breathtaking, and the numerous stretches of whitewater usually get your adrenaline pumping! ($125 This trip requires a minimum of three people. No previous kayak experience necessary, but a certain level of fitness and swimming ability is required for this all day excursion. Sorry, no children under 12.)